第73节
【】rses ogetherialls,ascloselyastheyuldstand; pletelyveredhcavalry soldiers,sosittingupskingandtalking,othersalready heircloaksandstretchedatfulllength. asergeant,seeingtherksofralphsrank,atoncerosetohis feetandsaluted. ”ihavetyoolonel tees.generaleishouldfindrooere,butit doesnotlooklikeit.” ”iuthesehorsesout,sir,”thesergeantsaid. ”istherenootherplace”ralphasked. ”theyareallasfullasthis,sir.” ”thereisalittleshed,dotheendofthegarden,”ohe nsaid.”inoticeditthisafteoon.thedoorked.i lookedin,anditseedaknoheranyoneis there.ihyou,sir,andshoheway,ifyou like.” theshedhesoldierforcedthedooropenh hiss.theplacehad,ashesupposed,beenawshed; butthehegroundhard. ”thissaid.”thereisrooor allfourhorses,iftheysqueezeabit;andforjacqueshere,and self.isuppose,yourhonor,thereinknogup soofthisakeabitofafireitstoodarkto lookforstithesnow, thattheskehebasteseosaynothingof us.” ”staiiagreehyou;butdontdo redagethanyouakeenoughfiretoke theenough,here, ustgoandseeifyougettheo fe.” ”buthoasked. ”ihaventdraeat, inthehaversaattours,forithoughtthere bechtobehadhere.” ”thankyouforthinkingofit,tibuththegeneral. fortable,andlityourfire,oneof yupourcloakstothehouse.keepthehorsessaddleson, aysuddenly,atanyntof thenight.” theing,generalzysaidtoralph: ”ishouldrendyou,captainbarclay,tospendanhourstudying thisp;aingup,froheselists,theexactpositionof ourforces.asteredtheridethroughthe hepositionsoupiedbytherpsand,houtexposing yourself,gainasgoodanideaasyouoftheuntrybeyond. torroayhavetoridestraighttocertainpoints,h orders;anditysaveiortanttiifyouarethhly acquaiheground,andposition.” afteraupleofhoursstudyofthestaffp,soastoknow everylittlebylanea,fortenlesoherside, ralphuntedhishorseandforalongride.ued, looldhihatgeneralzyogeneral daurellesquarters,tethedetails;andthattheattack otakeplacetheday. atfiveopeandthe chiefofhisstaff,fortwohours,in drapehad notbeenout,allday;ahereforeofferedhishorsetoralph, ihatralphsoightbefreshfortheday. fourstaffofficerssetoffinvariousdireshthe dispatches;andralphngratulatedhielfuponhavingbeenupon thegroundheraversingoncebeforethatdayas,evenh thatpreviousacquaintaofindtheway throughthedarkness,frohesnthegeneralappearance andapparentdistanhobject.thanks,hoohisride oftheing,hereachedthevariousrpstohhewas dispatchedistakesinhisbackto headquartersbyelevenok. ti ”sure,yourhonor,anditsaghtyldnight.ivegotapotof ffeeontheboiliables.” ”thankyou,tiiakereporttothe general,andthengoofftobed.bringtheffeeintoroowe shallbeupearly,fororrow.” ”dosaid,adringly.”anditsaboutti;forwe shouldbeallfrozenintoskeletons,ifoheredoing nothingger.badlucktotheher,saysi.” attenooingthefrenchtroopsotion, theobjectsoftheirattackbeingthevillagesofguillonville, terniers,aheuntryelyflatand,foran hour,theysay.afetes,only,were seen.thesegallopedoffhastily,thenttheycaughtsightof theheavyssesofthefrenthewood.ralphwas riding,htherestofthestaff,behindthegeneral. ”thatisterniers,”loeesaid,pointingtoahouseor tadistaheplain. ashespoke,apuffofskecafrohehouses. ”thereisthefirstshell,”ation. inanotherinstantthessileburstnearsoinfantry,attwo hundredyardstht. ”takeorderstothatbattery,there,totakepositiononthat littleeo keepthegunsalittlebagthetrees,andtoopensharply uponterniers.” itiherewasa roarofonalongthehofbothlines.forhalfan hourthebatntinuedareartilleryduel.theshellsfellin alldirethetrees,tearingup theground,andleavingdeepblackgashesintheesnow; crashingthroughaongthe troops. ”theirfireisslaingalittle,”generalzysaid.”itis titobepushingforward. ”lieutenantporent ofbilestoadvanishers. ”enttosupport. ”captainillot,ordertheartillerytoratetheirfire uponthevillage,andtoadvancebybatteries.” theordersobilesadvaohin fivehundredyardsofthevillage.thesketryfirewasnow trendous,andthebilesansrenchedin thegardensandhevillage.everywall,every houseed,tofill upthebreaksinthewalls. generalzytingonhorseback,ashortdistahe rearofthefighting.untedofficersrodeupaagain, everynt,hlegoin ...