第67节
【】tered theranksotion,orfavor;but silyfrosenseofdutytotheuntrytoother belonged,andinhwewerebo. ”therebattlefoughtnearorleans, shortly;andishouldliketobepresent,ifpossibleandpercy ostlyfor yourkindness,hergoout.” ”veryhegeneralsaid,”itshallbeasyouhereis certainlyreceofyourseeingstirringservithe field,thaninhere.idonotblayouforyoure.iwill sendaooeclierhe balloontosaythatyoupanyhi ”goodbye,lads,goodbye;youarefineyoungfellows,andyour fatherhaseveryrighttobeproudofyou.tellhio,froe.” theboysrose,andbothegeneralheldouthishand,and shooktheirsly. uponleaviheyfoundseveraloftheofficersofthe stafftostay,andhaveachat .ralphatoneptedtheinvitation;uponthe nditionthatpercyshouldhaveasofauponoliedown,for hisbrotherostly received,inalargedra,inhwereoveradozen offiebottlesofchaagnewereopened, cigarsand,lyuponthesofa,ralph chattedhtheofficers;relating,attheireaestrequest, severaloftheiradvehevosges,ashestoryof theirenteringintoparis. hisnelypressedtheostopanddi ralphpleadedthattheballoonoing, andthatheoliedoagoodnightssleep beforestarting.thecarriagehadbeendischarged,hourssi oheofficersorderedacarriageofgerochustothe doorand,afteraheartyleavetaking,theboysretuedtotheir hotel. ”acuriousseitis,percy,”ralphsaid.”whohink thatuchas usual:theshopsareopen;peopleoke, anddrinktheirffeeorabsinthe,justasusual.theonly differeofuniforrother. oseeasingleablebodiednaltogetherincivilian dress;andatnightthestreetsareverydisl,oothere beingnogas.” ”houtoexpecttoholdout,ralph” ”aonths,anyhoore.there seetobealargestockofeverything,andeveryoneisputonto aregularalloore.” ”iseeohaveeverythingi,ralph;lotsofbeeftea,and soup,andjelly,andsoon.” ”yes,perthehospital.thehotel uldnotfuishanythingofthekind,itellyou. ”hereondgettosleep.iwill e.” attennutesbeforetheappoii,theboysarrivedatthe northerailation;edaverydifferentappearance tothatotives,or ruleofheavytrains,disturbedthesilenell ofvaishpervadedtheptyballoonshung froheroof,undergoingtheprocess.theofficialwho hadreceivedthettheentranductedtheutsidethestation; andthere,inthelightofsotorches,agreatblackssuldbe seen,soandfro.theaeronautandingbesideit. ”herearethegentlenpanyyou,”theoffi. ”hoen”hesaid,cheerily.”, orrathering;theherly.isupposethisisyour firstast” ”yes,indeed,”ralphsaid,”andiohelast. havethedispatchesarrived” ”no;ihavetheilbags,butnotthedispatcheshushtherearea horseshoofs.” afeieranote,h hedeliveredtoeclier. ”bah”hesaid,inanaoheybepunctual” ”isit,sir”ralphasked. ”aneneral,tosaythatthedispatchesbe readyforanhour.thatansanhourandahalf;andbythatti itenoughtobeseen,andorunthe gau.hootbehelped. ”thebestthingeascheerfullyasan; andthatcertainlybeiningouthere,inthisbitter ld.ihave,fortunately,afetlesofexcellenthe en,thatoafire,haveaglass ofokeacigar,tranquilly.” ecliergaveafeioheballoon;and theythenadjouedtoaas blazing,fortheuseoftheneloyedinfillingtheballoon. herethehourandahalfofingpassedpleasantly. ataquartertoseven,thedispatchesarrived.theyily plathecar,inhingelsehadalreadybeen packed.thebarclaystooktheirplace,thego all”and,inanotherinstant,theearthseedtosinka uheaopsofthehouses. thedaain.lightcloudswere floatingoverhead.fortinutes,notawordoken. theseheeffectsoextraordinary,tothe boysthattheyoutteraant,the earthseedtosinkatheeveryinstant,theirview extendedfartherandfarther;aantfields,villages,and hillsseedactuallytintosight. ”itislast. ”gnifit”percyresponded. ”ihertheyseeus”ralphsaid. ”he river,aheinutes,we shallbeovertheirlines.” there upontheiensepanorabelo. ”diatelybehus”ralphasked. ”thatisvahevillageyouseethereischatillon.lookout noayexpeinute.” hehadhardlyspokenbeforetheyhear**intsound,followedby otherssilar. ”thatissketry,”ecliersaid.”listen.” theydidlisten,andheardapeculiared belo. ”thatisaistakingthe”ralph said. ”oolooecliersaid.”throthatbundleof le.” ralphdidso. ”hensequence ...