csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第56章
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'I know whom we need； sir；' he said。
He shouted a string of names； and half a dozen men came forward； burly； weather…beaten fellows； with the self…reliant look in their faces of men used to meeting difficulties。 It was apparent that the swarthy Galician was their captain。
'Let us go； then；' said Hornblower； but the Galician checked him。
Hornblower did not hear what he said； but some of the crowd nodded； turned away； and came hastening back staggering under a breaker of fresh water and a box that must contain biscuit。 Hornblower was cross with himself for forgetting the possibility of their being blown out to sea。 And the mandant； still sitting his horse and watching these preparations with a keen eye； took note of these stores too。
'Remember； sir； that I have your parole；' he said。
'You have my parole； sir；' said Hornblower…for a few blessed moments he had actually forgotten that he was a prisoner。
The stores were safely put away into the sternsheets and the fishing…boat captain caught Hornblower's eye and got a nod from him。
'Let us go；' he roared to the crowd。
The iron…shod hoofs clashed on the cobbles and the dray lurched forward； with men leading the horses； men swarming alongside； and Hornblower and the captain riding on the dray like triumphing generals in a procession。 They went through the dockyard gate； along the level main street of the little town； and turned up a steep lane which climbed the ridge constituting the backbone of the headland。 The enthusiasm of the crowd was still lively； when the horses slowed as they breasted the slope a hundred men pushed at the back； strained at the sides； tugged at the traces to run the dray up the hillside。 At the crest the lane became a track； but the dray still lurched and rumbled along。 From the track diverged an even worse track； winding its way sideways down the slope through arbutus and myrtle towards the sandy cove which Hornblower had first had in mind…on fine days he had seen fishermen working a seine net on that beach； and he himself had taken note of it as a suitable place for a landing party should the Royal Navy ever plan a descent against Ferrol。
The wind was blowing as wildly as ever； it shrieked round Hornblower's ears。 The sea as it came in view was chaotic with wave…crests； and then as they turned a shoulder of the slope they could see the line of the Devil's Teeth running out from the shore up there to windward； and still hanging precariously from their jagged fangs was the wreck； black against the seething foam。 Somebody raised a shout at the sight； everybody heaved at the dray； so that the horses actually broke into a trot and the dray leaped and bounced over the obstructions in its way。
'Slowly；' roared Hornblower。 'Slowly！'
If they were to break an axle or smash a wheel at this moment the attempt would end in ludicrous failure。 The mandant on his horse enforced Hornblower's cries with loud orders of his own； and restrained the reckless enthusiasm of his people。 More sedately the dray went on down the trail to the edge of the sandy beach。 The wind picked up even the damp sand and flung it stinging into their faces； but only small waves broke here； for the beach was in a recess in the shoreline； the south…westerly wind was blowing a trifle off shore here； and up to windward the Devil's Teeth broke the force of the rollers as they raced along in a direction nearly parallel to the shoreline。 The wheels plunged into the sand and the horses stopped at the water's edge。 A score of willing hands unharnessed them and a hundred willing arms thrust the dray out into the water…all these things were easy with such vast manpower available。 As the first wave broke over the floor of the dray the crew scrambled up and stood ready。 There were rocks here； but mighty heaves by the militiamen and the dockyard workers waist…deep in water forced the dray over them。 The boat almost floated off its chocks； and the crew forced it clear and scrambled aboard； the wind beginning to swing her immediately。 They grabbed for their oars and put their backs into half a dozen fierce strokes which brought her under mand； the Galician captain had already laid a steering oar in the notch in the stern； with no attempt at shipping rudder and tiller。 As he braced himself to steer he glanced at Hornblower； who tacitly left the job to him。
Hornblower； bent against the wind； was standing in the sternsheets planning a route through the rocks which would lead them to the wreck。 The shore and the friendly beach were gone now； incredibly far away； and the boat was struggling out through a welter of water with the wind howling round her。 In those jumbled waves her motion was senseless and she lurched in every direction successively。 It was well that the boatmen were used to rowing in broken water so that their oars kept the boat under way； giving the captain the means by which； tugging fiercely at the steering oar； he could guide her through that maniacal confusion。 Hornblower； planning his course； was able to guide the captain by his gestures； so that the captain could devote all the necessary attention to keeping the boat from being suddenly capsized by an unexpected wave。 The wind howled； and the boat heaved and pitched as she met each lumpy wave； but yard by yard they were struggling up to the wreck。 If there was any order in the waves at all； they were swinging round the outer end of the Devil's Teeth； so that the boat had to be carefully steered； turning to meet the waves with her bows and then turning back to gain precarious yards against the wind。 Hornblower spared a glance for the men at the oars； at every second they were exerting their utmost strength。 There could never be a moment's respite…tug and strain； tug and strain； until Hornblower wondered how human hearts and sinews could endure it。
But they were edging up towards the wreck。 Hornblower； when the wind and spray allowed； could see the whole extent of her canted deck now。 He could see human figures cowering under the break of the poop。 He saw somebody there wave an arm to him。 Next moment his attention was called away when a jagged monster suddenly leaped out of the sea twenty yards ahead。 For a second he could not imagine what it was； and then it leaped clear again and he recognized it…the butt end of a broken mast。 The mast was still anchored to the ship by a single surviving shroud attached to the upper end of the mast and to the ship； and the mast； drifting down to leeward； was jerking and leaping on the waves as though some sea god below the surface was threatening them with his wrath。 Hornblower called the steersman's attention to the menace and received a nod in return； the steersman's shouted 'Nombre de Dios' was whirled away in the wind。 They kept clear of the mast； and as they pulled up along it Hornblower could form a clearer notion of the speed of their progress now that he had a stationary object to help his judgement。 He could see the painful inches gained at each frantic tug on the oars； and could see how the boat stopped dead or even went astern when the wilder gusts hit her； the oar blades pulling ineffectively through the water。 Every inch of gain was only won at the cost of an infinity of labour。
Now they were past the mast； close to the submerged bows of the ship； and close enough to the Devil's Teeth to be deluged with spray as each wave burst on the farther side of the reef。 There were inches of water washing back and forth in the bottom of the boat； but there was neither time nor opportunity to bale it out。 This was the trickiest part of the whole effort； to get close enough alongside the wreck to be able to take off the survivors without stoving in the boat； there were wicked fangs of rock all about the after end of the wreck； while forward； although the forecastle was above the surface at times the forward part of the waist was submerged。 But the ship was canted a little over to port； towards them； which made the approach easier。 When the water was at its lowest level； immediately before the next roller broke on the reef； Hornblower； standing up and craning his neck； could see no rocks beside the wreck in the middle part of the waist where the deck came down to water level。 It w
