The Hundred Days Read Free Page A

Sovereign, I
gather.’
    ‘I believe not, sir. But he will discuss the
international situation and the means of bringing Napoleon down with the utmost
vigour. That is what keeps him alive, it seems to me.’
    ‘I am glad he has so great a resource at such a
dreadful time, poor dear man. I have a great regard for him: as you will
remember, I proposed he should be Physician of the Fleet at one time. Aye, aye,
so I did. Well, I shall not pain him with an invitation he might find difficult
to refuse. But if, in the course of duty, you could require him to report
aboard just after the evening gun, when I hope for an overland packet by
courier, he may learn still more about the international situation. A damned complex situation, upon my word. As I said, when
first I sent for you I thought your squadron would be enough, at a pinch, to
guard the passage of the Straits - at a pinch, for you see how pitifully little
we have here. But now, now, you will have to cut yourself in three to do half
the things I want you to do. Heugh, heugh,- a damned
complex situation as the Doctor will learn when he comes here: he will be
finely amazed. I will give you the broadest view just for the now...’
    Lady Keith gathered up her belongings and said, ‘My
dear, I will leave you to it. But do not tire yourself: you have a meeting with
Gonzalez this evening. I will send Geordie with a dish of tea directly.’
    The broadest view, stripped of the Admiral’s great
authority and of his distinctive northern accent, generally pleasing to an
English ear though sometimes impenetrably obscure, was very roughly this:
Wellington, with ninety three thousand British and Dutch troops, and Blucher,
with a hundred and sixteen thousand Prussians, were in the Low Countries,
waiting until Schwarzenberg, with two hundred and ten thousand Austrians, and
Barclay de Tolly, slowly advancing with a hundred and fifty thousand Russians,
should reach the Rhine, when in principle the Allies were to invade France. For
his part Napoleon had about three hundred and sixty thousand men: they were
made up of five corps along the northern frontier, the Imperial Guard in Paris, and some thirty thousand
more stationed on the southeast frontier and in the Vendée.
    Both men made their additions: both made their
allowances for unity of command, the great value of a common language, and the
stimulus of fighting on one’s own soil under the orders of a man who had
battered Prussians, Austrians and Russians again and again, fighting with
extraordinary tactical skill against odds far greater than these.
    Jack could not with propriety ask about the zeal or
even the good faith of the Austrians and Prussians at this juncture, still less
about the efficiency of their mobilization and equipment; but the Admiral’s
worn, anxious face told him a great deal. ‘Still,’ said Lord Keith, ‘this is
all the soldiers’ business: we have our own concern to deal with. How I wish
Geordie would come along with that tea - why, Geordie, put the tray down here,
ye thrawn, ill-feckit gaberlunzie.’
     A pause. ‘How I value a cup of tea,’ he said. ‘May I pour
you another?’
    ‘Thank you, sir,’ said Jack, shaking his head. ‘I
have done admirably well already.’
    The Admiral reflected, carefully put more hot water
to the teapot, and went on, ‘In the first place there is the difficulty about
the French Navy, their attitude varies from port to
port, ship to ship. They are of course extremely susceptible and any untoward
incident - so easily brought about - might have disastrous results. But far
worse is this building of French men-of-war in the obscure Adriatic ports:
obscure, but filled with prime timber and capital shipwrights - country you
know very well. This continued building, more or less disguised, is a great
evil; and all the greater as Bonapartist officers and men are said to be
standing by to take them over.’
    ‘But payment, sir? Even a corvette costs a
very great deal of money,