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1、Treason’sHarbour'SmootherunnestheWater,wheretheBrookeisdeepe.AndinhissimpleshewheharboursTreason.'2HenryVICHAPTERONEAgentlebreezefromthenorth-eastafteranightofrain,andthewashedskyoverMaltahadaparticularqualityinitslightthatsharpenedthelinesofthenoblebuildings,bringingoutal
2、lthevirtueofthestone;theairtoowasadelighttobreathe,andthecityofVallettawasascheerfulasthoughitwerefortunateinloveorasthoughithadsuddenlyheardgoodnews.ThiswasmorethanusuallyremarkableinagroupofnavalofficerssittingintheboweredcourtofSearle'shotel:tobesure,theylookedoutuponth
3、earcaded.UpperBaracca,filledwithsoldiers,sailorsandcivilianspacingslowlyupanddowninasunlightsobrilliantthatitmadeeventheblackhoodstheMaltesewomenworelookgay,whiletheofficers'uniformsshonelikesplendidflowers?acosmopolitancrowd,foralthoughmostofthecolourwasthescarletandgoldo
4、ftheBritisharmymanyofthenationsengagedinthewaragainstNapoleonwererepresentedandtheshell-pinkofKresimir'sCroats,forexample,madeacharmingcontrastwiththeNeapolitanhussars'silver-lacedblue.AndthenbeyondandbelowtheBaraccatherewasthevastsweepoftheGrandHarbour,puresapphiretoday,f
5、leckedwiththesailsofcountlesssmallcraftplyingbetweenVallettaandthegreatfortifiedheadlandsontheotherside,StAngeloandIsola,andthemen-of-war,thetroopshipsandthevictuallers,asighttopleaseanysailor'sheart.Yetontheotherhandallthesegentlemenwerecaptainswithoutships,amumchance,mel
6、ancholyclassingeneralandevenmoresoatthistime,whenthelong,longwarseemedtobeworkinguptoitsclimax,whencompetitionwasevenstrongerthanbefore,andwhendistinctionandworthwhileappointments,tosaynothingofprize-moneyandpromotion,dependedonhavingasea-goingcommand.Somewereabsolutelyshi
7、pless,eitherbecausetheirvesselshadsunkunderthem,whichwasthecasewithEdwardLong'sarchaicAeolus,orbecausepromotionhadsetthemashore,orbecauseanunfortunatecourt-martialhaddonethesame.Mosthoweverwereonlygrass-widowers;theirships,batteredbyyearsofblockadingTouloninallweathers,had
8、beensentinforrepair.Butthedockyardswereovercrowded,therepairswereoftenseriousandfar-reach
