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ust be watched； what was the material condition of the ship； if the stores were good or bad； and all the hundred other things he needed to know。 And to…morrow； as soon as the weather moderated； he would signal for 'All Captains'； and so make the acquaintance of his other subordinates； and size them up； and perhaps begin to convey to them his own particular viewpoints and theories； so that when the time came for action there would be need for few signals and there would be mon action directed speedily at a mon objective。
Meanwhile； there was one more job to be done immediately； the present would be the best time； he supposed with a sigh； but he was conscious of a faint distaste for it even as he applied himself to it。
〃Pass the word for Mr Braun … for my clerk；〃 he said to Brown； who was hanging up the last of the uniform coats behind the curtain against the bulkhead。
〃Aye aye； sir；〃 said Brown。
It was odd that his clerk and his coxswain should have names pronounced in identical fashion； it was that coincidence which had led him to add the unnecessary last three words to his order。
Mr Braun was tall and spare； fair； youngish； and prematurely bald； and Hornblower did not like him； although typically he was more cordial to him than he would have been if he had liked him。 He offered him the cabin chair while he himself sat back on the locker； and when he saw Mr Braun's eyes resting curiously on the case of pistols … Barbara's gift … he condescended to discuss it with him as a conversational preliminary； pointing out the advantages of the percussion caps and the rifled barrels。
〃Very good weapons indeed； sir；〃 said Mr Braun； replacing them in their velvet case。
He looked across the cabin at Hornblower； the dying light which came through the stern windows shining on his face and reflected in curious fashion from his pale…green eyes。
〃You speak good English；〃 said Hornblower。
〃Thank you； sir。 My business before the war was largely with England。 But I speak Russian and Swedish and Finnish and Polish and German and French just as well。 Lithuanian a little。 Estonian a little because it is so like Finnish。〃
〃But Swedish is your native language； though？〃
Mr Braun shrugged his thin shoulders。
〃My father spoke Swedish。 My mother spoke German； sir。 I spoke Finnish with my nurse； and French with one tutor and English with another。 In my office we spoke Russian when we did not speak Polish。〃
〃But I thought you were a Swede？〃
Mr Braun shrugged his shoulders again。
〃A Swedish subject； sir； but I was born a Finn。 I thought of myself as a Finn until three years ago。〃
So Mr Braun was one more of these stateless individuals with whom all Europe seemed to be peopled nowadays … men and women without a country； Frenchmen； Germans； Austrians； Poles who had been uprooted by the chances of war and who dragged out a dreary existence in the hope that some day another chance of war would re…establish them。
〃When Russia took advantage of her pact with Bonaparte；〃 explained Mr Braun； 〃to fall upon Finland； I was one of those who fought。 What use was it？ What could Finland do against all the might of Russia？ I was one of the fortunate ones who escaped。 My brothers are in Russian gaols at this very minute if they are alive； but I hope they are dead。 Sweden was in revolution … there was no refuge for me there； even though it had been for Sweden that I was fighting。 Germany； Denmark； Norway were in Bonaparte's hands； and Bonaparte would gladly have handed me back to oblige his new Russian ally。 But I was in an English ship； one of those to which I sold timber； and so to England I came。 One day I was the richest man in Finland where there are few rich men； and the next I was the poorest man in England where there are many poor。〃
The pale…green eyes reflected back the light again from the cabin window； and Hornblower realized anew that his clerk was a man of disquieting personality。 It was not merely the fact that he was a refugee； and Hornblower； like everybody else； was surfeited with refugees and their tales of woe although his conscience pricked him about them … the first ones had begun to arrive twenty years ago from France； and ever since then there had been an increasing tide from Poland and Italy and Germany。 Braun's being a refugee was likely to prejudice Hornblower against him from the start； and actually had done so； as Hornblower admitted to himself with his usual fussy sense of justice。 But that was the reason that Hornblower did not like him。 There was less reason even than that … there was no reason at all。
It was irksome to Hornblower to think that for the rest of this mission he would have to work in close contact with this man。 Yet the Admiralty orders in his desk enjoined upon him to pay the closest attention to the advice and information which he would receive from Braun； 'a gentleman whose acquaintance with the Baltic countries is both extensive and intimate'。 Even this evening it was a great relief when Bush's knock at the cabin door； heralding his arrival for dinner； freed Hornblower from the man's presence。 Braun slid unobtrusively out of the cabin with a bow to Bush； every line of his body indicated the pose … whether forced or natural Hornblower could not guess … of the man who has seen better days resignedly doing menial duties。
〃How do you find your Swedish clerk； sir？〃 asked Bush。
〃He's a Finn； not a Swede。〃
〃A Finn？ You don't say； sir！ It'd be better not to let the men know that。〃
Bush's own honest face indicated a disquietude against which he struggled in vain。
〃Of course；〃 said Hornblower。
He tried to keep his face expressionless； to conceal that he had pletely left out of account the superstition that prevailed about Finns at sea。 In a sailor's mind every Finn was a warlock who could conjure up storms by lifting his finger； but Hornblower had quite failed to think of the shabby…genteel Mr Braun as that kind of Finn； despite those unwholesome pale…green eyes。
CHAPTER SIX
〃Eight bells； sir。〃
Hornblower came back to consciousness not very willingly； he suspected he was being dragged away from delightful dreams； although he could not remember what they were。
〃Still dark； sir；〃 went on Brown remorselessly； 〃but a clear night。 Wind steady at west…by…north； a strong breeze。 The sloops an' the flotilla in sight to looard； an' we're hove to； sir； under mizzen…t's'l； maint'mast stays'l an' jib。 An' here's your shirt； sir。〃
Hornblower swung his legs out of his cot and sleepily pulled off his nightshirt。 He was minded at first just to put on those few clothes which would keep him warm on deck； but he had his dignity as modore to remember； and he wanted to establish a reputation as a man who was never careless about any detail whatever。 He had left orders to be called now； a quarter of an hour before it was really necessary； merely to be able to do so。 So he put on uniform coat and trousers and boots； parted his hair carefully in the flickering light of the lantern Brown held； and put aside the thought of shaving。 If he came on deck at four in the morning newly shaved everyone would guess that he had been at pains regarding his appearance。 He clapped on