第41节
【】phasked,in surprise. ”ineverfireatinfantry,”thepeasantsaid.”ithat didit,anditsonlyuhlansifireat.iputselfonarock,or ahillside,eorinathickwoodandi selfyts,andthengo.idonttobe killed,yet.ihavesetndonhavingfiftyjusttenforeach ofhelastofthefifty,thesoohey finish,thebetter. ”youdbetteotgoanyfarther,sir.thevalley,round theer;andthereareprussiansinthevillage.” ”thankyou,”ralphsaid,”butordersaretorenhe self,andistdoso.iaunted,andidontthinkthat theye,ifigetaupleofhundredyardsstart. therearefranctireursinthevillage,aleback.” ralphnohepeasantbato hishidingplacebythehegewidened intoabroadvalley,afeerging frohege,ralphatonong treesatadistaer hehadheard,hedarednotrideonfarther.hethereforedrewhis horseasidefroheroad,angsotrees;disunted,andde his ndaviehewholevalley. hisspot,helookedcautiouslyround.below,beyond thevillage,heuldseelargenuersofn;uldkeout linesofcavalryhorses,androillery.ansiderable ventthatthey toadvanhisiinhesaw,heprobablyexposedhis figuresoesharpsightedsentry, inthevillage. thefirstintitionofhisdangerbyseeingso tyuhlansdartsuddenlyoutofthetrees,inhevillage lay,atthetopoftheirspeedostatthesant, eightortenriflesflashed,andtheballsin stunpleasantpropinquity.ralphtuedinaninstant;and boundeddoherockhaspeedandrecklessnessof anyothernt,hehe paceatheuhlansheyillahundred yardsdistantin frontofthe thereenatfull gallopkebutpoorshooting.ralphfeltheouchedbut,by thenvulsivespringalwas herelittle differehibr> flag,aheher hundredyards,andtheanilstaggered;andwouldhavefallen,had notralphheldhiphkneeandbridle. theuhlanssfortheygaveashout,andapistolbullet ohishead.ralphlookedround.anofficer,ty yardsaheadofhisn,fortyyardsinhisrear.in hishandheheldarevolver,discharged. ”surrender”heshouted,”oryouareadeadn” ralphsatocarry outhisiionofdisunting,andtakingtotheh, here,begantoapproalosetotheroadandhe pointofthro,intokenofsurrender;whenhishorse fellheavily,,atthentheprussianagain fired.alstsiltaneouslyethe reportofagun;andthegernofficerfelloffhishorse,shot throughtheheart. ralphleapedtohisfeet,anddashedupthebankinangthe trees;justasanothershothalikefatalresult, intotheadvanguhlans.therestbelievingthattheyhadfallen intoanaushinstantlytuedtheirhorsesheads,andgalloped backtheroadtheyhade. ralphsfirstiulseorushdootheroad,andhthe officershorse;distances sterfell,andpanions.ashe didso,theoldpeasantappeared,frohewood. ”thankyou,”ralphsaidly.”youhavesavedlifeor,atany rate,havesavedfrogernprison.” thepeasantpaidnoattentiontohibutstoopeddoine, carefully,anshdead. ”tore,”hesaid,sle.”thatkesfifteen.three apiece.” thenhepickeduptheofficersrevolver,tookthecartridge belongingtoitfrohepoud,hahehandto ralph,strodebatothewood. ralphrevedtheholstersfrohesaddleofhisoh hadfallendeadplaanoffid then,untingit,rodeoffatfullspeed,toinforeneral carielsoftheresultsofhisiigation. ”hallo,barclay”oneofhisfelloo theheadquarters,”haveyoubeenuptodoingalittlebarter, anhussaryouseeohavegotthebestofhitoo; foryourothisisagooddealbetter, unlessiaistaken. ”hoeabout” quiteacroedround,heofficerwas speaking;struck,likehihthesingularityofthesightofa frenchstaffofficeruponahorseantrappings.ralphdid noterelyreplied,in thesajestingstrain,thatithadbeenafairexgethe slldifferehevalueofthehorsesbeingpaidfor,ha sllpieceoflead.then,throohisorderlywho ninguphei,tothegeneral,theevident foroventsofthegerns. ”aretheyasstrongashegeneralasked. ”fully,ishouldsay,sir.ihadnoansofjudgingtheinfantry, buttheyseedinlargeforce.theyainlystrongin cavalry,andisaeeightortenbatteriesofartillery.” ”letthefordutyride,pe;andtellhibr> toholdtheupperendofthisvalley.sendhervesbatteryforward toassisthihavethegeneralasselysounded.” ralphlefttoobeytheseorders,hegeneralgavethelonel ofhisstafftheinstrusforthedispositionofhisforces. thearofthevosgespoousasensisted,atthis ti,ofonlysotenthousandn;allbilesorfranctireurs, htheexceptionofabattalionofline,andabattalionof zouaves.thebilesostundisciplined,havingonlybeen outanth;andostpart,ardonlyhtheold zzleloader.nyhedonlyinthegraytrousers,ha redstripe,spartofthebilesuniforand ...