JК
Sharpes Battle :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 40 из 244"Good afternoon to you, Colonel," Hogan said, "and it's a grand day too, is it not?" Hogan, Sharpe noticed, was deliberately exaggerating his Irish accent.
"Hot," Runciman said, dabbing with his napkin at the perspiration that dripped down his plump cheeks and then, suddenly conscious of his naked belly, he vainly tried to tug the edges of his corset together. "Damnably hot," he said.
"It's the sun, Colonel," Hogan said very earnestly. "I've noticed that the sun seems to heat up the day. Have you noticed that?"
"Well, of course it's the sun!" Runciman said, confused.
"So I'm right! Isn't that amazing? But what about winter, Colonel?"
Runciman threw an anguished glance towards the abandoned wineskin. He was about to order Sharpe to fetch it when the serving girl whisked it away. "Damn," Runciman said sadly.
"You spoke, Colonel?" Hogan asked, helping himself to a handful of Runciman's cherries.
"Nothing, Hogan, nothing but a twinge of gout. I need some more Husson's Water, but the stuff is damned hard to find. Maybe you could put a request to the Horse Guards in London? They must realize we need medication here? And one other thing, Hogan?"
"Speak, Colonel. I am ever yours to command."
Runciman coloured. He knew he was being mocked but, though he outranked the Irishman, he was nervous of Hogan's intimacy with Wellington. "I am still, as you know, Wagon Master General," Runciman said heavily.
"So you are, Colonel, so you are. And a damned fine one too, I might say. The Peer was only saying to me the other day. Hogan, says he, have you ever seen wagons so finely mastered in all your born days?"
"Wellington said that?" Runciman asked in astonishment.
"He did, Colonel, he did."
"Well, I'm not really surprised," Runciman said. "My dear mother always said I had a talent for organization, Hogan. But the thing is, Major," Runciman went on, "that until a replacement is found then I am still the Wagon Master General" — he stressed the word 'General'—"and I would be vastly obliged if you addressed me as—"
"My dear Wagon Master," Hogan interrupted Runciman's laborious request, "why didn't you say so earlier? Of course I shall address you as Wagon Master, and I apologize for not thinking of that simple courtesy myself. But now, Wagon Master, if you'll excuse me, the Real Companпa Irlandesa have reached the edge of town and we need to review them. If you're ready?" Hogan gestured to the inn's gateway.
Runciman quailed at the prospect of exerting himself. "Right now, Hogan? This minute? But I can't. Doctor's orders. A man of my constitution needs to take a rest after… " He paused, seeking the right word.
"Hot," Runciman said, dabbing with his napkin at the perspiration that dripped down his plump cheeks and then, suddenly conscious of his naked belly, he vainly tried to tug the edges of his corset together. "Damnably hot," he said.
"It's the sun, Colonel," Hogan said very earnestly. "I've noticed that the sun seems to heat up the day. Have you noticed that?"
"Well, of course it's the sun!" Runciman said, confused.
"So I'm right! Isn't that amazing? But what about winter, Colonel?"
Runciman threw an anguished glance towards the abandoned wineskin. He was about to order Sharpe to fetch it when the serving girl whisked it away. "Damn," Runciman said sadly.
"You spoke, Colonel?" Hogan asked, helping himself to a handful of Runciman's cherries.
"Nothing, Hogan, nothing but a twinge of gout. I need some more Husson's Water, but the stuff is damned hard to find. Maybe you could put a request to the Horse Guards in London? They must realize we need medication here? And one other thing, Hogan?"
"Speak, Colonel. I am ever yours to command."
Runciman coloured. He knew he was being mocked but, though he outranked the Irishman, he was nervous of Hogan's intimacy with Wellington. "I am still, as you know, Wagon Master General," Runciman said heavily.
"So you are, Colonel, so you are. And a damned fine one too, I might say. The Peer was only saying to me the other day. Hogan, says he, have you ever seen wagons so finely mastered in all your born days?"
"Wellington said that?" Runciman asked in astonishment.
"He did, Colonel, he did."
"Well, I'm not really surprised," Runciman said. "My dear mother always said I had a talent for organization, Hogan. But the thing is, Major," Runciman went on, "that until a replacement is found then I am still the Wagon Master General" — he stressed the word 'General'—"and I would be vastly obliged if you addressed me as—"
"My dear Wagon Master," Hogan interrupted Runciman's laborious request, "why didn't you say so earlier? Of course I shall address you as Wagon Master, and I apologize for not thinking of that simple courtesy myself. But now, Wagon Master, if you'll excuse me, the Real Companпa Irlandesa have reached the edge of town and we need to review them. If you're ready?" Hogan gestured to the inn's gateway.
Runciman quailed at the prospect of exerting himself. "Right now, Hogan? This minute? But I can't. Doctor's orders. A man of my constitution needs to take a rest after… " He paused, seeking the right word.