My dear began Hornblower, and then stopped.
If Maria could not see the incongruity of a naval captain mishandling a canal boat it was hopeless to argue. Besides, he had no attention to spare for her, not with those cantering horses whisking the Queen Charlotte along like this.
And this all seems very unnecessary, dear, went on Maria. Why should you demean yourself like this? Is there all this need for haste?
Hornblower took the boat round a bendhe congratulated himself that he was getting the feel of the tiller now.
Why dont you answer me? went on Maria. And I have our dinner waiting for us, and little Horatio
She was like the voice of consciencefor that matter that was exactly what she was.
Maria, snapped Hornblower. Get forrard! Get forrard, I say. Go back to the cabin.
But, my dear
Get forrard!
Hornblower roared this outhere was another barge approaching and he could spare no time for the niceties of married life.
You are very heartless, said Maria, and in my condition, too.
Heartless, maybe, but certainly preoccupied. Hornblower pulled the tiller over, and Maria put her handkerchief to her eyes and flouncedas much of a flounce as was possible to her as she wasback into the second class cabin again. The Queen Charlotte shot neatly down the gap between the barge and the towpath, and Hornblower could actually spare enough attention to acknowledge with a wave of his hand the greeting of the bargees wife. He had time, too, now, for a prick of conscience about his treatment of Maria, but only a momentary one. He still had to steer the boat.
Chapter II
Theres three staunches on the river next that we have to run, sir, he said.
Hornblower had no idea what a staunch was, and he very much wanted to know before he had to run
them, but at the same time he did not want to admit ignorance. Jenkins may have been tactful enough to sense his difficulty; at least he gave an explanation.
Theyre dams across the river, sir, he told Hornblower. At this time o year, with plenty of water, some o the paddles are kept out for good, at the towpath end o the staunch. Theres a fall o five or six feet.
Five or six feet? repeated Hornblower, startled.
Yes, sir. Bout that much. But it isnt a real fall, if you know what I mean, sir. Steep, but no more.
And we have to run down it?
Yes, sir. Its easy enough sirat the top, leastways.
And at the bottom?
Theres an eddy there, sir, like as youd expect. But if you hold her straight, sir, the nagsll take you through.
Ill hold her straight, said Hornblower.
O course you will, sir.
But what the devil do they have these staunches on the river for?
They keeps back the water for the millsan the navigation, sir.
But why dont they have locks?
Jenkins spread his hand and his hock in a gesture of ignorance.
Dunno, sir. Theres locks from Oxford down. These ere staunches are a plague. Takes six horses to get the old Queen Charlotte up em, sometimes.
Hornblowers thinking about the subject had not get progressed as far as thinking about how the staunches were passed upriver; and he was a little annoyed with himself at not having raised the point. But he managed to nod sagely at the information.
I daresay, he said. Well, it doesnt concern us this voyage.
No, sir, said Jenkins. He pointed down the canal. The first un is half a mile below Lechlade Bridge, there. Its well over on the port side. You cant miss it, sir.
Hornblower hoped he was right about that. He took his place in the stern and seized the tiller with a bold attempt to conceal his misgivings, and he waved to the lockkeeper as the boat moved rapidly out of the lockhe was adept enough by now to be able to spare attention for that even with a gate to negotiate. They shot out on to the surface of the young river; there was plenty of current running in their directionHornblower noted the eddy at the pointbut the speed of the horses gave them plenty of steerageway.
Lechlade Bridge just ahead of themthe staunch was half a mile beyond, Jenkins said. Although the air was distinctly cold now Hornblower was conscious that his palms, as they rested on the tiller, were distinctly damp. To him now it appeared a wildly reckless thing to do, to attempt to shoot the staunch inexperienced as he was. He would preferinfinitely prefernot to try. But he had to steer through the arch of the bridgethe horses splashed fetlock deep thereand then it was too late to do anything about his change of mind. There was the line of the staunch across the stream, the gap in it plainly visible on the port side. Beyond the staunch the surface of the river was not visible because of the drop, but above the gap the water headed down in a steep, sleek slope, higher at the sides than in the middle; the fragments which floated on the surface were all hurrying towards it, like people in a public hall all pressing towards a single exit. Hornblower steered for the centre of the gap, choking a little with excitement; he could feel the altered trim of the boat as her bows sank and her stern rose on the slope. Now they were flying down, down. Below, the smooth slope narrowed down to a point, beyond which and on each side was the turbulent water of the eddy. He still had steerage way enough to steer down the point; as he felt the boat answer the helm he was momentarily tempted to follow up the mathematical line of thought presented by that situation, but he had neither time nor really the inclination. The bows hit the turbulent water with a jar and a splash; the boat lurched in the eddy, but next moment the towlines plucked them forward again. Two seconds careful steering and they were through the eddy and they were gliding over a smooth surface once more, foamstreaked but smooth, and Hornblower was laughing out loud. It had been simple, but so exhilarating that it did not occur to him to condemn himself for his earlier misgivings. Jenkins looked back, turning in his saddle, and waved his whip, and Hornblower waved back.