JК
Sharpes Havoc :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 49 из 242„Probably Brigadier Vuillard,” he said.
„I’ve not heard of him.”
„A Bonapartiste through and through,” Argenton said disapprovingly.
„Spell his name for me, will you?” Christopher asked, then wrote it down: Brigadier Henri Vuillard. „I assume he knows nothing of your scheme?” he continued.
„Of course not!” Argenton said. „But it is a scheme, Colonel, that cannot work without British support. General Cradock is sympathetic, is he not?”
„Cradock is sympathetic,” Christopher said confidently. He had reported his earlier conversations to the British General who had seen in the proposed mutiny an alternative to fighting the French and so had encouraged Christopher to pursue the matter. „But alas,” Christopher went on, „it’s rumored he will soon be replaced.”
„And the new man?” Argenton inquired.
„Wellesley,” Christopher said flatly. „Sir Arthur Wellesley.”
„Is he a good general?”
Christopher shrugged. „He’s well connected. Younger son of an earl. Eton, of course. He wasn’t thought clever enough for anything except the army, but most people think he did well near Lisbon last year.”
„Against Laborde and Junot!” Argenton said scathingly.
„And he had some successes in India before that,” Christopher added in warning.
„Oh, in India!” Argenton said, smiling. „Reputations made in India rarely stand up to a volley in Europe. But will this Wellesley want to fight Soult?”
Christopher thought about that question. „I think,” he said eventually, „that he would prefer not to lose. I think,” he went on, „that if he knows the strength of your sentiments, then he will cooperate.” Christopher was not nearly as certain as he sounded; indeed he had heard that General Wellesley was a cold man who might not look kindly on an escapade that depended for its success on so many assumptions, but Christopher had other fish to fry in this unholy tangle. He doubted whether the mutiny could ever succeed and did not much care what Cradock or Wellesley thought of it, but knew his knowledge of it could be used to great advantage and, for the moment anyway, it was important that Argenton saw Christopher as an ally. „Tell me,” he said to the Frenchman, „exactly what you want of us.”
„Britain’s influence,” Argenton said. „We want Britain to persuade the Portuguese leaders to accept Soult as their king.”
„I thought you’d found plenty of support already,” Christopher said.
„I’ve not heard of him.”
„A Bonapartiste through and through,” Argenton said disapprovingly.
„Spell his name for me, will you?” Christopher asked, then wrote it down: Brigadier Henri Vuillard. „I assume he knows nothing of your scheme?” he continued.
„Of course not!” Argenton said. „But it is a scheme, Colonel, that cannot work without British support. General Cradock is sympathetic, is he not?”
„Cradock is sympathetic,” Christopher said confidently. He had reported his earlier conversations to the British General who had seen in the proposed mutiny an alternative to fighting the French and so had encouraged Christopher to pursue the matter. „But alas,” Christopher went on, „it’s rumored he will soon be replaced.”
„And the new man?” Argenton inquired.
„Wellesley,” Christopher said flatly. „Sir Arthur Wellesley.”
„Is he a good general?”
Christopher shrugged. „He’s well connected. Younger son of an earl. Eton, of course. He wasn’t thought clever enough for anything except the army, but most people think he did well near Lisbon last year.”
„Against Laborde and Junot!” Argenton said scathingly.
„And he had some successes in India before that,” Christopher added in warning.
„Oh, in India!” Argenton said, smiling. „Reputations made in India rarely stand up to a volley in Europe. But will this Wellesley want to fight Soult?”
Christopher thought about that question. „I think,” he said eventually, „that he would prefer not to lose. I think,” he went on, „that if he knows the strength of your sentiments, then he will cooperate.” Christopher was not nearly as certain as he sounded; indeed he had heard that General Wellesley was a cold man who might not look kindly on an escapade that depended for its success on so many assumptions, but Christopher had other fish to fry in this unholy tangle. He doubted whether the mutiny could ever succeed and did not much care what Cradock or Wellesley thought of it, but knew his knowledge of it could be used to great advantage and, for the moment anyway, it was important that Argenton saw Christopher as an ally. „Tell me,” he said to the Frenchman, „exactly what you want of us.”
„Britain’s influence,” Argenton said. „We want Britain to persuade the Portuguese leaders to accept Soult as their king.”
„I thought you’d found plenty of support already,” Christopher said.