按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
sound from the nearest ship would have diminished or increased considerably in this time； and there was no indication of that whatever。 It was far more likely that Le Rêve had overhauled the Spanish fleet under its nightly short canvas and had sailed forward into the middle of it。 It was a problem what to do next in that case； to shorten sail； or to heave to； and let the Spaniards get ahead of them again； or to clap on sail to pass through。 But the passage of the minutes brought clear proof that fleet and sloop were on practically the same course； as otherwise they could hardly fail to pass some ship close。 As long as the mist held they were safest as they were。
But that was hardly to be expected with the ing of day。
'Can't we alter course； sir？' asked Winyatt。
'Wait；' said Hornblower。
In the faint growing light he had seen shreds of denser mist blowing past them…a clear indication that they could not hope for continuous fog。 At that moment they ran out of a fog bank into a clear patch of water。
'There she is； by God！' said Hunter。
Both officers and seamen began to move about in sudden panic。
'Stand still； damn you！' rasped Hornblower； his nervous tension releasing itself in the fierce monosyllables。
Less than a cable's length away a three…decked ship of the line was standing along parallel to them on their starboard side。 Ahead and on the port side could be seen the outlines； still shadowy； of other battleships。 Nothing could save them if they drew attention to themselves； all that could be done was to keep going as if they had as much right there as the ships of the line。 It was possible that in the happy…go…lucky Spanish navy the officer of the watch over there did not know that no sloop like Le Rêve was attached to the fleet…or even possibly by a miracle there might be one。 Le Rêve was French built and French rigged； after all。 Side by side Le Rêve and the battleship sailed over the lumpy sea。 They were within pointblank range of fifty big guns； when one well…aimed shot would sink them。 Hunter was uttering filthy curses under his breath； but discipline had asserted itself； a telescope over there on the Spaniard's deck would not discover any suspicious bustle on board the sloop。 Another shred of fog drifted past them； and then they were deep in a fresh fog bank。
'Thank God！' said Hunter； indifferent to the contrast between this present piety and his preceding blasphemy。
'Hands wear ship；' said Hornblower。 'Lay her on the port tack。'
There was no need to tell the hands to do it quietly； they were as well aware of their danger as anyone。 Le Rêve silently rounded…to； the sheets were hauled in and coiled down without a sound； and the sloop； as close to the wind as she would lie； heeled to the small wind； meeting the lumpy waves with her port bow。
'We'll be crossing their course now；' said Hornblower。
'Please God it'll be under their sterns and not their bows；' said Winyatt。
There was the duchess still in her cloak and hood； standing right aft as much out of the way as possible。
'Don't you think Your Grace had better go below？' asked Hornblower； making use by a great effort of the formal form of address。
'Oh； no； please；' said the duchess。 'I couldn't bear it。' Hornblower shrugged his shoulders； and promptly forgot the duchess's presence again as a new anxiety struck him。 He dived below and came up again with the two big sealed envelopes of despatches。 He took a belaying pin from the rail and began very carefully to tie the envelopes to the pin with a bit of line。
'Please；' said the duchess； 'please； Mr Hornblower； tell me what you are doing？'
'I want to make sure these will sink when I throw them overboard if we're captured；' said Hornblower grimly。
'Then they'll be lost for good？'
'Better that than that the Spaniards should read 'em；' said Hornblower with all the patience he could muster。
'I could look after them for you；' said the duchess。 'Indeed I could。'
Hornblower looked keenly at her。
'No；' he said； 'they might search your baggage。 Probably they would。'
'Baggage！' said the duchess。 'As if I'd put them in my baggage！ I'll put them next my skin…they won't search me in any case。 They'll never find 'em； not if I put 'em up my petticoats。'
There was a brutal realism about those words that staggered Hornblower a little； but which also brought him to admit to himself that there was something in what the duchess was saying。
'If they capture us；' said the duchess； '…I pray they won't； but if they do…they'll never keep me prisoner。 You know that。 They'll send me to Lisbon or put me aboard a King's ship as soon as they can。 Then the despatches will be delivered eventually。 Late； but better late than never。'
'That's so；' mused Hornblower。
'I'll guard them like my life；' said the duchess。 'I swear I'll never part from them。 I'll tell no one I have them； not until I hand them to a King's officer。'
She met Hornblower's eyes with transparent honesty in her expression。
'Fog's thinning； sir；' said Winyatt。
'Quick！' said the duchess。
There was no time for further debate。 Hornblower slipped the envelopes from their binding of rope and handed them over to her； and replaced the belaying pin in the rail。
'These damned French fashions；' said the duchess。 'I was right when I said I'd put these letters up my petticoats。 There's no room in my bosom。'
Certainly the upper part of her gown was not at all capacious； the waist was close up under the armpits and the rest of the dress hung down from there quite straight in utter defiance of anatomy。
'Give me a yard of that rope； quick！' said the duchess。
Winyatt cut her a length of the line with his knife and handed it to her。 Already she was hauling at her petticoats； the appalled Hornblower saw a gleam of white thigh above her stocking tops before he tore his glance away。 The fog was certainly thinning。
'You can look at me now；' said the duchess； but her petticoats only just fell in time as Hornblower looked round again。 'They're inside my shift； next my skin as I promised。 With these Directory fashions no one wears stays any more。 So I tied the rope round my waist outside my shift。 One envelope is flat against my chest and the other against my back。 Would you suspect anything？'
She turned round for Hornblower's inspection。
'No； nothing shows；' he said。 'I must thank Your Grace。'
'There is a certain thickening；' said the duchess； 'but it does not matter what the Spaniards suspect as long as they do not suspect the truth。'
Momentary cessation of the need for action brought some embarrassment to Hornblower。 To discuss with a woman her shift and stays…or the absence of them…was a strange thing to do。
A watery sun； still nearly level； was breaking through the mist and shining in his eyes。 The mainsail cast a watery shadow on the deck。 With every second the sun was growing brighter。
'Here it es；' said Hunter。
The horizon ahead expanded rapidly； from a few yards to a hundred； from a hundred yards to half a mile。 The sea was covered with ships。 No less than six were in plain sight； four ships of the line and two big frigates； with the red…and…gold of Spain at their mastheads； and； what marked them even more obviously as Spaniards； huge wooden crosses hanging at their peaks。
'Wear ship again； Mr Hunter；' said Hornblower。 'Back into the fog。'
That was the one chance of safety。 Those ships running down towards them were bound to ask questions； and they could not hope to avoid them all。 Le Rêve spun around on her heel； but the fog…bank from which she had emerged was already attenuated； sucked up by the thirsty sun。 They could see a drifting stretch of it ahead； but it was lazily rolling away from them at the same time as it was dwindling。 The heavy sound of a cannon shot reached their ears； and close on their starboard quarter a ball threw up a fountain of water before plunging into the side of a wave just ahead。 Hornblower looked round just in time to see the last of the puff of smoke from the bows of the frigate astern pursuing them。
'Starboard two points；' he said to the helmsman； trying to gauge at one and the same moment the frigate's course； the direction of the wind； t