There was one shot through the body, who raised a cry of bitter lamentation6 when came this lull7. Perhaps he had been calling out during the fighting also, but at that time no one had heard him. But now the men turned at the woeful complaints of him upon the ground.
"Who is it? Who is it?"
"Its Jimmie Rogers. Jimmie Rogers."
When their eyes first encountered him there was a sudden halt, as if they feared to go near. He was thrashing about in the grass, twisting his shuddering8 body into many strange postures9. He was screaming loudly. This instant's hesitation10 seemed to fill him with a tremendous, fantastic contempt, and he damned them in shrieked11 sentences.
The youth's friend had a geographical12 illusion concerning a stream, and he obtained permission to go for some water. Immediately canteens were showered upon him. "Fill mine, will yeh?" "Bring me some, too." "And me, too." He departed, ladened. The youth went with his friend, feeling a desire to throw his heated body into the stream and, soaking there, drink quarts.
They made a hurried search for the supposed stream, but did not find it. "No water here," said the youth. They turned without delay and began to retrace13 their steps.
From their position as they again faced toward the place of the fighting, they could comprehend a greater amount of the battle than when their visions had been blurred14 by the hurling15 smoke of the line. They could see dark stretches winding16 along the land, and on one cleared space there was a row of guns making gray clouds, which were filled with large flashes of orange-colored flame. Over some foliage17 they could see the roof of a house. One window, glowing a deep murder red, shone squarely through the leaves. From the edifice18 a tall leaning tower of smoke went far into the sky.
Looking over their own troops, they saw mixed masses slowly getting into regular form. The sunlight made twinkling points of the bright steel. To the rear there was a glimpse of a distant roadway as it curved over a slope. It was crowded with retreating infantry19. From all the interwoven forest arose the smoke and bluster20 of the battle. The air was always occupied by a blaring.
Near where they stood shells were flip-flapping and hooting21. Occasional bullets buzzed in the air and spanged into tree trunks. Wounded men and other stragglers were slinking through the woods.
Looking down an aisle22 of the grove23, the youth and his companion saw a jangling general and his staff almost ride upon a wounded man, who was crawling on his hands and knees. The general reined24 strongly at his charger's opened and foamy25 mouth and guided it with dexterous26 horsemanship past the man. The latter scrambled27 in wild and torturing haste. His strength evidently failed him as he reached a place of safety. One of his arms suddenly weakened, and he fell, sliding over upon his back. He lay stretched out, breathing gently.
A moment later the small, creaking cavalcade28 was directly in front of the two soldiers. Another officer, riding with the skillful abandon of a cowboy, galloped29 his horse to a position directly before the general. The two unnoticed foot soldiers made a little show of going on, but they lingered near in the desire to overhear the conversation. Perhaps, they thought, some great inner historical things would be said.
The general, whom the boys knew as the commander of their division, looked at the other officer and spoke30 coolly, as if he were criticising his clothes. "Th' enemy's formin' over there for another charge," he said. "It'll be directed against Whiterside, an' I fear they'll break through unless we work like thunder t' stop them."
The other swore at his restive31 horse, and then cleared his throat. He made a gesture toward his cap. "It'll be hell t' pay stoppin' them," he said shortly.
"I presume so," remarked the general. Then he began to talk rapidly and in a lower tone. He frequently illustrated32 his words with a pointing finger. The two infantrymen could hear nothing until finally he asked: "What troops can you spare?"
The officer who rode like a cowboy reflected for an instant. "Well," he said, "I had to order in th' 12th to help th' 76th, an' I haven't really got any. But there's th' 304th. They fight like a lot 'a mule33 drivers. I can spare them best of any."
The youth and his friend exchanged glances of astonishment34.
The general spoke sharply. "Get 'em ready, then. I'll watch developments from here, an' send you word when t' start them. It'll happen in five minutes."
As the other officer tossed his fingers toward his cap and wheeling his horse, started away, the general called out to him in a sober voice: "I don't believe many of your mule drivers will get back."
The other shouted something in reply. He smiled.
With scared faces, the youth and his companion hurried back to the line.
These happenings had occupied an incredibly short time, yet the youth felt that in them he had been made aged35. New eyes were given to him. And the most startling thing was to learn suddenly that he was very insignificant36. The officer spoke of the regiment37 as if he referred to a broom. Some part of the woods needed sweeping38, perhaps, and he merely indicated a broom in a tone properly indifferent to its fate. It was war, no doubt, but it appeared strange.
As the two boys approached the line, the lieutenant39 perceived them and swelled40 with wrath41. "Fleming--Wilson--how long does it take yeh to git water, anyhow--where yeh been to."
But his oration42 ceased as he saw their eyes, which were large with great tales. "We're goin' t' charge--we're goin' t' charge!" cried the youth's friend, hastening with his news.
"Charge?" said the lieutenant. "Charge? Well, b'Gawd! Now, this is real fightin'." Over his soiled countenance43 there went a boastful smile. "Charge? Well, b'Gawd!"
A little group of soldiers surrounded the two youths. "Are we, sure 'nough? Well, I'll be derned! Charge? What fer? What at? Wilson, you're lyin'."
"I hope to die," said the youth, pitching his tones to the key of angry remonstrance44. "Sure as shooting, I tell you."
And his friend spoke in re-enforcement. "Not by a blame sight, he ain't lyin'. We heard 'em talkin'."
They caught sight of two mounted figures a short distance from them. One was the colonel of the regiment and the other was the officer who had received orders from the commander of the division. They were gesticulating at each other. The soldier, pointing at them, interpreted the scene.
One man had a final objection: "How could yeh hear 'em talkin'?" But the men, for a large part, nodded, admitting that previously45 the two friends had spoken truth.
They settled back into reposeful46 attitudes with airs of having accepted the matter. And they mused47 upon it, with a hundred varieties of expression. It was an engrossing48 thing to think about. Many tightened49 their belts carefully and hitched51 at their trousers.
A moment later the officers began to bustle52 among the men, pushing them into a more compact mass and into a better alignment53. They chased those that straggled and fumed54 at a few men who seemed to show by their attitudes that they had decided55 to remain at that spot. They were like critical shepherds, struggling with sheep.
Presently, the regiment seemed to draw itself up and heave a deep breath. None of the men's faces were mirrors of large thoughts. The soldiers were bended and stooped like sprinters before a signal. Many pairs of glinting eyes peered from the grimy faces toward the curtains of the deeper woods. They seemed to be engaged in deep calculations of time and distance.
They were surrounded by the noises of the monstrous56 altercation57 between the two armies. The world was fully50 interested in other matters. Apparently58, the regiment had its small affair to itself.
The youth, turning, shot a quick, inquiring glance at his friend. The latter returned to him the same manner of look. They were the only ones who possessed59 an inner knowledge. "Mule drivers--hell t' pay--don't believe many will get back." It was an ironical60 secret. Still, they saw no hesitation in each other's faces, and they nodded a mute and unprotesting assent61 when a shaggy man near them said in a meek62 voice: "We'll git swallowed."
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1
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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4
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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6
lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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7
lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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8
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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9
postures
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| 姿势( posture的名词复数 )； 看法； 态度； 立场 | |
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10
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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11
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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13
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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14
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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15
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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16
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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17
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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18
edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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19
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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20
bluster
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| v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声 | |
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21
hooting
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
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22
aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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23
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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24
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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25
foamy
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| adj.全是泡沫的，泡沫的，起泡沫的 | |
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26
dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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27
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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28
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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29
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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30
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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31
restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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32
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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33
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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34
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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35
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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36
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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37
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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38
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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39
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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40
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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41
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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42
oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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43
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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44
remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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45
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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46
reposeful
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| adj.平稳的，沉着的 | |
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47
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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48
engrossing
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| adj.使人全神贯注的，引人入胜的v.使全神贯注( engross的现在分词 ) | |
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49
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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50
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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51
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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52
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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53
alignment
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| n.队列；结盟，联合 | |
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54
fumed
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| 愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟 | |
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55
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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56
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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57
altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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58
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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59
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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60
ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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61
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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62
meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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