第45节 (第1/2页)

    【】nddrilling,anddisciplining.ifhehadhis

    akeuslikearegintofline;asifthereuldbe

    anygoodincarryingoutallthatsortofthing,hfranc

    tireurs.hehadabouthalfofustogether,forthreeorfourdays;

    andigiveyouwasasbadasslavery.drill,drill,

    drill,frooingtillnight.iilyglad,itell

    you,ent.”

    ralphsaerable

    classhatdrillanddisciplineies,and

    thatitantoshoulderagunfor

    hiobeasoldier;soheeasilyavoidedargunt,bytuingthe

    subject.foraupleofhourstheychatted;andthen,asthefire

    enhadalreadylaiddoosleep,ralph

    suggestedthattheyshoulddothesa.

    ”ihesentriesfirst,hyou,ifyoulike,”he

    said.

    ”seheothersaid,ysentry,”and

    hepoioanstanding,tenpacesoff,leaningagainsta

    tree.”thenhavereinanhour

    beforeyoudidandiaotgoiheirstrengthby

    puttinghalfoftheuttochtheforest.

    ”no,no,iaoadvoyn.”

    ”goodnight,then,”ralphsaid,briefly,andheselfin

    hiscloak,andlaydown.

    ”edtothissortofthing,percy,”hewhispered

    tohisbrother,inenglish,”andidontlikeit.nowonderour

    fraheir

    discipline.”

    ”idontlikeiteither,ralph.theprussiansareadvang;andif

    thatfelloastenlesoff,theyareaslikely

    asnottobeonlytoinges.”

    ”her,percy.hoehaveno

    authorityoverthisfelloustkethebestofit,and

    hopethatforoncefollyhaveitsjustreward.”

    sosaying,theboysreinedsilentforthenight.butalthough

    sileheroftheleptchralphespecially,was

    stillverysore,andattispainful,hardlyclosedhiseyes.he

    toldhielfitheuldnothelplistening,h

    painfulattention.

    hadthenightbeenaquietone,hehavestrainedhisears;

    forashekhenyhourshehadpassedatnightupon

    guard,thehushissointehesegreatforeststhatone

    hearthefallofauntainstrealesahesnappingof

    atostthefallingofaleaf,chtheear.the

    night,hoherustleofthepineforestwould

    havedeadenedallsound,exceptanythingsharp,andnear.

    thesentrydidnotappearsilarlyiressedhthey

    foraraordinaryattention.heipallyoupiedin

    strugglingagainstld,anddron,he

    staedhisfoot,huedsnatchesofsongs,yahgreat

    vigor,andsookeepawohours;whenheroused

    theforduty,andlaydohagruntofrelief.

    atlast,afterkeepingawakeforhours,ralphdozedoff.howlong

    heslept,hekheofullwakefulnessbya

    toudoylewhisper:

    ”hist,sterralph,ivedoubtsthatth