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〃The modore；〃 went on the Countess； 〃has expressed a desire to see the picture gallery。 Would you care to e with us； Princess？〃
〃No； thank you；〃 said the Princess； 〃I fear I am too old for picture galleries。 But go； my children； without me。〃
〃I would not like to leave you alone； here；〃 protested the Countess。
〃Even at my age； I can boast that I am still never left long alone； Countess。 Leave me； I beg you。 Enjoy yourselves； children。〃
Hornblower bowed again； and the Countess took his arm； and they walked slowly out。 She pressed his arm； while footmen stood aside to allow them passage。
〃The Italian pictures of the Cinque Cento are in the far gallery；〃 said the Countess as they came into the broad corridor。 〃Would you care to see the more modern ones first？〃
〃As madame wishes；〃 said Hornblower。
Once through a door； once out of the ceremonial part of the palace； it was like a rabbit warren； narrow passages； innumerable staircases； an infinity of rooms。 The apartment to which she led him was on the first floor； a sleepy maid who was awaiting her ing vanished into the room beyond they came into the luxurious sitting…room。 It was into the room beyond that the Countess called him； five minutes later。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Hornblower turned over in his cot with a groan； the effort of turning brought back the pain into his temples； although he moved very cautiously。 He was a fool to have drunk so much … it was the first time he had had this sort of headache for half a dozen years。 Yet it had been hard to avoid； just as everything else had been hard to avoid； he did not know what else he could have done； once events had him in their grip。 He raised his voice and shouted for Brown … it hurt his head again to shout； and his voice was a hoarse croak。 He heard the voice of the sentry at the door passing on the word； and with an infinity of effort he sat up and put his legs out of bed； determined that Brown should not find him prostrate。
〃Bring me some coffee；〃 he said when Brown came in。
〃Aye aye； sir。〃
Hornblower continued to sit on the edge of his cot。 Overhead he heard the raucous voice of Hurst blaring through the skylight； apparently addressing a delinquent midshipman。
〃A fine young flibberty…gibbet you are；〃 said Hurst 〃Look at that brasswork！ D'you call that bright？ Where d'you keep your eyes？ What's your division been doing this last hour？ God； what's the Navy ing to； when warrants are given to young jackanapes who couldn't keep their noses clear with a marline…spike！ You call yourself a King's officer？ You're more like a winter's day； short； dark； and dirty！〃
Hornblower took the coffee Brown brought in。
〃My pliments to Mr Hurst；〃 he croaked； 〃and ask him kindly not to make so much noise over my skylight。〃
〃Aye aye； sir。〃
The first satisfaction that day was to hear Hurst cut his tirade abruptly short。 Hornblower sipped at the scalding coffee with some degree of pleasure。 It was not surprising that Hurst should be in a bad temper to…day。 He had been through a harassing evening the night before； Hornblower remembered Hurst and Mound carrying Braun； unconscious and reeking with spirits； into the carriage at the palace door。 Hurst had been strictly sober； but apparently the mental strain of keeping guard over a secret assassin in the Tsar's palace had been too much for his nerves。 Hornblower handed his cup back to Brown to be refilled when Brown reappeared； and pulled his nightshirt over his head as he waited。 Something caught his eye as he laid his nightshirt on his cot； it was a flea； leaping high out of the sleeve。 In a wave of disgust he looked down at himself； his smooth round belly was pockmarked with flea…bites。 That was a striking mentary on the difference between an Imperial palace and one of His Britannic Majesty's ships of the line。 When Brown returned with his second cup of coffee Hornblower was still cursing fiercely both at Imperial uncleanness and at the dreary prospect of the nuisance of having to rid himself of vermin to which he was peculiarly susceptible。
〃Take that grin off your face；〃 snapped Hornblower； 〃or I'll send you to the grating to see if you grin there！〃
Brown was not grinning； all that could be said about his expression was that he was too obviously not grinning。 What irritated Hornblower was the knowledge that Brown was enjoying the superior and paternal state of mind of one who has not a headache while the man who is with him has。
His shower…bath restored some of Hornblower's peace of mind； and he put on clean linen； gave Brown orders for the disinfection of his clothes； and went up on deck； where the first person on whom he laid eyes was Wychwood； bleary…eyed and obviously with a far worse headache than he had himself。 Yet the keen air of the Russian morning was invigorating and refreshing。 The normal early…morning ship's routine； the sight of the rows of men holystoning the decks； the pleasant swish of the water over the planking； were forting and restorative as well。
〃Boat ing off to us； sir；〃 reported a midshipman to the officer of the watch。
It was the same pinnace as had taken them ashore yesterday； and it brought a naval officer with a letter in French …
His Excellency the Minister of the Imperial Marine presents his pliments to modore Sir Hornblower。 His Excellency has given orders for a water…boat to be alongside the Nonsuch at eleven o'clock this morning。
A distinguished nobleman； M。 le te du Nord； having expressed a desire to see one of His Britannic Majesty's Ships； His Excellency proposes to trespass upon Sir Hornblower's hospitality by visiting the Nonsuch at ten o'clock in pany with the te du Nord。
Hornblower showed the letter to Wychwood； who confirmed his suspicions。
〃That's Alexander；〃 he said。 〃He used the title of te du Nord when he was travelling on the continent as Tsarevitch； He'll be corning incognito； so that there'll be no need for royal honours。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Hornblower dryly； a little nettled at this soldier giving him advice beyond what he was asked for。 〃But an Imperial Minister of Marine must rank with a First Lord of the Admiralty。 That'll mean nineteen guns and all the other honours。 Midshipman of the watch！ My pliments to the captain； and I shall be very obliged if he will be good enough to e on deck。〃
Bush heard the news with a low whistle； and instantly turned to sweep decks and rigging with his glance； anxious that his ship should be in the perfection of condition for this Imperial visit。
〃How can we take in water；〃 asked Bush piteously； 〃and be in a fit state for the Tsar to e on board； sir？ What will he think of us？ Unless we water the flotilla first。〃
〃The Tsar's a man of sense；〃 said Hornblower； briskly。 〃Let's show him the hands at work。 He doesn't know the difference between the mizzen…stay and the flying jib…boom； but he'll recognize efficient work if we show it to him。 Start watering while he's on board。〃
〃And the food？〃 asked Bush。 〃We'll have to offer him something； sir。〃
Hornblower grinned at his anxiety。
〃Yes； we'll offer him something。〃
It was typical of Hornblower's contrary temperament that the more difficulties other people foresaw the more cheerful he became； the only person really capable of depressing Hornblower was Hornblower himself。 His headache had left him pletely； and he was positively smiling now at the thought of a busy morning。 He ate his breakfast with appetite； and put on his full…dress uniform once more and came on deck to find Bush still fussing round the ship； with the crew all in clean white frocks and duck trousers； the acmodation ladder rigged； with hand…ropes as white as snow； the marines pipeclayed and polished； the hammocks stowed in mathematical tiers。 It was only when the midshipman of the watch reported a cutter approaching that he felt a little twinge of nervousness； a sudden catch in his breath； at the thought that the next few hours might have a decided bearing on the history of the world for years to e。
The calls of the boatswain's mates shrilled through the ship； and the ship's pany fell in by divisions； officers to the front with epaulettes and swords； and Hornblower at the quarterdeck rail looked down at the asse