第42节
【】inablue blouse.greatnuersofthestshoeless;havingbeen takenstraightfroheploeivedno shoessined,half ans. thefattotheirgeneral,andhisofficers.still,his instrusakeastand,atallhazards,inthevosges; andhenooobeytheordersnothopingforvictory,but trustingiuralurageofhisntoenablehiodraw theffhoutseriousdisaster.hisgreatestweaknesswashis artillery,ofteries;agaiorten ofthegernserically,superiorto hisown. inhalfanhour,thedispositiohevalleywaswide, atthispoint;andthereefiveorsixvillagesledin it.itilesbehind,narrowed againnsiderably.justasthetroopshadgaiheirappointed plausketryfirehe geahead;ngled,ies,of on. thegeneral,surroundedbyhisstaff,vedforohe spot.froheroadattheentrahenarroofthe valley,nothinguldbeseen;buttheongthe treesandroeitherside,theburstingofshellsandthe lingofbullets.thegeneralandhisstaff aenofthe esrt,anduhesideofthehill. afterasharpheyuld seerightdohelongnarrohetreesexcept heroadhieepsidesofthehillsbeing veredong thesealldoe fivehundredyardsfroheposttakenupbythegeneral,a suoketoldpesfranc tireursoreesbeloeup greatokefrohebattery, byfiringatthegerns. thesefordalongline,upanddohesidesofthevalley,at threeorfourhundredyardsdistancefrohefrenes.two gernbatteriesheroad,afeothe rearoftheirskirshers;andthesehicklyup angtherocks,hefranctireurswo otherbatteriesanshadoputashortway upoaiillfartherintherearwereraining shell,hdeadlyprecision,uponthefrenchbatteriesinthe road. aprettierpieceofto igiheloftyuntaihelonglinesoflittlepuffs ofske,angthebrushokearising frohetrees,iothequick,dullburstsofthe shellsasaspele,itoststriking.thenoisewas prodigious.thesteepsidesoftheuntainehreportof thegunsintoaprolongedroar,liketheruleofthuhe rattleofthesketryneverceasedforaninstant,andloudand distinenagscreaftheshells. ”thisisgrand,indeed,ralph”percysaid,afterants silence. ”splendid”ralphsaid,”butitisevidentholdthe ge.theirskirshersarethreetoourone,andtheirshells stbedoingterribledage.” ”barclay,”generalcarielssaid,”godoothebattery,and bringbackheyaregettingon.” thesequitelostitsbeautytoperow,ashesah scralerapidlydohehillsideinthedireofthetrees; angongh theshellsedlikeenteringa fieryfuace. itinutesbeforeralphbing upthehillsideagain;andpercysheartgaveajuofdelight, enear,his brothersahathehiefbound rouhishblood.hekepton steadily,hoilhereachedthegeneral;on seeihi ”onegunisdisunted,sir,andhalfthenarekilledor wounded.” ”godo,andtellhervetofallbackatondto takepositionintheiledohe valley,soastosheentrance. ”laon,gotht,andyou,dubois,totheleft.orderthe franctireurstoretreatalongthehillsideato theendofthege,toforntheplain,andfallbacktothe firstvillage. ”youareseriously,ihope”hesaid,kindly, astheofficershurriedaissions. ”asplinterofashell,sir,”ralphsaid,faintly.”idontthink ithastouchedtheboithascutthefleshbadly.” ralph;andhewould havefallen,hadnotperaughthinhisar,halittle cry. ”hehasonlyfaintedfroossofblood,”thegeneralsaid.”twoor threehandkerchiefs,gentlen. ”noajor,bindtheoundhisar ”noakeoffhissash,andbinditastightlyasyou,over thethatsright. ”o lose.” tsunderralphsshoulders, ookhisfeet;andtheyhasteneddoothehorses.as theydidso,ralphopenedhiseyes. ”iallright,noly. ”liequiet,”thejorsaid,kindly.”itisonlylossofblood. thereisnorealharone. ”there,herearethehorses.” ralphting,ontheground;alittlebrandyander and,asthebloodslh thebandage,hefeltsuffitlyrestoredtositonhishorse. ”doyle,yougohlieutenantbarclay,”thelohestaff said.”rideslo;soastohhi ifyouseehiotter.youhesurgeonsreadyatthe generalsquarters. ”halt,standasideforant.hereestheartillery.” ”welldone,lads,inished batteryrattledpast,atfullgallop. thenhehielf,hhisstaff,putspurstohishorseand offatfullspeed;folloaheside ofralph.thefloopped,andralpho sithishorseuntilhereachedthehousehe generalsheadquarters,intheing.hereohestaff surgeonshadfittedupateoraryaulandralphsbandages oved.tiuedsickatthe sightof ...