'Make the good woman understand we mean to pay, would you, Stephen? She does not seem to understand French very well,' said Jack privately; and aloud, 'I do not wish to hurry you, gentlemen, but I believe it would be as well to go aboard. Weather permitting, we shall come ashore tomorrow and finish our task. The hands will be rested, and'- nodding at Stephen--'in daylight they will be out of temptation.'
The weather did not permit. The wind settled into the west, blowing right on the land, and although the squadron, together with its captures and recaptures, rode easily far beyond the breakers, with a fine holding- ground and two cables veered out on end, and although the swell did not prevent a numerous gathering for breakfast in the Raisonable, it seemed evident that the thunderous surf, a quarter of a mile deep along the shore as far as eye could reach, must prevent any communication with the town. It was an uncommonly cheerful breakfast, with yesterday's action on shore fought over point by point, with kind words from the soldiers about the Navy's versatility, discipline and enterprise, and it was a breakfast that made surprising inroads on Jack's mutton hams from the Cape and his soft tack from St Paul's; yet there was not an officer aboard who did not know that they had left a great deal undone in the town, partly from want of time and partly from want of an authoritative list of government as opposed to private property: Stephen had obtained the list a little before dark, but until that time he had strongly insisted that nothing but the most obvious military stores and equipment should be touched. Then again, all the sailors and most of the soldiers knew that if the wind kept in the west the squadron would be in a most uncomfortable position. Desbrusleys would bring his artillery from Saint-Denis under the cover of darkness and lob mortar-shells on to them from behind the nearest hill while they lay like sitting ducks, unable to beat out to sea: for the moment, however, the French seemed disinclined to move. Their forces could be seen on the mountain-ridge above St Paul's; but there they stayed, and their immobility contributed not a little to the gaiety of the meal.
It was not until well after dinner that a column was reported to be advancing over the causeway from SaintDenis. A remarkably large column, too, with artillery. 'He will never get his guns across the marsh without fascines, however,' observed Colonel Keating, 'because we destroyed the bridge; and it will take him the best part of the day to cut them. The most tedious, wearing task I know, getting guns across a marsh.'
'The surf is growing less,' said Captain Corbett. 'In my opinion we shall be able to land tomorrow--look at the westward sky. Soon come, soon go: that's my experience.
'Earlier than that, I trust,' said Jack. 'I should never rest easy again, was we not to blow up at least the first three buildings in Dr Maturin's list.'
'And from the political point of view,' said Stephen, 'I should rejoice to see the archives go up in flames: such an invaluable confusion.'
'If I may speak, sir,' said Lord Clonfert, 'I believe it could be attempted now, or at least before the evening. I brought away a couple of surf-boats, and there are more alongside the Sirius, if I am not mistaken. My men are used to handling them, and I will undertake to put a party of Marines and seamen ashore.'
'Perhaps in two or three hours,' said Jack, staring at the sea. How much was this Clonfert's desire to outdo Corbett? Even after yesterday's joint action their relationship was obviously still as bad as ever: even worse, maybe. Yet there was the importance of the objective; and these surf-boats, well managed, could do surprising things. But was Clonfert merely showing away? What kind of capers would be cut on shore? On the other hand, he had certainly done well yesterday . . . Jack felt that Clonfert's mental processes were foreign to him: there was something about the man that he could not make out, either at this point or after some hours of reflection, when he came to his pragmatic decision, gave the order, and stood on the Raisonable's poop, watching the surf-boats pull away. They were on the edge of the whiteness, waiting for the huge roller: it came, sweeping the sea, rose again black against the white water, and again they shot forward: again and again, and the last wave pitched them high on the beach.
Now they were busy. A tower to the left of the town gave a great jerk, its parapet flying bodily into the ' air: smoke and dust surrounded it, the whole building settled into a low shapeless heap, and the vast boom reached the ship. A long pause, and then smoke appeared behind the administrative buildings. 'Those are my tax- gatherer's records,' said Stephen, beside him. 'If that does not render us beloved, the Bourbonnais are hard to please. General Desbrusleys seems sadly bogged down,' he added, shifting his glass to the far-distant stationary column in the marsh.
They watched: they watched. At one time Jack remarked that the surf was certainly diminishing; and at another he said, 'You know, Stephen, I am growing almost used to being a spectator: yesterday I thought I should hang myself from mere misery . . . I suppose it is what you pay for command. Look at the smoke, over beyond the arsenal. What now, Mr Grant?'
'I beg pardon, sir, but Mr Dale of the Streatham Indiaman is in a great taking. He says they are burning his silk--begs you to see him.'
'Let him up, Mr Grant.'
'Sir, sir,' cried Mr Dale. 'They are burning our silk! Pray sir, signal them to stop. Our silk--our chief cargo--half a million pounds' worth of silk--the French stored it in that warehouse. Oh, pray, sir, signal them to . . . oh Lord, Lord'--clasping his hands--'It is too late.'The smoke gave way to flame, to a great sheet of flame; and all the signals in the world would not put it out.
'Pray, Clonfert,' said Jack, when the captain came to report, 'why did you burn the store behind the arsenal?'
'Behind the arsenal, sir? I was assured it was government property. A most respectable man, a priest, assured me it was government property. Have I done wrong?'
'I am sure you acted with the best intentions, but it seems that the Indiamen's silk was there, to the tune of half a million.' Clonfert's face fell, he looked utterly wretched, and suddenly quite old. 'Never mind it,' said Jack. 'I dare say they exaggerate; and anyhow we have saved them three millions, as they themselves acknowledge. You have done nobly, nobly--how I envied you on shore! It was no doubt a necessary stroke, for if we are drove off, pretty foolish we should look, leaving all that in enemy hands. But come, you are soaking wet: should not you like to shift your clothes? I have plenty in my sleeping- cabin.'
It was no use. Clonfert retired, sad, cast down, his glory quite put out. Nor did he revive the next day, when, the sea almost calm again, the south-east wind re-established, and all the squadron's forces ready in the boats to oppose Desbrusleys, one of Stephen's new acquaintances put off from the shore with the news that the Saint- Denis column was retreating, and that Captain Saint-Michiel, the commandant of St Paul's, was willing to treat for a suspension of arms.
The news was visibly true: the column could be seen withdrawing. All hands turned to their ships, and presently the commandant's emissaries appeared. General Desbrusleys, it seemed, had blown out his brains; but whether this was the outcome of the unhappy gentleman's military or marital reverses, or of the two combined, did not appear. At all events, for the moment the French army command was in a state of hopeless confusion, and Saint-Michiel made no difficulty about signing an agreement that gave the British squadron a long, peaceful week
