按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
s； sir；' the Irish Private answered。
'Got skulls like bloody buckets； we have；' Fitzgerald said； and crammed his tattered shako back on his head。 His left arm was numb； and blood had soaked his sleeve to the wrist； but he was determined to keep going。 He had taken worse injuries on the hunting field and still been in his saddle at the death of the fox。
Hakeswill's resentment of Fitzgerald seethed。 How dare a mere lieutenant overrule him？ A bloody child！ Not nineteen years old yet； and still with the bog water wet behind his ears。 Hakeswill slashed at a cactus with his halberd； and the savagery of the gesture dislodged the musket that was slung on his left shoulder。 The Sergeant never usually carried a musket； but tonight he was armed with the halberd； the musket； a bayonet and a brace of pistols。 Except for the brief fight at Malavelly it had been years since Hakeswill had been in a battle and he was not sure he wanted to fight another this night； but if he did then he would make damned sure that he carried more weapons than any heathen enemy he might meet。
The sun had long gone by the time Wellesley halted the three battalions； though a lambent light still suffused the western sky and； under its pale glow； the 33rd formed line。 The two sepoy battalions waited a quarter of a mile behind the 33rd。 The rocket trails seemed brighter now as they climbed into a cloudless twilight sky where the first few stars pricked the dark。 The missiles hissed as they streaked overhead； their smoke trails made lurid by the spitting flames。 Spent rockets lay on the ground with small pale flames flickering feebly from their exhausts。 The weapons were spectacular； but so inaccurate that even the inexperienced 33rd no longer feared them； but their relief was tempered by a sudden display of bright sparks at the lip of the aqueduct's embankment。 The sparks were instantly extinguished by a cloud of powder smoke； and the sound of musketry followed a few secondslater； but the range was too great and the balls spent themselves harmlessly。
Wellesley galloped his horse to Major Shee's side； spoke briefly； then spurred on。 'Flank panies！' the Colonel shouted。 'Advance in line！'
'That's us； boys；' Fitzgerald said and drew his sabre。 His left arm was throbbing now； but he did not need it to fight with a blade。 He would keep going。
The Grenadier and Light panies advanced from the two flanks of the battalion。 Wellesley halted them； formed them into a line of two ranks and ordered them to load their muskets。 Ramrods rattled into barrels。 'Fix bayonets！' the Colonel called and the men drew out their seventeen…inch blades and slotted them onto the musket muzzles。 It was full night now； but the heat was still like a wet blanket。 The sound of slaps echoed through the ranks as men swatted at mosquitoes。 The Colonel curbed his white horse at the front of the two ranks。 'We're going to chase the enemy off the embankment；' he said in his cold； precise voice； 'and once we've cleared them away Major Shee will bring on the rest of the battalion to drive the enemy out of the trees altogedier。 Captain West？'
'Sir！' Francis West； the mander of the Grenadier pany； was senior to Morris and so was in charge of the two panies。
'You may advance。'
'At once； sir；' West said。 'Detachment！ Forward！'
'Im in your hands； Mother；' Hakeswill said under his breath as the two panies began their advance。 'Look after me now！ Oh God in his heaven； but the black bastards are firing at us。 Mother！ It's your Obadiah here； Mother！'
'Steady in the line！' Sergeant Green's voice called。 'Don't hurry！ Keep your ranks！'
Morris had discarded his horse and drawn his sabre。 Hefelt distinctly unwell。 'Give them steel when we get there；' he called to his pany。
'We should give the buggers some bleeding artillery；' someone muttered。
'Who said that？' Hakeswill shouted。 'Keep your bleeding tongues still！'
The first balls were whistling past their ears now and the crackle of the enemy's musketry filled the night。 The Tippoo's men were firing from the aqueduct's embankment and the flames of their fusillade sparked bright against the dark background of the tope。 The two panies instinctively spread out as they advanced and the corporals； charged to be file…closers； bawled at them to close up。 The ground was night dark； but the skyline above the trees still showed clearly enough。 Lieutenant Fitzgerald glanced behind once and was appalled to see that the western sky was still touched by a blazing streak and he knew that crimson glow would silhouette the pany once it climbed the embankment； but there was no going back now。 He stretched his long legs； eager to be first into the enemy lines。 Wellesley was advancing behind the panies and Fitzgerald wanted to impress the Colonel。
The musketry fire blazed along the embankment's lip； each shot a spark of brightness that glowed briefly in the dark smoke； but the fire was wildly inaccurate for the attackers were still in the night…shadowed low ground and concealed by the defenders' own powder smoke。 Far off to their left other battalions were assaulting the northern stretch of the embankment and Fitzgerald heard a cheer as those men charged home； then Captain West gave the order to charge and the men of the 33rd's two flank panies let loose their own cheer as they were released from the leash。
They ran hard towards the embankment。 Musket balls whipped overhead。 All the redcoats wanted now was to get this attack over and done。 Kill a few bastards； loot a few bodies； men get the hell back to the camp。 They cheered asthey reached the embankment and clambered up its short steep slope。 'Kill them； boys！' Fitzgerald shouted as he reached the crest； but there was suddenly no enemy there； only a still stretch of dark gleaming water and； as the attackers joined him； they all checked rather than plunge into the aqueduct。
A blast of musketry erupted from the farther bank。 The Light pany； poised on the lip of the western bank； was silhouetted against the remnants of the daylight while the Tippoo's men were shrouded by the tope's； night…dark trees。
Redcoats fell as the bullets thumped home。 The aqueduct was only about ten paces wide and； at that range； the Mysorean infantry could not miss。 One man was lifted right off his feet and thrown back onto the ground behind the embankment。 Rockets slashed across the dark water； their fiery trails slicing just inches above the twin embankments。 For a few seconds no one knew what to do。 A man gasped as a rocket snatched off his foot； then he slid down into the weed…thick water where his blood swirled dark。 Some redcoats fired back at the trees； but they fired blind and their bullets hit nothing。 The wounded stumbled back down the embankment； the dead twitched as they were struck by bullets； while the living were dazed by the noise and dazzled by the rockets' dreadful red tails。 Captain Morris stared in confusion。 He had somehow not expected to cross the aqueduct。 He had thought the trees were on this side of the water and he did not know what to do； but then Lieutenant Fitzgerald gave a shout of defiance and jumped down into the waterway。 The black water came up to his waist。 'e on； boys！ e on！ Ther