JК
Sharpes Havoc :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 143 из 242You are free to leave, you do not offer a surrender, you do not yield your weapons, you march out with your head held high and you will go with my sincerest congratulations and, naturally, I shall make quite certain that your Colonel learns of yourachievement here.” He waited for Sharpe’s answer and, when none came, smiled. „And, of course,” he went on, „I shall be honored to return your telescope. I clean forgot to bring it with me just now.”
„You forgot nothing, you bastard,” Sharpe growled.
„Sharpe,” Christopher said reprovingly, „try not to be brutish. Try to understand that diplomacy employs subtlety, intelligence and, yes, deceit. And try to understand that I have negotiated your freedom. You may leave the hill in triumph.”
Shame stared into Christopher’s face which seemed so guileless, so pleased to be the bearer of this news. „And what happens if we stay?” he asked.
„I have not the foggiest idea,” Christopher said, „but of course I shall try to find out if that is, indeed, your wish. But my guess, Sharpe, is that the French will construe such stubbornness as a hostile gesture. There are, sadly, folk in this country who will oppose our settlement. They are misguided people who would prefer to fight rather than accept a negotiated peace, and if you stay here then that encourages their foolishness. My own suspicion is that if you insist upon staying, and thus break the terms of our agreement, the French will bring mortars from Oporto and do their best to persuade you to leave.” He drew on the cigar, then flinched as a raven pecked at the eyes of a nearby corpse. „Major Dulong would like to collect these men.” He gestured with the cigar toward the bodies left by Sharpe’s riflemen.
„He’s got one hour,” Sharpe said, „and he can bring ten men, none of them armed. And tell him some of my men will be on the hill, and they won’t be armed either.”
Christopher frowned. „Why would your men need to be on the open hillside?” he asked.
„Because we’ve got to bury our dead,” Sharpe said, „and it’s all rock up there.”
Christopher drew on the cigar. „I think it would be much better, Sharpe,” he said gently, „if you brought your men down now.”
Sharpe shook his head. „I’ll think about it,” he said.
„You’ll think about it?” Christopher repeated, looking irritated now. „And how long, might I ask, will it take you to think about it?”
„As long as it takes,” Sharpe said, „and I can be a very slow thinker.”
„You have one hour, Lieutenant,” Christopher said, „precisely one hour.” He spoke in French to Dulong who nodded at Sharpe, who nodded back, then Christopher threw away the half-smoked cigar, turned on his heel and went.
„He’s lying,” Sharpe said.
„You forgot nothing, you bastard,” Sharpe growled.
„Sharpe,” Christopher said reprovingly, „try not to be brutish. Try to understand that diplomacy employs subtlety, intelligence and, yes, deceit. And try to understand that I have negotiated your freedom. You may leave the hill in triumph.”
Shame stared into Christopher’s face which seemed so guileless, so pleased to be the bearer of this news. „And what happens if we stay?” he asked.
„I have not the foggiest idea,” Christopher said, „but of course I shall try to find out if that is, indeed, your wish. But my guess, Sharpe, is that the French will construe such stubbornness as a hostile gesture. There are, sadly, folk in this country who will oppose our settlement. They are misguided people who would prefer to fight rather than accept a negotiated peace, and if you stay here then that encourages their foolishness. My own suspicion is that if you insist upon staying, and thus break the terms of our agreement, the French will bring mortars from Oporto and do their best to persuade you to leave.” He drew on the cigar, then flinched as a raven pecked at the eyes of a nearby corpse. „Major Dulong would like to collect these men.” He gestured with the cigar toward the bodies left by Sharpe’s riflemen.
„He’s got one hour,” Sharpe said, „and he can bring ten men, none of them armed. And tell him some of my men will be on the hill, and they won’t be armed either.”
Christopher frowned. „Why would your men need to be on the open hillside?” he asked.
„Because we’ve got to bury our dead,” Sharpe said, „and it’s all rock up there.”
Christopher drew on the cigar. „I think it would be much better, Sharpe,” he said gently, „if you brought your men down now.”
Sharpe shook his head. „I’ll think about it,” he said.
„You’ll think about it?” Christopher repeated, looking irritated now. „And how long, might I ask, will it take you to think about it?”
„As long as it takes,” Sharpe said, „and I can be a very slow thinker.”
„You have one hour, Lieutenant,” Christopher said, „precisely one hour.” He spoke in French to Dulong who nodded at Sharpe, who nodded back, then Christopher threw away the half-smoked cigar, turned on his heel and went.
„He’s lying,” Sharpe said.