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t。
〃Well；〃 said Wychwood； 〃it's war。〃
Hornblower could not allow himself to ask； 〃War with whom？〃 He made himself wait。
〃Alexander's done it； or rather Boney has。 Boney crossed the Niemen with fifteen army corps ten days back。 No declaration of war； of course。 That's not the sort of courtesy one would expect of two potentates who have been blackguarding each other in every sheet in every language in Europe。 War was inevitable the moment Alexander sent back his answer a month ago … the day before you left us。 Now we'll see。〃
〃Who's going to win？〃
Wychwood shrugged。
〃I can't imagine Boney being beaten。 And from what I've heard the Russian Army did not show to advantage last year in Finland despite their reorganization。 And Boney has half a million men marching on Moscow。〃
Half a million men； the largest army the world had seen since Xerxes crossed the Hellespont。
〃At least；〃 went on Wychwood； 〃it will keep Boney busy all this summer。 Next year we'll see … maybe he'll lose so many men his people will bear it no longer。〃
〃Let's hope so；〃 said Hornblower。
He took out his penknife and ripped open his despatch。
British Embassy；
St Petersburg
June 24th； 1812。
SIR；
The bearer of this despatch； Colonel Lord Wychwood； will inform you of affairs in this country and of the state of war which now exists between His Imperial Majesty the Tsar and Bonaparte； You will； of course； take all necessary steps to render all the assistance in your power to our new ally。 I am informed； and have reason to believe； that while the main body of Bonaparte's army is marching on Moscow； a very considerable detachment； believed to consist of the Prussian army corps and a French corps d'armée； the whole under the orders of Marshal Macdonald； Duke of Tarentum； altogether some 60；000 men； has been directed on the northern route towards St Petersburg。 It is highly desirable that this army should be prevented from reaching its goal； and at the request of the Russian Imperial Staff I must call your attention to the possibility that your squadron may be able to give assistance at Riga； which the French must capture before continuing their march on St Petersburg。 I wish to add my own advice to that of the Russian staff； and to press upon you as urgently as possible that you should give assistance at Riga for as long as may be patible with your original orders。
In virtue of the powers granted me under the terms of my instructions； I must inform you that I consider it important to the national safety that the cutter Clam； at present under your mand； shall be despatched to England in order to carry with the utmost rapidity the news of the outbreak of war。 I trust and hope that you will raise no objection。
I have the honour to be； sir；
Etc。； etc。；
CATHCART； His Britannic Majesty's Minister…Plenipotentiary
and Ambassador Extraordinary to H。 I。 M
〃Cathcart's a good man；〃 mented Wychwood； observing that Hornblower had pleted his reading。 〃Both as a soldier and as a diplomat he's worth two of Merry at Stockholm。 I'm glad Wellesley sent him out。〃
Certainly this despatch was better worded than the last Hornblower had received； nor did Cathcart presume to give order to the modore。
〃You will be going on in Clam to England；〃 said Hornblower。 〃I must ask you to wait while I plete my own despatches for the Admiralty。〃
〃Naturally；〃 said Wychwood。
〃It will only be a matter of minutes；〃 said Hornblower。 〃Perhaps Captain Bush will entertain you while you are waiting。 Doubtless there are many letters awaiting carriage to England。 Meanwhile； I am sending my secretary back to England in Clam too。 I shall put in your charge the papers relative to his case。〃
Alone in his cabin； Hornblower opened his desk and found himself pen and ink。 There was little enough to add to his official despatch。 He read the last words … 'I wish most strongly to call Their Lordships' attention to the conduct and professional ability of mander William Vickery and Lieutenant Percival Mound。' Then he began a new paragraph。 'I am taking the opportunity of the departure of Clam to England to forward this letter to you。 In accordance with the remendation of His Excellency Lord Cathcart； I shall proceed at once with the rest of my squadron to render all the assistance in my power to the Russian forces at Riga。' He thought for a moment of adding some conventional expression like 'I trust this course of action will meet with Their Lordships' approval'； and then put the notion aside。 It meant nothing； was merely waste verbiage。 He dipped his pen again and merely wrote； 'I have the honour to be； Your obed't servant； Horatio Hornblower； Captain and modore'。
He closed the letter； shouting for Brown as he did so。 While he wrote the address … Edward Nepean； Esq。； Secretary to the Lords missioners of the Admiralty … Brown brought him a candle and sealing wax； and he sealed the letter and laid it on one side。 Then he took another sheet and began to write again。
H。M。S。 Nonsuch； IN THE BALTIC
MY DEAR WIFE；
The cutter waits for me to plete my correspondence for England； and I have only time to write these few lines to add to the other letters which have been awaiting an opportunity to make the voyage。 I am in the best of health； and the progress of the campaign remains satisfactory。 The great news of the outbreak of war between Bonaparte and Russia has just reached me。 I hope that the event will prove this to be Bonaparte's worst mistake； but I can only anticipate long and costly fighting； with small possibility of my returning to your dear presence； at least until the freezing of the harbours makes further operations in these waters impracticable。
I trust most sincerely that you are well and happy； and that the rigours of the London season have not proved too trying for you。 I like to think of the good air of Smallbridge restoring the roses to your cheeks； so that the vagaries of costumiers and milliners will not exact too excessive a toll of your health and peace of mind。
Also I trust that Richard is porting himself towards you with the duty and obedience you expect； and that his teeth have continued to make their appearance with as little disturbance as possible。 It would be a great delight to me if he were old enough to write to me himself； especially if that would give me further news of you； only a letter from you yourself could give me greater pleasure。 It is my hope that soon letters will reach me from England； and that it will be my happiness to hear that all is well with you。
When next you see your brother； Lord Wellesley； I trust you will give him my duty and respects。 For you I reserve my whole love。
Your affectionate husband
HORATIO
Wychwood took the letters Hornblower gave him； and wrote out a receipt on Bush's desk with Bush's pen。 Then he held out his hand。
〃Good…bye； sir；〃 he said； and hesitated； then； with a rush； he added； 〃God knows how this war will turn out。 I expect the Russians'll be beaten。 But you have done more than any one man to bring the war about。 You've done your whole duty； sir。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Hornblower。
He was in a disturbed and unsettled mood； he stood on the quarter…deck of the Nonsuch while over his head the ensign was dipped in a parting salute to the Clam； and he watched the cutter sail off towards England。 He watched her until she was out of sight； while Nonsuch put up her helm and bore away for Riga and whatever new adventures awaited him there。 He knew quite well what was the matter with him； he was homesick； plunged into a storm of emotional disturbance as always was when he wrote home； and； oddly enough； Wychwood's last words added to his disturbance。 They had reminded him of the terrible load of responsibility that he bore。 The future of the world and the survival of his country would be profoundly affected by his doings。 Should this Russian adventure end in defeat and disaster everyone anxious to shuffle off responsibility would blame him。 He would be condemned as inept and shortsighted。 He even found himself envying Braun now on his way back to London； under arrest and awaiting probable trial and possible execution； and he remembered with longing his petty troubles at Smallbridge； he smiled at himself when he recalled that his heaviest burden there had been to receive a deputation of wele from the village。 He thought of Barbara's ready sympathy； of the intense pleasure he had known when it first dawned upon him that Richard loved him； and enjoyed and looked forward to his pany。 Here he had to be content with Bush's unthinking loyalty and the precarious admiration of the young officers。
Recalling himself to reality； he forced himself to remember with what a bubble of excitement he had received his orders back to active service； the light heart with which he had left his child； the feeling of … there was no blinking the matter … emancipation with which he had parted from his wife。 The prospect of once more being entirely his own master； of not having to defer to Barbara's wishes； of not being dismoded by Richard's teeth； had seemed most attractive then。 And here he was plaining to himself about the burden of responsibility； when responsibility was the inevitable price one had to pay for independence； irresponsibility was something which； in the very nature of things； could not co…exist with independence。 This was all very well and logical； but there was no blinking the fact that he wished he were home； he could conjure up in imagination so vividly the touch of Barbara's hand on his own that it was an acute disappointment to realize that it was only in imagination。 He wanted to have Richard on his knee again； shrieking with laughter over the colossal joke of having his nose pinched。 And he did not want to imperil his reputation； his liberty； and his life in bined operations with these unpredictable Russians in a God…forsaken corner of the world like Riga。 Yet then and there … his interest rousing itself spontaneously … he decided that he had better go below and re…read the Sailing Directions for Riga； and a close study of the chart of Riga Bay might be desirable； too。
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The Northern Continental summer had e speedily； as ever。 Last week at Pillau there had still been a decided touch of winter in the air。 To…day； with Riga just over the horizon； it was full summer。 This blazing heat would have done credit to the doldrums were it not for an invigorating quality which the tropics never knew。 A brassy sun shone down from a cloudless sky； although there was just enough mist to leave the distant horizon undefined。 There was a gentle two…knot breeze blowing from the south…west； just enough wind to give Nonsuch bare steerage…way with all her canvas set； studding…sails on both sides to the royals。 The squadron was making the best speed it could； with Lotus hull…down on the starboard bow； Raven close astern； and the two bomb…ketches trailing far behind； even the clumsy Nonsuch could outsail them in the prevailing conditions。
Everything was very peaceful。 Forward a party of seamen under the sailmaker's supervision were overhauling a mainsail for repair。 In the waist another party was dragging a 'bear' up and down the deck … a huge coir mat weighted down with sand which could scrub the planking more effectively than holystones could do。 On the quarter…deck the sailing…master was holding a class in navigation； his mates and the midshipmen standing round him in a semicircle； their sextants in their hands。 Hornblower walked near enough to hear one of the midshipmen； a mere child whose voice had not broken； piping up a reply to the question just shot at him。
〃The parallax of an object is measured by an arc of a vertical circle intercepted between a line extended from the centre of the earth and a line … and a line … a line …〃
The midshipman suddenly became conscious of the awful proximity of the modore。 His voice quavered and died away。 So far he had been quoting Node's Epitome of Navigation with word…perfect exactitude。 It was young Gerard； nephew of the second lieutenant of the Sutherland； whom Bush had taken into his ship for the sake of his uncle； still languishing in a French prison。 The sailing…master's brows drew together in a frown。
〃e； e； M