"Forester, C S - Hornblower 10 - Hornblower in the West Indies" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forester C S)

"Perhaps you will accept my excuses, sir," he said. "I much regret the necessity."
"No more than I regret it, Baron," said Sharpe. "I trust it is only a slight indisposition."
"I trust so," said Vautour.
"The Baroness finds herself indisposed," explained Sharpe to the company. "I am sure you gentlemen will all join me in hoping, as I said, that the indisposition is slight, and regretting that it involves the loss to us of the Baron's charming company."
There was a sympathetic murmur, and Vautour turned to Cambronne.
"Shall I send back the carriage for you, Count?" he asked.
Cambronne pulled at his cat's-whisker moustache.
"Perhaps it might be better if I came with you," he said. "Much as I regret leaving this delightful assembly."
The two Frenchmen took their leave, after polite farewells.
"It is a great pleasure having made your acquaintance, milord," said Cambronne, bowing to Hornblower. The stiffness of his bow was mitigated by the twinkle in his eye.
"It has been a profound experience to meet so distinguished a soldier of the late Empire," replied Hornblower.
The Frenchmen were escorted out of the room by Sharpe, voluble in his regrets.
"Your glasses need refilling, gentlemen," said Sharpe on his return.
There was nothing Hornblower disliked more than drinking large glasses of port in a hot and humid room, even though he now found himself free to discuss the Florida question with the Spanish Consul-General. He was glad when Sharpe made the move to rejoin the ladies. Somewhere within earshot of the drawing-room a string orchestra was playing, but luckily in a subdued manner, so that Hornblower was spared much of the irritation that he usually suffered when he was compelled to listen to music with his tone-deaf ear. He found himself sitting next to one of the pretty young women beside whom Cambronne had been sitting at dinner. In reply to her questions he was forced to admit that on this, his first day, he had seen almost nothing of the city of New Orleans, but the admission led to a discussion of other places he had visited. Two cups of coffee, poured for him by a footman passing round the drawing-room, cleared his head a little; the young woman was attentive and listened well, and nodded sympathetically when the conversation revealed that Hornblower had left behind, at the call of duty, a wife and a ten-year-old son in England.
Gradually the night wore on, and at last the Governor and his lady rose to their feet and the party was over. There were the last few weary minutes of awkward conversation as the carriages were announced one by one, and then Sharpe returned to the drawing-room after escorting the last of the guests to the door.
"A successful evening, I fancy. I trust Your Lordship agrees with me," he said, and turned to his wife. "But I must ask you, my dear, to remember to reprimand Grover about the souffl?."
The entry of the butler with another murmured message prevented Mrs Sharpe's reply.
"Your Lordship's pardon for a moment," said Sharpe. He wore an expression of dismay and hastened out of the room, leaving Hornblower and Gerard to begin polite words of thanks to his hostess for his pleasant evening.
"Gambronne's stolen a march on us!" exclaimed Sharpe, returning with a rapid waddle. "Daring left her mooring three hours ago! Cambronne must have gone on board her the moment he left here."
He swung round on his wife.
"Was the Baroness really ill?" he demanded of her.
"She seemed decidedly faint," replied Mrs Sharpe.
"It must have been all a plant," said Sharpe. "She was acting. Cambronne put the Vautours up to it because he wanted a chance to get clear away."
"What do you think he means to do?" asked Hornblower.
"God knows. But I expect he was disconcerted by the arrival of a King's ship here. His leaving in this fashion means he's up to no good. San Domingo - Cartagena - where'll he take that Imperial Guard of his?"
"I'll get after him in any case," said Hornblower, rising to his feet.
"You'll find it hard to overtake him," said Sharpe - the fact that he said 'you' and not 'Your Lordship' was a proof of his agitation. "He has taken two tugs - the Lightning and the Star - and with the new lighthouses on the river a galloping horse wouldn't overtake him before he reaches the Pass. He'll be clear out to sea by daylight. I don't know if we can find a tug for you tonight in any case, My Lord."
"I'll start after him, all the same," said Hornblower.
"I've ordered the carriage round, My Lord," said Sharpe. "Forgive me, my dear, if we leave without ceremony."
Mrs Sharpe received the hasty bows of the three men; the butler was waiting with their hats; the carriage stood at the door, and they scrambled in.
"Cambronne's bonded freight went on board at nightfall," said Sharpe. "My man is meeting me at your ship with his report."
"That may help us make up our minds," said Hornblower.
The carriage lurched in along the pitch dark streets.
"May I make a suggestion, My Lord?" asked Gerard.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Whatever scheme Cambronne has in mind, My Lord, Vautour is party to it. And he is a servant of the French Government."
"You're right. The Bourbons want a finger in every pie," agreed Sharpe, thoughtfully. "They take every opportunity to assert themselves. Anyone would think it was them that we beat at Waterloo, and not Boney."
The sound of the horses' hoofs changed suddenly as the carriage reached the pier. They stopped, and Sharpe had the door open before the footman could leap down from the box, but as the three men scrambled out he stood beside the door hat in hand, his dark face illuminated by the carriage lamps.
"Wait!" snapped Sharpe.
They almost ran along the pier to where the glimmer of a lamp revealed the gangway; the two hands of the anchor watch stood at attention in the darkness as they hastened on board.
"Mr Harcourt!" shouted Hornblower as soon as his foot touched the deck; this was no time to stand on ceremony. There was a light in the companion and Harcourt was there.
"Here, My Lord."
Hornblower pushed his way into the after cabin; a lighted lantern dangled from the deck beam, and Gerard brought in another one.
"What's your report, Mr Harcourt?"
"The Daring sailed at five bells in the first watch, My Lord," said Harcourt. "She had two tugs with her."
"I know. What else?"
"The lighter with the freight came alongside her early in the second dog-watch. Just after dark, My Lord."
A short, dark man came unobtrusively into the cabin as he spoke, and remained in the background.
"Well?"
"This gentleman whom Mr Sharpe sent kept watch as well as me on what they took on board, My Lord."