it； though no announcement had been made； and there would be killing enough for everyone。 He looked into the hat。 'You'll excuse me a moment？ I'll talk again soon。'
He put the shako down and picked up his stone。 It blurred in his hand； honing the bayonet's leading edge； but he did not look at the work。 He stared instead at the pany； recognizing their fear and feeding from it。 Hakeswill was content。 He had broken the bastards until they fetched his food； washed his clothes； and changed the straw in his shelter。
Two of them he had beaten into pulp； but now they were like puppy dogs； eager to please。 He had won his major battles。 Sharpe was out of the way； and Harper was broken down into a Private； a red…coated Private。 The Captain was afraid of Hakeswill； so was Price and so were the Sergeants。 Life could be； Hakeswill knew； a lot worse。 He put a thumb on the blade； knew the edge could be sharper； and the stone started again on long； whispering strokes。
Private Clayton looked sideways at Hakeswill； laughed； and said something to his panion。 Hakeswill saw the laugh； but pretended not to notice。 He would take care of young Clayton； but after the siege； when he had time to think the problem through。 Clayton had a pretty wife； the prettiest in the Battalion； and Hakeswill had his eye on Sally。 She would have to wait until he had done with Teresa。
The thought of Sharpe's woman made him scowl。 He was not certain why he wanted her so much； but he did。 She had bee an obsession that disturbed his sleep。 He would take the bitch and kill her afterwards。 It was not because she had fought him； and won； others had done that。 He remembered the woman in Dublin who had stuck a gutting…knife in his belly。 She had got away and he had felt no resentment； but Teresa was different。 Perhaps it was because she had shown no fear； and Hakeswill liked to see fear。 He could remember the ones he had killed； the ones he had not needed to kill； right back to that prig of a vicar's daughter who had stripped for him as he held the adder close by her neck。 Dorcas； that was her name； and her father had trumped up a sheep stealing charge that had nearly killed him。 Hakeswill smiled to himself。 He had burned down the vicar's tithe barn on his first night after the hanging。 He thought again of Teresa； and the edge of his bayonet became sharper； and he knew that he wanted her very much。 Not just for revenge； not just because she was Sharpe's woman； though that was important； but because he wanted her。 She was so beautiful； so utterly beautiful； and he would take her； kill her； and the bastard Sharpe would lose her。 The anticipation brought on his involuntary twitch。
He changed hands so that the bayonet was in his right hand and； wedging the stone between his knees； he spat on it and began on the point。 It would be needle sharp when he had finished； so sharp that it would slide sweetly into a man's guts as if there was no skin to puncture on the way。 Or a woman's！ He cackled aloud at the thought； alarming the pany； and he thought of Teresa。 Sharpe would know who had done it； but there was nothing he could do about it！ Hakeswill could not be killed！ He looked up at the pany。 They wanted to kill him； he knew； but so had the men of a dozen other panies and all had tried。 He could remember the musket balls going past him in battle； fired from behind； and once he had seen a man taking deliberate aim。 He stroked the bayonet； remembering his revenge； and then thought of the night ahead。
He had planned his assault carefully。 The South Essex； with the rest of the Fourth Division； would be attacking the breached face of the Trinidad bastion； but Hakeswill would take care in the ditch。 He would hang back； let others do the fighting； so that he was fresh when the cheers came from the top of the breach。 Then； when the chaos started； he would cross the wall and go up into the dark streets that led to the Cathedral。 He only needed two minutes' lead； which was all he was likely to get； but he knew； as he tested the perfectly prepared blade in his hands； that he would succeed。 He always did succeed。 He had been touched by death； released； and he felt in his soul that he had been inspired to succeed ever since。 He looked up。 'Clayton！'
The pany froze and stared at Clayton。 The young Private grinned； as if he was not worried。 'Sergeant？'
'Oil； get me oil。'
'Yes； Sergeant。'
Hakeswill cackled as the boy walked away。 He would save him for after Badajoz； after the killing； for the time when he would have to pick up the other problems that he had deferred。 There was the oilskin bundle that was buried beneath a boundary stone two miles down the Seville Road。 Hakeswill had visited the spot last night； heaved the stone off the field embankment； and rummaged through the stolen goods。 It was all safe and he had left most of it there because there would be no point in trying to sell anything in the next few days。 Badajoz would be stuffed with loot； prices would drop to rock…bottom。 It could all wait。 He had taken only Sharpe's telescope； with its distinctive brass plate； which he planned to leave beside Teresa's body。 He picked up his hat； stared down into the interior。 'Then he'll be blamed； won't he？ Or else that bastard Irishman！'
'Sergeant？'
The eyes rolled up。 'Private Clayton？'
'The oil； Sergeant。'
'Don't bloody stand there！' Hakeswill held up his bayonet。 'Oil it。 And be careful！ Don't spoil the edge。 ' He let Clayton walk away and then looked down into the hat。 'Nasty little boy！ Perhaps he'll die tonight； and that will make things easier for us。'
Harper watched the twitching； malevolent face and wondered what was inside the shako。 The whole pany wondered； but no one dared ask。 It was Harper's opinion that there was nothing inside； that the whole performance was a contrived demonstration of madness to unsettle the pany。 The Irishman sharpened his own bayonet； the unfamiliar musket bayonet that lacked the rifle blade's handle； and he made his own plans for the night。 There were still no orders； but the army； with its strange； collective instinct； knew that the assault was planned and if； as seemed likely； the South Essex were ordered into the breach； Harper intended staying close to Hakeswill。 If a chance came to kill the Sergeant； he would； or else he would try to make sure that Hakeswill did not slip alone into the city。 Harper had decided not to volunteer for the Hope； not unless Hakeswill volunteered； and he thought that unlikely。 Harper's job was to protect Teresa； as it was Sharpe's； the whole pany's； even Captain Robert Knowles's； who had visited his old Light pany and listened seriously as Harper told of Hakeswill's threat。 Knowles had grinned； reassured Harper； but still the Irishman feared the consequences of the chaos in a breach。
He leaned back and listened to the guns。
The gunners； with the same instinctive knowledge that the assault was imminent； served their guns with extra effort as if each stone shard chipped from the breaches would save an infantryman's life。 The smoke from the twelve batteries hung like a sea…fog above the still waters of the flooded stream； smoke so thick that the city could hardly be seen； and more smoke was pumped relentlessly from the huge guns。 The cannon were like bucking monsters that hissed and steamed between each shot as the blackened gunners sponged and rammed； then heaved the beasts back on to target。 The gunners could not see the breaches； but the wooden recoil platforms were marked with deep cuts and the officers and Sergeants lined the gun trails on the cuts； checked the elevation screw。 With a flick of the glowing match the gun would bellow again； leap back； and a heavy iron ball would vanish in the fog with a sudden whorl of smoke that was followed by the grinding crash of impact。
Perhaps it was the tempo of the guns that made the men so certain that the assault was this Sunday night； or else the sight of newly made siege ladders in the Engineers' park。 Two of the attacks； the one on the castle； and the one by the river； at the San Vincente bastion； would carry ladders to try a surprise escalade。 It could not work； of cour