第77节
reisnodaoyouindoingsoas,ifthegerns e,youhaveonlytosayyouhaveaer.ipay youwell.” ”careforpay,”theanofthehousesaid;openingthe door,hadleinherhandandthenfallingbary ofhorror,attheobjean,thfatigue, andaskofstiffenedblood. ”youdonotreer,”ralphsaid.”iahecaptainofthe stafftedtoyou,tyourboysinparis.” ”poorboy”theansaid,passionately.”ein. ”nsieure,”sheon,apologetically,”for speakingso,buticalledyoutheboycaptain,elling goodnabright ”butthere,youno,andfood.thequestionis aybesearched,atanyti;thoughitsnot likelythattlehasgoneaway inthedireoforleans,anden sinceisawodaysago. ”thefirstthingistogiveyousothing.youarehalf frozen.sitdoinutes.iakeablaze.” ralphsankdoterlyexhaustedandileby thefirepladfellintoahalfdoze,anlita brightfireonthehearth.iesshehaddrae liquorfrohepotaufeuthesouppotandsbythe firesideofeveryfrenchpeasant,hoohall theoddsandendsofthehouseholdarethro intoasllerpot;brokesobreadintoit,addedanonionh shechoppedupingtogetherhalittlepepper andsaltand,iesfrohetiofralphsentry,she plaokinghot,beforehi atfirst,heseedtooexhaustedtoeat;butgraduallyhis appetiteretued,andhefinishedoffthehotbroth. ”shallidotoyouransaid.”itisa terriblesight,atpresent.” ”itistheldylife,ifancy,”ralphsaid,”by stoppingthebleeding;butnoer,for soti,andthenbandaging. ”bute” ”intheboysrooupstairs,sir.itisjustastheyleftit.” ”ihavenodoubtitisveryfortable,”ralphsaid,”butallthis untryisyscavalry.idonot tobetakenprisoner;andratherthanthatiwouldgoandlive outintheefood.” thehusbandhadnoedoairsand,asheaidedhiso firstbatheandthenbaheheytalkedoverthe tter;andagreedthatralphuldbehidinaloftoverashed,a hundredyardsfrohehouse,andverycealedinthewoods, ueratoartedtoke theplaceasfortableasheuld;andtheha upleofblas,aquarterofanhourlater. ralph,bythisti,uldsrahefever nsequentupontheadehishead throbsoterriblythatheuldselyholditupand,haditnot beenfortheassistanershave craheshortdistaheshed.theloftwaslowand sllaeroftheher opening,foritedonlyby thelighteinatthees.theshedogetherof hattheshutterobeatitsbackwould selyhavebeennoticedtheshedbeinghighandthe loftveryloedthe existenceofanyloft,atall.itrap door. thefarrassistedralphuptheladder.theshutteren,and ralphsaerhaddeabedofstrahhis heblas.ralphnoookoffhis uniforandlaydobytheotherbla, andthenerswifehad thoughtfullybroughtapilloinutes haditnotbeenforthepainofhiswoundwould havebeeninte,aftertheldandfatigue.hishostess auedhalargejugoferandaglass, . ”thereisnothingelseyou”sheasked. ”nothing,thankyou,excepttosleep,”ralphsaid. ”ishallshutthisshutter,”thefarrsaid.”enoughlightwill ethroughthekstoseeed tothedarkness.ishallshutthetrapclosedoe,asi go,andliftdoyan easilyputitintoitsplaceagain.weeandseeyouagain, ieoon.goodbye.” ”goodbye,”ralphansly;andbeforethesoundoftheir footstepshaddiedaoasortoffeverishdoze. foratihetueduneasily,tteredioved hishalessly.soon,hoheeffeloth soakedinicyldershe bandagesovertheosubduethefeverishheat;andin halfanhourhely.helast, goodanagainbendingoverhi ”ialad,”ont,you weredead.” ”no,no,”ralphsaid,ile;”alongthat, yet.sleephasdoneaokisit” ”nineok,”hishostesssaid.”iuldnotebefore,fori havehadseveralpartiesgoingpast,andthehousehed once.ikeptoilinearly yselfintoafever.” ”thankyou,”ralphsaid.”ihavebeenallthebetterforbeing queer,aboutthehead;butother. ”iaerriblythirsty.” ”ihavegotnothingbutansaid.”the gernsdradropofouronthsago.butihada fe,andputthenthisjugof er.itataste,andisgoodforfever. ”inthisjugissoherbtea,ustdrinkwhenyoufeel feverish. ”ah” ”thatido,”ralphsaid. hishostessputherarnderhiandraisedhipintoasitting posture;inbykneelingdo,and holdinghipasifhehadbeenachild.thenshegavehibasin ofbreadbroth,andadrinkofer;shookuphispilled thethingsoverhiandputafreshcloth,dippediner,onhis head. ”hereisaboxof ...