第79节
ay.thefarrhadgiven hietailedinstrusforfindingthehouse;butwasafraidof stoppingtoactashisguideas,hadhebeenseenhe sideofthesurgeonshorse,thesuspianthey ghtenunteroed. thesurgeonarrivedanhourlater,andoakentoralphs bedside.ralph,hospeakto,orevenreghe presenan;forheateoffever. thesurgeonexanedhisarefully. ”ithinkheers isanastycut;butthereisnothingdangerousinthewound, itself.itisthegeneralsho,togetherhthe hardshipsandsufferinghehadgh.heisareboynot aboveseventeeeen.hesaysinhisnoteheisacaptain, butithardlybeso.” ”heisahangingup.” ”yes,”thesurgeonsaid,”thatistheuniforfacaptaininthe staff,andhehasgotthendersbuttonofthelegionof honor.ianbe. ”ralphbarclay,”hesaidthoughtfully,lookingatthepenote ralphhadsenthi”ah,hena.ithoughtitwas faliarto.thisistheyoungenglishnadehisway throughthelioparis,hdispatchesheisafineyoung felloustdo.” ”uldyoutakehintoyourhospital,sir”theanasked. ”he.” ”yes,iuchbetter lookedafter,inthehospital.” ”no,”thesurgeonsaid,”thatisjusthebe.every roosliterallycrohely betterinfresh,pureair,likethis,thaninarooaclose atsphere,andotherbadwounds. ”thefeverdiedays.ihave broughtoveratinoflittlebiscuits.givehihefeverdie, everytilthereisage;and hiotakeit,givehilittlebrothdeofaspoonfulofthe esseinaliterofboilinge arroakeit,backtothe house. ”aayheagooddealof lookingafter,forthewodays.” ”yes,sir,ialkingtojacquesaboutit,today.hewillgo overtothevillageitisonlyaleay sister,here,tokeephouseforabit.” ”thatiscapital,”thesurgeonsaid.”andnochattentively hoeeaday.when youhaveputthebandageon,youstputclothstohishead, aslongashereinsdelirious.iaiwillride ain,inthreeorfourdays,toseehotingon. ”bytheaybeanadvaoyouifigiveyouapaper, signedby,tosaythatyouaretakingcareofah officeratrequestasalthoughyoutothe aulanceirefusedbecause,inthefirstplace,heuldnotbear ving;andinthesend,theaulanceuld possiblyhold.thatanpartiese alongandfindhi” ithanynsciousness ofentasto ieinto hisface.lookinground,hesaall piecehadbeensaoftheshutter,soastoletinairand lightainedclosed.atableandachairwerebesidehis bed.iheloftallflatstove,hafew eersglo.uponthe oppositesideofthelofttothatasaheapof hay,silartohisohafigure,rolledupinabla, lyingonit. forsoti,ralphthoughtallthisoverinthevague,w alongillness.st,he puzzledovertheoctoftheotherbed;andatlastncluded thatitefugitive,likehielf.forsotihelayand oved,threhe blaandroseand,tohissurprise,hesahatitwashis nurse. ”thankstoallthesaints”sheexclaid,looking ather.”youarebetter,atlast.ithinkthatioo. butyou,thatithoughtiakeanap; foriwassosleepy.” ”howlonghaveibeenhere”ralphasked. ”justathetithefevertookyou.theenglishdoctor youadeuphere,and sistercaovertotakeques.andnoustnot talkanyre.drinkthisbroth,andthengoofftosleepagain.” ralphplied.heore questions,andituntildaythatheheardofthe obstilesoh,8th, and10thnearbeauguency. ”thankgoodness,”ralphsaid,”havebeenverybadly beaten,ifofightthreedratleshinabout tilesofafirstdefeat.” fortheprovedih.thenhehada relapse,andedays.thenhebegan,steadily butsloogaih.ithreeerhisarrival atthettagebeforeheuldherweekbeforehehad reveredhisstrengthsuffioving. oneofhisfirstaiesafterreveringnsciousnessafter hisfirst,andlo,attackoffeverhadbeenuponthesubject oftheterribleayustbefeeling,atho, respepe,thathe issingand,asheofall,itwas probablethatheedasdead.ralphsonlynsolationwas that,asthegernsnicationwouldbevery sloain;andalthoughitendayssihe e,itgetalettersent,at otheyitnearly,ifnotquiteasquicklyasthe onefrooee;especiallyifashe loooengaged,duringtheweeks trendousfightinghedayuponhralphwas tobeabletoeletters. thefirsttithathesaentiohis ay,aoratonceofferedtotakechargeofaletter; andtoforilitarypostbag,tothe headquartersoftheaulaversailles,togetherhanote totheheadoftheaulahere,begginghiogetitsenton i ...