JК
Sharpes Gold :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 131 из 179An English Brigadier in the Portuguese armyfaced with a Spanish Colonel, an English Captain, a German cavalryman, Spanish gold, and no orders. He had an idea.
'Sir, is the telegraph working?
Lossow snapped his fingers. Cox frowned at the German. 'Yes, Captain. There's a relay station over the river, towards Pinhel.
'When can the first messages be sent?
Cox shrugged. 'Depends on the weather. Usually an hour after dawn.
Sharpe nodded impatiently. 'Would you, sir, consider a message to the General requesting orders concerning the gold?
Cox looked at him, shrugged again. 'Of course. First thing tomorrow?
'Please, sir.
Cox stood up. 'Good! Problem solved. I'll tell Colonel Jovellanos tomorrow and you can get a night's sleep. I must say you look as if you need it. Good God. He was peering at Sharpe's shoulder. 'You're hurt!
'It will mend, sir. Sharpe finished his wine; damned if politeness would stop him. And damn Wellington, too, who had held the cards too close to his chest so that Cox, a decent man, was put in this position. 'Sir?
Cox turned away from the doorway. 'Sharpe?
'How many men in Colonel Jovellanos's escort?
'Two hundred, Sharpe. God save me, I wouldn't want to meet them in a dark street.
Nor I, thought Sharpe. Nor I. He stood up, waited for the Commander of the garrison to leave. Where was El Catolico he wondered. Upstairs asleep? Or watching from a darkened window?
Lossow, at least, understood. 'My men will guard tonight.
Sharpe smiled his thanks. 'And tomorrow?
The German shrugged, fitted his tall, plumed busby on to his head. 'If we cannot leave at dawn, then at dusk, my friend.
Cox put his head back round the door. 'I forgot! Remiss of me! You'll stay here, gentlemen? My orderlies can find beds.
Kearsey accepted, the two Captains pleaded they would rather be with their men, and Cox wished them a good night at the front door as if he were a host bidding a genial farewell to valued dinner guests. 'And sleep well! The message goes first thing!
Knowles and Harper waited outside and with them two Germans, one of them a barrel of a Sergeant who grinned when he was told that the Partisans were in the town. Lossow looked from his Sergeant to Harper.
'A good match!
'I'll bet on the Irish. Sharpe said the words without offence, and Lossow laughed.
'Home.
'Sir, is the telegraph working?
Lossow snapped his fingers. Cox frowned at the German. 'Yes, Captain. There's a relay station over the river, towards Pinhel.
'When can the first messages be sent?
Cox shrugged. 'Depends on the weather. Usually an hour after dawn.
Sharpe nodded impatiently. 'Would you, sir, consider a message to the General requesting orders concerning the gold?
Cox looked at him, shrugged again. 'Of course. First thing tomorrow?
'Please, sir.
Cox stood up. 'Good! Problem solved. I'll tell Colonel Jovellanos tomorrow and you can get a night's sleep. I must say you look as if you need it. Good God. He was peering at Sharpe's shoulder. 'You're hurt!
'It will mend, sir. Sharpe finished his wine; damned if politeness would stop him. And damn Wellington, too, who had held the cards too close to his chest so that Cox, a decent man, was put in this position. 'Sir?
Cox turned away from the doorway. 'Sharpe?
'How many men in Colonel Jovellanos's escort?
'Two hundred, Sharpe. God save me, I wouldn't want to meet them in a dark street.
Nor I, thought Sharpe. Nor I. He stood up, waited for the Commander of the garrison to leave. Where was El Catolico he wondered. Upstairs asleep? Or watching from a darkened window?
Lossow, at least, understood. 'My men will guard tonight.
Sharpe smiled his thanks. 'And tomorrow?
The German shrugged, fitted his tall, plumed busby on to his head. 'If we cannot leave at dawn, then at dusk, my friend.
Cox put his head back round the door. 'I forgot! Remiss of me! You'll stay here, gentlemen? My orderlies can find beds.
Kearsey accepted, the two Captains pleaded they would rather be with their men, and Cox wished them a good night at the front door as if he were a host bidding a genial farewell to valued dinner guests. 'And sleep well! The message goes first thing!
Knowles and Harper waited outside and with them two Germans, one of them a barrel of a Sergeant who grinned when he was told that the Partisans were in the town. Lossow looked from his Sergeant to Harper.
'A good match!
'I'll bet on the Irish. Sharpe said the words without offence, and Lossow laughed.
'Home.