第37节
【】ur,only,ly wounded. ”taketenpesaid,”ahosefive prisoothevillage.givethevertolieutenanthoudin;and tellhioseheprisonershehastaken,under entotheforest.lettheirhaiedbehind theirbacks,fortobe surethattheesrtareloaded,andhavefixedbayos.directly hehassentofftheprisonerslethioiherest ofhisforce.” lieutenantribouvillenotooihebridge;and orderedtheo setto,anddigaholedootheipalarch.it hantheyhadexpected.theroadhe ballastpresseddoightly,andthehvered, toansiderabledepth,enuld ond,afterahalfhoursdesperatelabor,theholehing likefarenoughadvaoeotaldestruofthe bridge,uponthechargebeingfired.iitheprussian sentriesupanddohelineand,althoughnot insuffiadistance. ”dontyouthinkthatpeasked. ”no,sir,”theotherreplied.”itghtblhthetop ofthearch,butihardlythinkthatitsforce upwards.” atthisntralphwhohaddonehisspellofwork,andhadbeen do,togetadrinkoferunningup. ”ifyouplease,lieutenantribouville,thereisahht throughthepier,justabovethestohave beeoletanyabove, keitsescape.ishouldthinkthatoholdthecharge.” ”theverything,”lieutenantribouvillesaid,delightedly.”a foolitohavelookedtoseeifsuchaholeexisted ”stopen,andcarrythebarrelsdootheedgeofthe er.” thestreabovedeep;andtheengineerofficer iediatelyihehole.heatonce pronounirablysuitedtothepurpose.itdidnotas ralphhadsupposedghtthrough;buttherewoholes, oneuponeaelevel,andeach extendingintotheterofthepier.theholesfour inchessquare. thebarrelsofgunttonilyopehebank,and ents.lieutenantribouvilleuponone side,andralphupoher,tookthettonandthrustit,h longstiihe softhethefuseied, andtheoperationoftaingindrysah,and stonesnced. ”kehaste”jorteeshouted.”theiuersareincreasing fast.therearesofifteenorty,oherside.” abriskfireofrifleshedayhadfairlybroken; andthefranctireurs,shelteredbehindtheparapetofthebridge, onthebankoftheriver,hthe ehreequartersofanhourhadpassedsihefirstshot wasfired. suddenlyadistantboondsbya slightand, ina,thereothebridge.the nallleftofftheirant. ”andaythatbe,sterpercyareunpleasantsoundi niverheard,sinceiwasababy.” ”iquiteagree,astoitsunpleasantness.itisa shell.theartilleryareingupfrouneville.thefireofthe sentries,inaupleofnutes;givethebr> anotherfifteeready,andhalfanhethinrange. ”hereesanother.” ”areyouready,ribouville”thendantshouted.”theyhave cavalry,asustbeoff,or caughtinatrap.” ”iaeady,”heanswer. ”barclay,strikeatdputittotheendofyourfuse,till itbeginstofizz. ”haveyoulitit” ”yes,sir,”ralphsaid,antlater. ”sohavei,”thelieutenantsaid.”theythree nutes. ”nowforarun” inaupleofhefranctireursreating,atthe double;andtheyhadnotgoneahundredyardsheyheardthe soundoftendousexplosions,folloloselyoneupon another.lookingback,theysaents; andthatthebridgelay,aheapofruins,irea ”hurrah,lads”shoutedthendant.”youhavedoneyourwork aywellbeproud oftheirdayswork. ”dontndtheshells,”hentinued,astoreofthessiles burst,inquiession,.”they keanuglytheyhurtus,atthisdistance.” thegernartillerynhadapparentlyarrivedatthesa nclusion,fortheynoofire;areatingrps theinfantry,whohad follofre. ”theartilleryandcavalryhewood,” percysaidtohisbrother,astheytrottedalong,sidebyside. ”theyyeup,”ralphsaid,”butthey,onthe brokenground;andind.” thegroundillery.it hthespursofthehill.hereandtheregreat ssesofroroppedoutoftheground,chesofforest extendedoveransiderableportionoftheground.inoneof these,standinguponrisingandbrokenground,jorteehalted hisn;andopenedsoheavyafireupontheenescavalry,when theluappeared,thattheyoed;andalthough, heartilleryarrived,afeothewood, thefranctireurshadalreadyretired,andgaiheforest olestation.uponcallingtheroll,itwas disveredthatsixn,only,issing.thesehadfalleher killedorthefireoftheenesinfantry,duringthe tithattheoperationatthebridge. thererejoigatthesuessoftheirenterprise,the effectofaioblockthetraffigthat line,foratleastaisfawas,however, sopedbythesightofseveraldenselusofskein theplain;shoanshad,asusual,heir vengeanceupontheivillagers.thefeelingofdisgustwas gedtofuryeofthepeasantsothe hedestruoftheirabodesreportedthatthe gerns,having ...