第57节
egnizeyou,now. ”thereisnostake,lonel”hesaid,gravely;”no stifieyourpledge,andassurahatthese aretheofficerseer,any stakeghtbefatal.” ”theseareyword.” ”itisarvelousdisguise,”gaettasaid,hisdoubtsno rest;”aheensecredit. ”therearethedispatches,geheyaredoneupiwo quills,andsealed.theyareoftheutstiortandst not,atanyhazard,fallintothehandsoftheehe dispatchesareinduplicatesothat,incaseoneosin,the purposeisserved. ”thisisaairesandotherfrench authorities,theogiveyoueverypossibleassistance. ”thisisaspeaireoflun. ”hereisalettertogeneralaurelles,atorleans.ifheisnotin hechiefofhisstaffo sendastaffofficerhyou,throughthelines,asfarasyou requirehithehorsesareirain. ”noure,foryallant youngfellows.” sosaying,heshooktheybythehand;andtheyhurriedoff tothetrain. chapter15:theexpedition. aspecialtelegraadbeefortourstostation steratorleans,torequesthioorderthet forhetrain,tobegotoutoftheirboxeshoutanyloss ofti;andtodoanythingelseheohehorses required.agly,asthetrainingoutsidethe station,theguardcaroundandaskedateaarriageforthe ohehorses.heappearedalittlesurprised,wojews ansheinquiry;ashehadexpectedthattheyersof highrank,andiortance. ”theplintsofthestationster,”hesaid,”andisthere anythinghedohthehorses” ”yes,”ralphsaid.”giveplintstothestationster;and saythatishallbechobligedifheoutofthe horseboxes,e,ahenatohe headquartersofgeneralaurelles.e,ina vehicle.” fiveer,andthe guardranup. ”thisen.acarriageisengaged.” uponarrivingatheadquarterstheyfoundthatoothe forethoughtofloheyedfor,uponsending intheias,theyitted;althoughseveral officers,ofallgrades,. thelohestaffgaveaventofsurprise. ”thereissostakehere,”hesaid,totheorderlywhohadshown then;”iorderedthelieutenantsbaritted.” ”thesearethegentlehecard,lohe orderlyanswered. ”itisso,”ralphsaid.”ifyouontalone, attertoyou.” theloheallcabi,adjoining. ”hu,”ralphsaid; ”andhavedisguisedourselves,toendeavortopassthroughthe gernlines.” ”oh,isthatit”thelonelsaid.”istreallyapologize;but noone,”hesaid,sling,”uldregnizeyou,inthatdisguise, tobefreners.beforeustaskyoufor soproofthatyouareyoustateyourselvestobe;forat presentihaveonlyyourcards.” ”hereisourletterfroonsieurgaettatogeneralaurelles,” ralphsaid.”itisdirectedtobeopenedbyyou,shouldhebe absent.” ”thatisallright,”thelonelsaid,y surpriseatyourappearancewe receivedthisingonlysaid: ”thetenantsbarclayrain. theirbusinessisstiortant.haveaountedofficerof staffreadytoaythehroughlines. ”ithought,ofurse,thatyouhadorderstoreportonpositionof troops;a,iadt,ratherangrythatgaettashouldwish tosendsubalteoffiattersnghhe hasfullreports. ”youogoonatonce” ”ourhorsesinutes,”ralphsaid,”andwewish togetasfaraspossible,tonight.eantocrosstheloingat ntargis,aasfarasonight;soastoarrive eitherataux,orlun,torroourse, preferlun,asbeingchtheshortestroutetowardsversailles. ans.” ”youhavenotbreakfasted,ofurse”thelonelsaid.”iwas justgoingtositdoein;foouttothefront atten,anditishalfpastnine,nohanceof gettinganything,beforeyouarriveatntargis. ”itroduceyoutotheofficerpanyyou.” theboysreadilyaeptedtheinvitation,andatoncefollohe looanotherroowaslaid,andseveral officersofthestaffingforthearrivalofthelonel, tobegin.thereered htrangelookitleincreased whenhesaid: ”gehelieutenantsbarclay.youlooksurprised;butyour astonishntellyouthattheyareuponan iortantssion,anddonotlookliketheelves.andnoo table,fortheyhavetostarties. ”captainduprat,letkeyouspequaihese geheyareboundforntargis,andyou throughouroutposts.” inanotherquarterofanhour,theboysthe streetsoforleans;andahandgallop,by theroadalongthebanksoftheloire;othenorthstretched theflatanddenselyryknoheforestoforleans. asfaraschateauheykeptheriver.heretheyhalted halfanhivebreathingtitotheirhorses;thenstarted again,androdefasttobellegarde.herehelastpostof regulartroops,butcathlineausfranctireurstered throughouttheuntry,asfarasntargis;anditwouldhavebeen rediffithan throughtheregulartroops,astheyhadlessrespectforpasses. afteranotherhalt,theyagainstarted;andcaptainduprat aiedthesfarasntargis,allbody offranaptaindupratsordersosleepat ntargis,autochateauheday. theboysfeltratherstiffandtired,astheyrodeintis; fortheyhadnotbeenonhorsebacethedayheywere takenprisoners,inthevosges,andtheyhadriddenfortyles sincebreakfast.theyillinglypush ...