JК
Sharpes Eagle :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 100 из 203It’ll take ten minutes for them to throw up all that liquor.”
Forrest looked alarmed, but Hogan had taken charge and the Major did not know how to resist. Hogan took Josefina by the elbow and gave her to Forrest. “Go with Major Forrest and rescue your things. Hurry!”
She stepped to Forrest but turned back to Sharpe. “But where do I spend the night?”
Sharpe cleared his throat. “She can use my room. I can double up with Hogan.”
Forrest twitched at her elbow. “Come on, my dear, we must hurry.” The two of them splashed through the stream and hurried towards the lights of the inn. Hogan watched them go and turned to Sharpe. “Double up with me?”
“It would be best, wouldn’t it?”
“Hypocrite. You mean double up with her.”
Sharpe said nothing. He suspected that Hogan had pushed the girl away with the Major because he wanted to talk to Sharpe alone, but the Rifleman had no intention of making his friend’s life any easier by bringing up the subject. He leaned down and picked up his rifle and felt the lock to see if any dampness or mud had seeped into the pan. The lights of the Battalion fires smeared the hillside with a dying red glow.
“You know what you’re doing, Richard?” Hogan’s voice was non-committal.
“What do you mean?”
The Irishman smiled. “She’s beautiful. There aren’t many as good-looking as that one; at least, not outside Cork.” The small joke was made to lighten his tone, which was sad. “Well, you rescued her, so she’s yours for the moment. Will you be sending her home to Lisbon?” Sharpe started walking beside the stream and said nothing. Hogan caught up with him. “Are you in love with her?”
“For God’s sake!”
“And what’s wrong with that?” They walked in silence for a few yards until Hogan took a guinea out of his pocket and held it up. „I’ll bet you this against ten of yours that you’ll not double up with me tonight?“
Sharped smiled in the darkness. “I don’t gamble and I haven’t any money.”
“I know. But you’ll need it, Richard. Women don’t come free.” Hogan still spoke softly. He felt in his pocket and held out a handful of guineas. „I’ll wage you these, Richard, against one rifle bullet that you won’t double up with me tonight.“
Sharpe stared down at Hogan’s friendly, concerned face. It would be so easy to win the bet. All he had to do was put Josefina in his room and then walk to Hogan’s billet and collect the handful of gold. There were six months’ wages, there, just for staying clear of the girl.
Forrest looked alarmed, but Hogan had taken charge and the Major did not know how to resist. Hogan took Josefina by the elbow and gave her to Forrest. “Go with Major Forrest and rescue your things. Hurry!”
She stepped to Forrest but turned back to Sharpe. “But where do I spend the night?”
Sharpe cleared his throat. “She can use my room. I can double up with Hogan.”
Forrest twitched at her elbow. “Come on, my dear, we must hurry.” The two of them splashed through the stream and hurried towards the lights of the inn. Hogan watched them go and turned to Sharpe. “Double up with me?”
“It would be best, wouldn’t it?”
“Hypocrite. You mean double up with her.”
Sharpe said nothing. He suspected that Hogan had pushed the girl away with the Major because he wanted to talk to Sharpe alone, but the Rifleman had no intention of making his friend’s life any easier by bringing up the subject. He leaned down and picked up his rifle and felt the lock to see if any dampness or mud had seeped into the pan. The lights of the Battalion fires smeared the hillside with a dying red glow.
“You know what you’re doing, Richard?” Hogan’s voice was non-committal.
“What do you mean?”
The Irishman smiled. “She’s beautiful. There aren’t many as good-looking as that one; at least, not outside Cork.” The small joke was made to lighten his tone, which was sad. “Well, you rescued her, so she’s yours for the moment. Will you be sending her home to Lisbon?” Sharpe started walking beside the stream and said nothing. Hogan caught up with him. “Are you in love with her?”
“For God’s sake!”
“And what’s wrong with that?” They walked in silence for a few yards until Hogan took a guinea out of his pocket and held it up. „I’ll bet you this against ten of yours that you’ll not double up with me tonight?“
Sharped smiled in the darkness. “I don’t gamble and I haven’t any money.”
“I know. But you’ll need it, Richard. Women don’t come free.” Hogan still spoke softly. He felt in his pocket and held out a handful of guineas. „I’ll wage you these, Richard, against one rifle bullet that you won’t double up with me tonight.“
Sharpe stared down at Hogan’s friendly, concerned face. It would be so easy to win the bet. All he had to do was put Josefina in his room and then walk to Hogan’s billet and collect the handful of gold. There were six months’ wages, there, just for staying clear of the girl.