JК
Sharpes Battle :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 147 из 244"I'll do my best for you, Godknows why, but your best prayer, Richard, and I hate to tell you this, is that we lose this battle. Because if we do it'll be such a disaster that no one will have the time or energy to remember your idiocy."
It was dark by the time they reached San Cristobal. Donaju had returned to the village with Hogan and now he led his fifty men of the Real Companпa Irlandesa back towards the British lines. "I saw Lord Kiely at headquarters," he told Sharpe.
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him his lover was an afrancesada and that she was sleeping with Loup." Donaju's tone was stark. "And I told him he was a fool."
"What did he say?"
Donaju shrugged. "What do you think? He's an aristocrat, he has pride. He told me to go to hell."
"And tomorrow," Sharpe said, "we all might do just that." Because tomorrow the French would attack and he would once again see those vast blue columns drummed forward beneath their eagles and listen to the skull-splitting sound of massed French batteries pounding away. He shuddered at the thought, then turned to watch his greenjackets march past. "Perkins," he suddenly shouted, "come here!"
Perkins had been trying to hide on the far side of the column, but now, sheepishly, he came to stand in front of Sharpe. Harper came with him. "It isn't his fault, sir," Harper said hurriedly.
"Shut up," Sharpe said, and looked down at Perkins. "Where, Perkins, is your green jacket?"
"Stolen, sir." Perkins was in shirt, boots and trousers over which his equipment was belted. "It got wet, sir, when I was carrying water round to the lads so I hung it out to dry and it was stolen, sir."
"That lady was not so far away, sir, from where he hung it," Harper said meaningfully.
"Why would she steal a rifleman's jacket?" Sharpe asked, but sensed a blush beginning. He was glad it was dark.
"Why would anyone want Perkins's jacket, sir?" Harper asked, "It was a threadbare thing at best, so it was, and too small to fit most men. But I reckon it was stolen, sir, and I don't reckon Perkins should pay for it. "Twasn't his fault."
"Go away, Perkins," Sharpe said.
"Yes, sir, thank you, sir."
Harper watched the boy run back to his file. "And why would the Lady Juanita steal a jacket? That puzzles me, sir, truly does, for I can't think it was anyone else who took it."
"She didn't steal it," Sharpe said, "the lying bitch earned it. Now keep on going. We've a way to go yet, Pat.
It was dark by the time they reached San Cristobal. Donaju had returned to the village with Hogan and now he led his fifty men of the Real Companпa Irlandesa back towards the British lines. "I saw Lord Kiely at headquarters," he told Sharpe.
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him his lover was an afrancesada and that she was sleeping with Loup." Donaju's tone was stark. "And I told him he was a fool."
"What did he say?"
Donaju shrugged. "What do you think? He's an aristocrat, he has pride. He told me to go to hell."
"And tomorrow," Sharpe said, "we all might do just that." Because tomorrow the French would attack and he would once again see those vast blue columns drummed forward beneath their eagles and listen to the skull-splitting sound of massed French batteries pounding away. He shuddered at the thought, then turned to watch his greenjackets march past. "Perkins," he suddenly shouted, "come here!"
Perkins had been trying to hide on the far side of the column, but now, sheepishly, he came to stand in front of Sharpe. Harper came with him. "It isn't his fault, sir," Harper said hurriedly.
"Shut up," Sharpe said, and looked down at Perkins. "Where, Perkins, is your green jacket?"
"Stolen, sir." Perkins was in shirt, boots and trousers over which his equipment was belted. "It got wet, sir, when I was carrying water round to the lads so I hung it out to dry and it was stolen, sir."
"That lady was not so far away, sir, from where he hung it," Harper said meaningfully.
"Why would she steal a rifleman's jacket?" Sharpe asked, but sensed a blush beginning. He was glad it was dark.
"Why would anyone want Perkins's jacket, sir?" Harper asked, "It was a threadbare thing at best, so it was, and too small to fit most men. But I reckon it was stolen, sir, and I don't reckon Perkins should pay for it. "Twasn't his fault."
"Go away, Perkins," Sharpe said.
"Yes, sir, thank you, sir."
Harper watched the boy run back to his file. "And why would the Lady Juanita steal a jacket? That puzzles me, sir, truly does, for I can't think it was anyone else who took it."
"She didn't steal it," Sharpe said, "the lying bitch earned it. Now keep on going. We've a way to go yet, Pat.