JК
Sharpes Havoc :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 236 из 242Its stem bent under his weight, but it held and he had managed to find a foothold on the wet rock beneath and then jump down to another boulder where his feet had shot out from beneath him so that he slid down the big stone’s rounded side to crash into the river, but the sword was still in his hand and in front of him was Williamson and beside the deserter was a wet and terrified Christopher. Rain hissed about them as the dark ravine was garishly lit by a stab of lightning.
„My telescope,” Sharpe said to Christopher.
„Of course, Sharpe, of course.” Christopher pulled his sopping wet coat-tails up, groped in one of his pockets and took out the glass. „Not damaged!” he said brightly. „I only borrowed it.”
„Put it on that boulder,” Sharpe ordered.
„Not damaged at all!” Christopher said, putting the precious glass on the boulder. „And well done, Lieutenant!” Christopher nudged Williamson, who was just watching Sharpe.
Sharpe took a step nearer the two men, who both backed away. Christopher pushed Williamson again, trying to make him attack Sharpe, but the deserter was wary. The longest blade he had ever used in a fight was a sword bayonet, but that experience had not trained him to fight with a saber and especially not against a butcher’s blade like the heavy cavalry sword that Sharpe held. He stepped back, waiting for an opportunity.
„I’m glad you’re here, Sharpe,” Christopher said. „I was wondering how to get away from the French. They were keeping a pretty close eye on me, as you can imagine. I have lots to tell Sir Arthur. He’s done well, hasn’t he?”
„He’s done well,” Sharpe agreed, „and he wants you dead.”
„Don’t be ridiculous, Sharpe! We’re English!” Christopher had lost his hat when he jumped and the rain was flattening his hair. „We don’t assassinate people.”
„I do,” Sharpe said, and he took a step nearer again, and Christopher and Williamson edged away.
Christopher watched Sharpe pick up the glass. „Not damaged, you see? I took good care of it.” He had to shout to make himself heard over the seething rain and the crash of the river thrusting through the rocks. He pushed Williamson forward again, but the man obstinately refused to attack and Christopher now found himself trapped on a slippery ledge between cliff and river, and the Colonel, in this last extremity, finally abandoned trying to talk himself out of trouble and simply shoved the deserter toward Sharpe. „Kill him!” he shouted at Williamson.
„My telescope,” Sharpe said to Christopher.
„Of course, Sharpe, of course.” Christopher pulled his sopping wet coat-tails up, groped in one of his pockets and took out the glass. „Not damaged!” he said brightly. „I only borrowed it.”
„Put it on that boulder,” Sharpe ordered.
„Not damaged at all!” Christopher said, putting the precious glass on the boulder. „And well done, Lieutenant!” Christopher nudged Williamson, who was just watching Sharpe.
Sharpe took a step nearer the two men, who both backed away. Christopher pushed Williamson again, trying to make him attack Sharpe, but the deserter was wary. The longest blade he had ever used in a fight was a sword bayonet, but that experience had not trained him to fight with a saber and especially not against a butcher’s blade like the heavy cavalry sword that Sharpe held. He stepped back, waiting for an opportunity.
„I’m glad you’re here, Sharpe,” Christopher said. „I was wondering how to get away from the French. They were keeping a pretty close eye on me, as you can imagine. I have lots to tell Sir Arthur. He’s done well, hasn’t he?”
„He’s done well,” Sharpe agreed, „and he wants you dead.”
„Don’t be ridiculous, Sharpe! We’re English!” Christopher had lost his hat when he jumped and the rain was flattening his hair. „We don’t assassinate people.”
„I do,” Sharpe said, and he took a step nearer again, and Christopher and Williamson edged away.
Christopher watched Sharpe pick up the glass. „Not damaged, you see? I took good care of it.” He had to shout to make himself heard over the seething rain and the crash of the river thrusting through the rocks. He pushed Williamson forward again, but the man obstinately refused to attack and Christopher now found himself trapped on a slippery ledge between cliff and river, and the Colonel, in this last extremity, finally abandoned trying to talk himself out of trouble and simply shoved the deserter toward Sharpe. „Kill him!” he shouted at Williamson.