JК
Sharpes Battle :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 142 из 244After all, no one would be astonished to see a two-week-old Shrewsbury Chronicle in Portugal, would they? A fast-sailing ship could easily have brought it, and there'll be no drafts of troops to contradict these stories. So what are they saying about us this time?" He leafed through the newspaper, tilting it towards the candles as he turned the pages. "Apprentice imprisoned for playing football on the Sabbath? Serve the little bugger right for trying to enjoy himself, but I don't suppose his story will drive the troops to mutiny, though something in here will."
"I've found something," Donaju said quietly. He had been searching the Morning Chronicle and now he folded the paper and held it towards Sharpe. "A piece about the Irish Division."
"There isn't an Irish Division," Sharpe said, taking the newspaper. He found the item that had attracted Donaju's attention and read it aloud. " 'Recent disturbances among the Hibernian troops of the army serving in Portugal, " Sharpe read, embarrassed because he was a slow and not very certain reader, " 'have persuaded the government to adopt a new and palliative' " — he had a lot of trouble with that word—" 'policy. When the present campaigning season is over the Irish regiments of the army will be brigaded as a division that shall be posted to the garrisons of the Caribbean islands. The exchequer has forbidden the expense of carrying wives, doubting that many so described have benefited from the Almighty's blessing on their union. And in the tropics, doubtless, the hot Irish heads will find a climate more to their liking. »
"The same report is here." Donaju displayed another paper, then hastily offered El Castrador an explanation of all that was happening inside the smoky kitchen.
The partisan glared at Juanita when her treachery was revealed. "Traitor!" he spat at her. "Your mother was a whore," he said, so far as Sharpe was able to follow the quick, angry Spanish, "your father a goat. You were given everything, yet you fight for Spain's enemies, while we, who have nothing, fight to save our country." He spat again and fingered his small bone-handled knife. Juanita stiffened under the onslaught, but said nothing. Her dark eyes went back to Sharpe who had just found another version of the announcement that all the Irish regiments were to be posted to the West Indies.
"It's a clever lie," Sharpe said, looking at Juanita, "very clever."
Donaju frowned. "Why is it clever?" He had asked the question of Patrick Harper. "Wouldn't the Irish like to be brigaded together?"
"I'm sure they would, sir, but not in the Caribbean and not without their women, God help us.
"I've found something," Donaju said quietly. He had been searching the Morning Chronicle and now he folded the paper and held it towards Sharpe. "A piece about the Irish Division."
"There isn't an Irish Division," Sharpe said, taking the newspaper. He found the item that had attracted Donaju's attention and read it aloud. " 'Recent disturbances among the Hibernian troops of the army serving in Portugal, " Sharpe read, embarrassed because he was a slow and not very certain reader, " 'have persuaded the government to adopt a new and palliative' " — he had a lot of trouble with that word—" 'policy. When the present campaigning season is over the Irish regiments of the army will be brigaded as a division that shall be posted to the garrisons of the Caribbean islands. The exchequer has forbidden the expense of carrying wives, doubting that many so described have benefited from the Almighty's blessing on their union. And in the tropics, doubtless, the hot Irish heads will find a climate more to their liking. »
"The same report is here." Donaju displayed another paper, then hastily offered El Castrador an explanation of all that was happening inside the smoky kitchen.
The partisan glared at Juanita when her treachery was revealed. "Traitor!" he spat at her. "Your mother was a whore," he said, so far as Sharpe was able to follow the quick, angry Spanish, "your father a goat. You were given everything, yet you fight for Spain's enemies, while we, who have nothing, fight to save our country." He spat again and fingered his small bone-handled knife. Juanita stiffened under the onslaught, but said nothing. Her dark eyes went back to Sharpe who had just found another version of the announcement that all the Irish regiments were to be posted to the West Indies.
"It's a clever lie," Sharpe said, looking at Juanita, "very clever."
Donaju frowned. "Why is it clever?" He had asked the question of Patrick Harper. "Wouldn't the Irish like to be brigaded together?"
"I'm sure they would, sir, but not in the Caribbean and not without their women, God help us.