hard cash-第40章

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By　this　time　elastic　Sharpe　had　recovered　the　first　shock；　and　the　order　to　crowd　sail　on　the　ship　galled　his　pride　and　his　manhood。　He　muttered　indignantly；　〃The　white　feather！〃　This　eased　his　mind；　and　he　obeyed　orders　briskly　as　ever。　While　he　and　his　hands　were　setting　every　rag　the　ship　could　carry　on　that　tack；　the　other　officers　having　unluckily　no　orders　to　execute；　stood　gloomy　and　helpless；　with　their　eyes　glued；　by　a　sort　of　sombre　fascination；　on　that　coming　fate；　and　they　literally　jumped　and　jarred　when　Mrs。　Beresford；　her　heart　opened　by　the　lovely　day；　broke　in　on　their　nerves　with　her　light　treble。

〃What　a　sweet　morning；　gentlemen！　After　all；　a　voyage　is　a　delightful　thing。　Oh；　what　a　splendid　sea！　and　the　very　breeze　is　warm。　Ah！　and　there's　a　little　ship　sailing　along：　here；　Freddy；　Freddy　darling；　leave　off　beating　the　sailor's　legs；　and　come　here　and　see　this　pretty　ship。　What　a　pity　it　is　so　far　off。　Ah！　ah！　what　is　that　dreadful　noise？〃

For　her　horrible　small　talk；　that　grated　on　those　anxious　souls　like　the　mockery　of　some　infantine　fiend；　was　cut　short　by　ponderous　blows　and　tremendous　smashing　below。　It　was　the　captain　staving　in　water…casks：　the　water　poured　out　at　the　scuppers。

〃Clearing　the　lee　guns；〃　said　a　middy；　off　his　guard。

Colonel　Kenealy　pricked　up　his　ears；　drew　his　cigar　from　his　mouth；　and　smelt　powder　〃What；　for　action　？〃　said　he　briskly。　〃Where's　the　enemy？〃

Fullalove　made　him　a　signal；　and　they　went　below。

Mrs。　Beresford　had　not　heard　or　not　appreciated　the　remark：　she　prattled　on　till　she　made　the　mates　and　midshipmen　shudder。

Realise　the　situation；　and　the　strange　incongruity　between　the　senses　and　the　mind　in　these　poor　fellows！　The　day　had　ripened　its　beauty；　beneath　a　purple　heaven　shone；　sparkled；　and　laughed　a　blue　sea；　in　whose　waves　the　tropical　sun　seemed　to　have　fused　his　beams；　and　beneath　that　fair；　sinless；　peaceful　sky；　wafted　by　a　balmy　breeze　over　those　smiling；　transparent；　golden　waves；　a　bloodthirsty　Pirate　bore　down　on　them　with　a　crew　of　human　tigers；　and　a　lady　babble　babble　babble　babble　babble　babble　babbled　in　their　quivering　ears。

But　now　the　captain　came　bustling　on　deck；　eyed　the　loftier　sails；　saw　they　were　drawing　well；　appointed　four　midshipmen　a　staff　to　convey　his　orders：　gave　Bayliss　charge　of　the　carronades；　Grey　of　the　cutlasses；　and　directed　Mr。　Tickell　to　break　the　bad　news　gently　to　Mrs。　Beresford；　and　to　take　her　below　to　the　orlop　deck；　ordered　the　purser　to　serve　out　beet　biscuit；　and　grog　to　all　hands；　saying；　〃Men　can't　work　on　an　empty　stomach：　and　fighting　is　hard　work；〃　then　beckoned　the　officers　to　come　round　him。　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　confidentially；　〃in　crowding　sail　on　this　ship　I　had　no　hope　of　escaping　that　fellow　on　this　tack；　but　I　was；　and　am；　most　anxious　to　gain　the　open　sea；　where　I　can　square　my　yards　and　run　for　it；　if　I　see　a　chance。　At　present　I　shall　carry　on　till　he　comes　within　range：　and　then；　to　keep　the　Company's　canvas　from　being　shot　to　rags；　I　shall　shorten　sail；　and　to　save　ship　and　cargo　and　all　our　lives；　I　shall　fight　while　a　plank　of　her　swims。　Better　be　killed　in　hot　blood　than　walk　the　plank　in　cold。〃

The　officers　cheered　faintly；　the　captain's　dogged　resolution　stirred　up　theirs。

The　pirate　had　gained　another　quarter　of　a　mile　and　more。　The　ship's　crew　were　hard　at　their　beef　and　grog；　and　agreed　among　themselves　it　was　a　comfortable　ship。　They　guessed　what　was　coming；　and　woe　to　the　ship　in　that　hour　if　the　captain　had　not　won　their　respect。　Strange　to　say；　there　were　two　gentlemen　in　the　_Agra_　to　whom　the　pirate's　approach　was　not　altogether　unwelcome。　Colonel　Kenealy　and　Mr。　Fullalove　were　rival　sportsmen　and　rival　theorists。　Kenealy　stood　out　for　a　smooth　bore　and　a　four…ounce　ball；　Fullalove　for　a　rifle　of　his　own　construction。　Many　a　doughty　argument　they　had；　and　many　a　bragging　match；　neither　could　convert　the　other。　At　last　Fullalove　hinted　that　by　going　ashore　at　the　Cape；　and　getting　each　behind　a　tree　at　one　hundred　yards；　and　popping　at　one　another；　one　or　other　would　be　convinced

〃Well；　but；〃　said　Kenealy；　〃if　he　is　dead；　he　will　be　no　wiser。　Besides；　to　a　fellow　like　me；　who　has　had　the　luxury　of　popping　at　his　enemies；　popping　at　a　friend　is　poor　insipid　work。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　other　regretfully。　〃But　I　reckon　we　shall　never　settle　it　by　argument。〃

Theorists　are　amazing；　and　it　was　plain；　by　the　alacrity　with　which　these　good　creatures　loaded　the　rival　instruments；　that　to　them　the　pirate　came　not　so　much　as　a　pirate　as　a　solution。　Indeed；　Kenealy；　in　the　act　of　charging　his　piece；　was　heard　to　mutter；　〃Now；　this　is　lucky。〃　However；　these　theorists　were　no　sooner　loaded　than　something　occurred　to　make　them　more　serious。　They　were　sent　for　in　haste　to　Dodd's　cabin；　they　found　him　giving　Sharpe　a　new　order。

〃Shorten　sail　to　the　taupsles　and　jib；　get　the　colours　ready　on　the　halyards；　and　then　send　the　men　aft。〃

Sharpe　ran　out　full　of　zeal；　and　tumbled　over　Ramgolam；　who　was　stooping　remarkably　near　the　keyhole。　Dodd　hastily　bolted　the　cabin…door；　and　looked　with　trembling　lip　and　piteous　earnestness　in　Kenealy's　face　and　Fullalove's。　They　were　mute　with　surprise　at　a　gaze　so　eloquent　and　yet　mysterious。

He　manned　himself；　and　opened　his　mind　to　them　with　deep　emotion；　yet　not　without　a　certain　simple　dignity。

〃Colonel；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　an　old　friend；　_you；_　sir；　are　a　new　one；　but　I　esteem　you　highly；　and　what　my　young　gentlemen　chaff　you　about；　you　calling　all　men　brothers；　and　making　that　poor　negro　love　you　instead　of　fear　you；　that　shows　me　you　have　a　great　heart。　My　dear　friends；　I　have　been　unlucky　enough　to　bring　my　children's　fortune　on　board　this　ship：　here　it　is　under　my　shirt。　Fourteen　thousand　pounds！　This　weighs　me　down。　Oh；　if　they　should　lose　it　after　all！　Do　pray　give　me　a　hand　apiece　and　pledge　your　sacred　words　to　take　it　home　safe　to　my　wife　at　Barkington；　if　you；　or　either　of　you；　should　see　this　bright　sun　set　to…day；　and　I　should　not。〃

〃Why；　Dodd；　old　fellow；〃　said　Kenealy　cheerfully；　〃this　is　not　the　way　to　go　into　action。〃

〃Colonel；〃　replied　Dodd；　〃to　save　this　ship　and　cargo；　I　must　be　wherever　the　bullets　are；　and　I　will　too。〃

Fullalove；　more　sagacious　than　the　worthy　colonel；　said　earnestly　〃Captain　Dodd；　may　I　never　see　Broadway　again；　and　never　see　Heaven　at　the　end　of　my　time；　if　I　fail　you。　There's　my　hand。〃

〃And　mine；〃　said　Kenealy　warmly。

They　all　three　joined　hands；　and　Dodd　seemed　to　cling　to　them。　〃God　bless　you　both！　God　bless　you！　Oh；　what　a　weight　your　true　hands　have　pulled　off　my　heart。　Good…bye；　for　a　few　minutes。　The　time　is　short。　I'll　just　offer　a　prayer　to　the　Almighty　for　wisdom；　and　then　I'll　come　up　and　say　a　word　to　the　men　and　fight　the　ship；　according　to　my　lights。〃

Sail　was　no　sooner　shortened　and　the　crew　ranged；　than　the　captain　came　briskly　on　deck；　saluted；　jumped　on　a　carronade；　and　stood　erect。　He　was　not　the　man　to　show　the　crew　his　forebodings。

（Pipe。）　〃Silence　fore　and　aft。〃

〃My　men；　the　schooner　coming　up　on　our　weather　quarter　is　a　Portuguese　pirate。　His　character　is　known；　he　scuttles　all　the　ships　he　boards；　dishonours　the　women；　and　murders　the　crew。　We　cracked　on　to　get　out　of　the　narrows；　and　now　we　have　shortened　sail　to　fight　this　blackguard；　and　teach　him　to　molest　a　British　ship。　I　promise；　in　the　Company's　name；　twenty　pounds　prize…money　to　every　man　before　the　mast　if　we　beat　him　off　or　out…manoeuvre　him；　thirty　if　we　sink　him；　and　forty　if　we　tow　him　astern　into　a　friendly　port。　Eight　guns　are　clear　below；　three　on　the　weather　side；　five　on　the　lee；　for；　if　he　knows　his　business；　he　will　come　up　on　the　lee　quarter：　if　he　doesn't　that　is　no　fault　of　yours　nor　mine。　The　muskets　are　all　loaded；　the　cutlasses　ground　like　razors〃

〃Hurrah！〃

〃We　have　got　women　to　defend〃

〃Hurrah！〃

〃A　good　ship　under　our　feet；　the　God　of　justice　overhead；　British　hearts　in　our　bosoms；　and　British　colours　flyingrun　'em　up！over　our　heads。〃　（The　ship's　colours　flew　up　to　the　fore；　and　the　Union　Jack　to　the　mizen　peak。）　〃Now；　lads；　I　mean　to　fight　this　ship　while　a　plank　of　her　（stamping　on　the　deck）　swims　beneath　my　foot；　andwhat　do　you　say？〃

The　repl