第40节
gthtoke soldiers.alstalltheboyshereinteesrps haveretued,pletely.evenlouisisak; although,thankstothepanionshipofyourboys,hehas supporteditbetter,andlohanthejorityofthehadhe began,asachild,totakepleasureinstrongexercise;nodoubthe uldhavestooditasely beedbyit.unfortunately,ialloyion toprevail;untilthelastthreeyears,edthatthey shoulddoastheyliked. ”asihavesaidbefore,barclay,isayagain:ingratulateyouon yourboys.youhavearighttobeproudoftheiheraceof youngfren.” greatiupoeoonofthe follo, dressedasstaffofficers;feelingalittleahtheir sflushedhanhonorablepleasureandpridefortheir epauletshadbeengainedbynofalyis,noprivate influeheyhereain barriedh delight,andllydanallpossessed one. ”itisnotfortheabsoluterankitself,boys,thatialeased,” theirfathersaid,stances; ”foryouhavenoideaofreininginthefrenchservid, nsequently,therankoyou,aftertheendof theill,itisathingallyourlivestobeproudofthat youssioninthefrenchar,bygoodservice.” ”thinkingofst,”s.barclaysaid,”isthat,nohey areofficersintheregularar,theywillrunnoriskofbeing shot,iftheyaretakenprisoners.” ”eaakenprisoners,a.still,asyousay,it is.” ”aillyasked. ”oh,tisgoingtobeeahussar,andactasohe generalsorderlies;andbeourservant,hingelse todo.yousee,notoservants.” ”iaerygladtisgoingrs.barclaysaid.” brothertellsusthathesavedphilippeslife,anditseea forttoknohatheishyou.” theingcaptainbarclaytothetown, andpurchasedaupleofcapitalhood fortune,wereonsale. upontheingofthefourthdayoftheirvisit,theboystook leaveoftheirfatherandther,aojointheheadquarters ofgeneralcariels.thepartingryingthanithad been,thefirsttitheya,now,going outtoanunknohoughtheriskthatastaffofficer runsis,absolutely,sogreaterthanthatincurredbya regintalofficer;still,itisslightinparisonhtherisk runbyafrany,andin cuttinghisnicationsespeciallyeah. thoseainedbehindlybythisthought, butstillrebythereallyirrationalohat,astheboyshad goneaebacksafe,oheywouldprobablydoso again. theeveningofthesaday,thebarselvesfor dutytothegeneralaing,beganywas hard,thoughsile.bydaytheyantlyondutythatisto say,eitherridiheuntry,hegenerals quartersinreadinessforastartorreseldong,and drasintheoffice.bynighttheytookitintus htheotherstaffofficerstobeondutythatistosay,tolie do,hthehorsesaddledatthedoor,in readiostartataninstantsnotice. tidutiesasanorderlyheavy,andweregenerallyover byfiveok;afteredasservanttotheboys.it possible,uheess together,asusual.thereavailablenor,indeed, anyoftheappliansotherduties,therefore,was thatofoking.theyhadalsoanotherorderlyallottedtothe andhedevotedhielftotheuaking allotherwork. theboyslikedtheieuch.the pleasant.theirfellopanions,andtheir generalstkind,andgenial. abrielsadvaothe vosgestoopposetheprussians,argsouth.the progressofthearheyhadtocarrysupplies theyrequired.loeekept,nd,a fearchahead;aheroftheboysly dispatchedhi afterthreedaysrg,theyheene.allwasnow ent.thefranctireurswerealready engagedinskirshingand,earlyoneing,ralphreceived orderstorideforysposition. passingthroughthepostsoffranctireurs,herodecautiously alongtheroad;hhishandoofhisrevolver,andhis horseotuandrideforhislife,onan instantsnotice. presently,astherhanarroh trees,heheardavoiloseinhisear,”stop” hereinedinhishorse,aheleavesparted;and anofsosixtyyearsofage,ardhanolddoublebarreled foeppedout. ”thegerbeyond,”hesaid.”iexpectthevery nt.” ”andareyoudoinghere”ralphasked. ”idoiedthepeasant.”iangtoshoot soofthe” ”buttheyoacertainty,iftheyhyou.” ”letthe”theoldnsaid,quietly;”theyenore harhantheyhavedone.ihadanicefarz.ilived thereyythreeboys.soonefired attheprussiansfroadeno differen;shot threeboys,beforetheirtherseyes;illtreatedher,sothat shedieddayand,uedforithe tiifoundaheapofashes,yhousehadstood;thedead bodiesofthreeboys;ydaughtersittingby, sgad ”itookheraoafriendshouse;andstayedhhertillshe died,too,afhtafter.theniboughtthisgun,andso poylastney;andouttokill prussians.ihavekilledthirteenalreadyand,pleasegod,”andthe peasantliftedhishat,devoutly,”iore,today.” ”hothatyouhaveescapedsolong”ral ...