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than that as well。 These pistols were an example of the way she tried to satisfy wants of his that he was not aware of。 She had lifted her eyebrows when he had said that Gibbon would be all the reading material he would need on this mission； and she had bought and packed a score of other books for him； one of them； he could see from here； was this new poem in the Spenser stanza； Childe Harold （whatever that might mean） by the mad peer Lord Byron。 Everyone had been talking about it just before his departure； he must admit he was glad of the chance to read it； although he would never have dreamed of buying it for himself。 Hornblower looked back over a life of Spartan self…denial with a twinge of queer regret that it should have ended； and then he got angrily out of his chair。 In another moment he would be wishing he were not married to Barbara； and that was perfect nonsense。
He could tell； down here in his cabin； that the Nonsuch was still close…hauled to the strong northwesterly breeze； she was lying over to it so steadily that there was little roll in her motion； although she was pitching deeply as she met the short North Sea rollers。 The tell…tale pass over his head showed that she was making good her course for the Skaw； and the whole cabin was resonant with the harping of the taut rigging transmitted through the timbers of the ship； while she creaked positively thunderously as she pitched； loud enough to make conversation difficult。 There was one frame that made a noise like a pistol shot at one particular moment of each pitch； and he had already grown so used to the sound as to be able to anticipate it exactly； judging it by the ship's motion。
He had been puzzled for a space by a peculiar irregular thud over his head； in fact； he had been so piqued at his inability to account for it that he had put on his hat and gone up on the quarter…deck to find out。 There was nothing in sight on the deck which seemed likely to have made that rhythmical noise； no pump at work； nobody beating out oakum … even if it were conceivable that such a thing could be done on the quarter…deck of a ship of the line； there were only Bush and the officers of the watch； who immediately froze into inconspicuous immobility when the great man appeared on the panion。 Heaven only knew what made that thumping； Hornblower began to wonder if his ears had deceived him and if the noise really came from a deck below。 He had to make a pretence of having e on deck for a purpose … interesting to find that even a modore； First Class； still had to sink to such subterfuges … and he began to stride up and down the weather side of the quarter…deck； hands behind him； head bowed forward； in the old fortable attitude。 Enthusiasts had talked or written of pleasures innumerable； of gardens or women； wine or fishing； it was strange that no one had ever told of the pleasure of walking a quarter…deck。
But what was it that had made that slow thumping noise？ He was forgetting why he had e upon deck。 He darted covert glances from under his brows as he walked up and down and still saw nothing to account for it。 The noise had not been audible since he came on deck； but still curiosity consumed him。 He stood by the taffrail and looked back at the flotilla。 The trim ship…rigged sloops were beating up against the strong breeze without difficulty； but the bomb…ketches were not so fortable。 The absence of a foremast； the huge triangular foresail； made it hard to keep them from yawing； even in a wind。 Every now and then they would put their stumpy bowsprits down and take the green sea in over their bows。
He was not interested in bomb…ketches。 He wanted to know what had been thumping the deck over his head when he was in his cabin； and then mon sense came to help him fight down his ridiculous self…consciousness。 Why should not a modore ask a simple question about a simple subject？ Why in the world had he even hesitated for a moment？ He swung round with determination。
〃Captain Bush？〃 he called。
〃Sir！〃 Bush came hastening aft to him； his wooden leg thumping the deck。
That was the noise！ With every second step Bush took； his wooden leg with its leather button came down with a thump on the planking。 Hornblower certainly could not ask the question he had just been forming in his mind。
〃I hope I shall have the pleasure of your pany at dinner this evening；〃 said Hornblower； thinking rapidly。
〃Thank you； sir。 Yes； sir。 Yes； indeed；〃 said Bush。 He beamed with pleasure at the invitation so that Hornblower felt positively hypocritical as he made his way down into the cabin to supervise the last of his unpacking。 Yet it was as well that he had been led by his own peculiar weaknesses to give that invitation instead of spending the evening； as he would otherwise have done； dreaming about Barbara； calling up in his mind the lovely drive through springtime England from Smallbridge to Deal； and making himself as miserable at sea as he had managed to make himself on land。
Bush would be able to tell him about the officers and men of the Nonsuch； who could be trusted and who must be watched； what was the material condition of the ship； if the stores were good or bad； and all the hundred other things he needed to know。 And to…morrow； as soon as the weather moderated； he would signal for 'All Captains'； and so make the acquaintance of his other subordinates； and size them up； and perhaps begin to convey to them his own particular viewpoints and theories； so that when the time came for action there would be need for few signals and there would be mon action directed speedily at a mon objective。
Meanwhile； there was one more job to be done immediately； the present would be the best time； he supposed with a sigh； but he was conscious of a faint distaste for it even as he applied himself to it。
〃Pass the word for Mr Braun … for my clerk；〃 he said to Brown； who was hanging up the last of the uniform coats behind the curtain against the bulkhead。
〃Aye aye； sir；〃 said Brown。
It was odd that his clerk and his coxswain should have names pronounced in identical fashion； it was that coincidence which had led him to add the unnecessary last three words to his order。
Mr Braun was tall and spare； fair； youngish； and prematurely bald； and Hornblower did not like him； although typically he was more cordial to him than he would have been if he had liked him。 He offered him the cabin chair while he himself sat back on the locker； and when he saw Mr Braun's eyes resting curiously on the case of pistols … Barbara's gift … he condescended to discuss it with him as a conversational preliminary； pointing out the advantages of the percussion caps and the rifled barrels。
〃Very good weapons indeed； sir；〃 said Mr Braun； replacing them in their velvet case。
He looked across the cabin at Hornblower； the dying light which came through the stern windows shining on his face and reflected in curious fashion from his pale…green eyes。
〃You speak good English；〃 said Hornblower。
〃Thank you； sir。 My business before the war was largely with England。 But I speak Russian and Swedish and Finnish and Polish and German and French just as well。 Lithuanian a little。 Estonian a little because it is so like Finnish。〃
〃But Swedish is your native language； though？〃
Mr Braun shrugged his thin shoulders。
〃My father spoke Swedish。 My mother spoke German； sir。 I spoke Finnish with my nurse； and French with one tutor and English with another。 In my office we spoke Russian when we did not speak Polish。〃
〃But I thought you were a Swede？〃
Mr Braun shrugged his shoulders again。
〃A Swedish subject； sir； but I was born a Finn。 I thought of myself as a Finn until three years ago。〃
So Mr Braun was one more of these stateless individuals with whom all Europe seemed to be peopled nowadays … men and women without a country； Frenchmen； Germans； Austrians； Poles who had been uprooted by the chances of war and who dragged out a dreary existence in the hope that some day another chance of war would re…establish them。
〃When Russia took advantage of her pact with Bonaparte；〃 explained Mr Braun； 〃to fall upon Finland； I was one of those who fought。 What use was it？ What could Finland do against all the might of Russia？ I was one of the fortunate ones who escaped。 My brothers are in Russian gaols at this very minute if they are alive； but I hope they are dead。 Sweden was in revolution … there was no refuge for me there； even though it had been for Sweden that I was fighting。 Germany； Denmark； Norway were in Bonaparte's hands； and Bonaparte would gladly have handed me back to oblige his new Russian ally。 But I was in an English ship； one of those to which I sold timber； and so to England I came。 One day I was the richest man in Finland where there are few rich men； and the next I was the poorest man in England where there are many poor。〃
The pale…green eyes reflected back the light again from the cabin window； and Hornblower realized anew that his clerk was a man of disquieting personality。 It was not merely the fact that he was a refugee； and Hornblower； like everybody else； was surfeited with refugees and their tales of woe although his conscience pricked him about them … the first ones had begun to arrive twenty years ago from France； and ever since then there had been an increasing tide from Poland and Italy and Germany。 Braun's being a refugee was likely to prejudice Hornblower against him from the start； and actually had done so； as Hornblower admitted to himself with his usual fussy sense of justice。 But that was the reason that Hornblower did not like him。 There was less reason even than that … there was no reason at all。
It was irksome to Hornblower to think that for the rest of this mission he would have to work in close contact with this man。 Yet the Admiralty orders in his desk enjoined upon him to pay the closest attention to the advice and information which he would receive from Braun； 'a gentleman whose acquaintance with the Baltic countries is both extensive and intimate'。 Even this evening it was a great relief when Bush's knock at the cabin door； heralding his arrival for dinner； freed Hornblower from the man's presence。 Braun slid unobtrusively out of the cabin with a bow to Bush； every line of his body indicated the pose … whether forced or natural Hornblower could not guess … of the man who has seen better days resignedly doing menial duties。
〃How do you find your Swedish clerk； sir？〃 asked Bush。
〃He's a Finn； not a Swede。〃
〃A Finn？ You don't say； sir！ It'd be better not to let the men know that。〃
Bush's own honest face indicated a disquietude against which he struggled in vain。
〃Of course；〃 said Hornblower。
He tried to keep his face expressionless； to conceal that he had pletely left out of account the superstition that prevailed about Finns at sea。 In a sailor's mind every Finn was a warlock who could conjure up storms by lifting his finger； but Hornblower had quite failed to think of the shabby…genteel Mr Braun as that kind of Finn； despite those unwholesome pale…green eyes。
CHAPTER SIX
〃Eight bells； sir。〃
Hornblower came back to consciousness not very willingly； he suspected he was being dragged away from delightful dreams； although he could not remember what they were。
〃Still dark； sir；〃 went on Brown remorselessly； 〃but a clear night。 Wind steady at west…by…north； a strong breeze。 The sloops an' the flotilla in sight to looard； an' we're hove to； sir； under mizzen…t's'l； maint'mast stays'l an' jib。 An' here's your shirt； sir。〃
Hornblower swung his legs out of his cot and sleepily pulled off his nightshirt。 He was minded at first just to put on those few clothes which would keep him warm on deck； but he had his dignity as modore to remember； and he wanted to establish a reputation as a man who was never careless about any detail whatever。 He had left orders to be called now； a quarter of an hour before it was really necessary； merely to be able to do so。 So he put on uniform coat and trousers and boots； parted his hair carefully in the flickering light of the lantern Brown held； and put aside the thought of shaving。 If he came on deck at four in the morning newly shaved everyone would guess that he had been at pains regarding his appearance。 He clapped on