JК
Sharpes Havoc :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 197 из 242”
„I doubt it, sir,” Pumphrey said, examining his fingernails with a slight frown, „a man usually holds his best cards till last. And in the end Christopher will want to bargain, either with us or with the French, and I must say that His Majesty’s government does not wish either eventuality.”
„Then I leave his fate to you, my lord,” Wellesley said with obvious distaste, „and as it doubtless means filthy work then I’d better lend you the services of Captain Hogan and Lieutenant Sharpe. As for me? I’m going to bed.” He nodded curtly and left the room, followed by his aides clutching sheaves of paper.
Lord Pumphrey took a decanter of vinho verde from the table and crossed to his armchair where he sat with an exaggerated sigh. „Sir Arthur makes me go weak at the knees,” he said and pretended to be unaware of the shocked reaction on both Sharpe and Hogan’s faces. „Did you really save his life in India, Richard?”
Sharpe said nothing and Hogan answered for him. „That’s why he treats Sharpe so badly,” the Irishman said. „Nosey can’t stand being beholden, and especially can’t stand being beholden to a misbegotten rogue like Sharpe.”
Pumphrey shivered. „Do you know what we in the Foreign Office dislike doing most of all? Going to foreign places. They are so uncomfortable. But here I am and I suppose we must attend to our duties.”
Sharpe had crossed to one of the tall windows where he was staring out into the wet darkness. „What are my duties?” he asked.
Lord Pumphrey poured himself a liberal glass of wine. „Not to put too fine a point on it, Richard,” he said, „your duty is to find Mister Christopher and then… „He did not finish the sentence, but instead drew a finger across his throat, a gesture Sharpe saw mirrored in the dark window.
„Who is Christopher, anyway?” Sharpe wanted to know.
„He was a thruster, Richard,” Pumphrey said, his voice acid with disapproval, „a rather clever thruster in the Foreign Office.” A thruster was a man who would bully and whip his way to the head of the field while riding to hounds and in doing so upset dozens of other hunters. „Yet he was thought to have a very fine future,” Pumphrey continued, „if he could just curb his compulsion to complicate affairs. He likes intrigue, does Christopher. The Foreign Office, of necessity, deals in secret matters and he rather indulges in such things. Still, despite that, he was reckoned to have the makings of an excellent diplomat, and last year he was sent out here to determine the temper of the Portuguese.
„I doubt it, sir,” Pumphrey said, examining his fingernails with a slight frown, „a man usually holds his best cards till last. And in the end Christopher will want to bargain, either with us or with the French, and I must say that His Majesty’s government does not wish either eventuality.”
„Then I leave his fate to you, my lord,” Wellesley said with obvious distaste, „and as it doubtless means filthy work then I’d better lend you the services of Captain Hogan and Lieutenant Sharpe. As for me? I’m going to bed.” He nodded curtly and left the room, followed by his aides clutching sheaves of paper.
Lord Pumphrey took a decanter of vinho verde from the table and crossed to his armchair where he sat with an exaggerated sigh. „Sir Arthur makes me go weak at the knees,” he said and pretended to be unaware of the shocked reaction on both Sharpe and Hogan’s faces. „Did you really save his life in India, Richard?”
Sharpe said nothing and Hogan answered for him. „That’s why he treats Sharpe so badly,” the Irishman said. „Nosey can’t stand being beholden, and especially can’t stand being beholden to a misbegotten rogue like Sharpe.”
Pumphrey shivered. „Do you know what we in the Foreign Office dislike doing most of all? Going to foreign places. They are so uncomfortable. But here I am and I suppose we must attend to our duties.”
Sharpe had crossed to one of the tall windows where he was staring out into the wet darkness. „What are my duties?” he asked.
Lord Pumphrey poured himself a liberal glass of wine. „Not to put too fine a point on it, Richard,” he said, „your duty is to find Mister Christopher and then… „He did not finish the sentence, but instead drew a finger across his throat, a gesture Sharpe saw mirrored in the dark window.
„Who is Christopher, anyway?” Sharpe wanted to know.
„He was a thruster, Richard,” Pumphrey said, his voice acid with disapproval, „a rather clever thruster in the Foreign Office.” A thruster was a man who would bully and whip his way to the head of the field while riding to hounds and in doing so upset dozens of other hunters. „Yet he was thought to have a very fine future,” Pumphrey continued, „if he could just curb his compulsion to complicate affairs. He likes intrigue, does Christopher. The Foreign Office, of necessity, deals in secret matters and he rather indulges in such things. Still, despite that, he was reckoned to have the makings of an excellent diplomat, and last year he was sent out here to determine the temper of the Portuguese.