bruce-第24节

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had　seen　and　heard　no　creature　of　any　sort。　Yet　he　was　sure　that

on　the　way　back　he　had　been　pursued　byby　Something！　And　into

his　scared　memory；　as　he　ran；　had　flashed　the　ofttold　Black

Forest　tale　of　the　Werewolfthe　devilbeast　that　is　entered　by

the　soul　of　a　murdered　man　and　which　tracks　the　murderer　to　his

death。



Glad　was　the　unnerved　Corporal　Freund　when　his　run　ceased　and　he

stood　close　to　his　grossly　solid　and　rank…scented　fellowmen　once

more。　Almost　he　was　inclined　to　laugh　at　his　fears　of　the　fabled

Werewolfand　especially　at　the　idea　that　he　had　been　pursued。　He

drew　a　long　breath　of　relief。　He　drew　the　breath　in。　But　he　did

not　at　once　expel　it。　For　on　his　ears　came　the　sound　of　a　hideous

menacing　growl。



Corporal　Freund　spun　about；　in　the　direction　of　the　mysterious

threat。　And　there；　not　thirty　feet　from　him；　in　the　ghostly

moonlight；　stood　the　Werewolf！



This　time　there　could　be　no　question　of　overstrained　nerves　and

of　imagination。　The　Thing　was　THERE！



Horribly　visible　in　every　detail；　the　Werewolf　was　glaring　at

him。　He　could　see　the　red　glow　of　the　gigantic　devil…beast's

eyes；　the　white　flash　of　its　teeth；　the　ghostly　shimmering　of　its

snowy　chest。　The　soul　of　the　man　he　had　slain　had　taken　this

traditional　form　and　was　hunting　down　the　slayer！　A　thousand

stories　of　Freund's　childhood　verified　the　frightful　truth。　And

overwrought　human　nature's　endurance　went　to　pieces　under　the

shock。



A　maniac　howl　of　terror　split　the　midnight　stillness。　Shriek

after　shriek　rent　the　air。　Freund　tumbled　convulsively　to　the

ground　at　his　colonel's　feet；　gripping　the　officer's　booted　knees

and　screeching　for　protection。　The　colonel；　raging　that　the

surprise　attack　should　be　imperiled　by　such　a　racket；　beat　the

frantic　man　over　the　mouth　with　his　heavy　fist；　kicking

ferociously　at　his　upturned　writhing　face；　and　snarling　to　him　to

be　silent。



The　shower　of　blows　brought　Freund　back　to　sanity；　to　the　extent

of　changing　his　craven　terror　into　Fear's　secondary　phasethe

impulse　to　strike　back　at　the　thing　that　had　caused　the　fright。

Rolling　over　and　over　on　the　ground；　under　the　impact　of　his

superior's　fist　blows　and　kicks；　Freund　somehow　regained　his

feet。



Reeling　up　to　the　nearest　soldier；　the　panic…crazed　corporal

snatched　the　private's　rifle　and　fired　three　times；　blindly；　at

Bruce。　Then；　foaming　at　the　mouth；　Freund　fell　heavily　to　earth

again；　chattering　and　twitching　in　a　fit。



Bruce；　at　the　second　shot；　leaped　high　in　the　air；　and　collapsed；

in　an　inert　furry　heap；　among　the　bushes。　There　he　lay；his

career　as　a　courier…dog　forever　ended。



Corporal　Rudolph　Freund　was　perhaps　the　best　sniper　in　his

regiment。　Wildly　though　he　had　fired；　marksman…instinct　had

guided　his　bullets。　And　at　such　close　range　there　was　no　missing。

Bruce　went　to　earth　with　one　rifle　ball　through　his　body；　and

another　in　his　leg。　A　third　had　reached　his　skull。



Now；　the　complete　element　of　surprise　was　all…needful　for　the

attack　the　Germans　had　planned　against　the　〃Here…We…Comes。〃

Deprived　of　that　advantage　the　expedition　was　doomed　to　utter

failure。　For；　given　a　chance　to　wake　and　to　rally；　the　regiment

could　not　possibly　be　〃rushed；〃　in　vivid　moonlight；　before　the

nearest　Allied　forces　could　move　up　to　its　support。　And　those

forces　were　only　a　mile　or　so　to　the　rear。　There　can　be　no

possible　hope　for　a　surprise　attack　upon　a　well…appointed　camp

when　the　night's　stillness　has　been　shattered　by　a　series　of

maniac　screams　and　by　three　echoing　rifle…shots。



Already　the　guard　was　out。　A　bugle　was　blowing。　In　another

minute；　the　sentry…calls　would　locate　the　gap　made　by　the　three

murdered　sentinels。



A　swift　guttural　conference　among　the　leaders　of　the　gray…clad

marauders　was　followed　by　the　barking　of　equally　guttural

commands。　And　the　Germans　withdrew　as　quietly　and　as　rapidly　as

they　had　come。



　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*



It　was　the　mouthing　and　jabbering　of　the　fit…possessed　Corporal

Rudolph　Freund　that　drew　to　him　the　notice　of　a　squad　of　Yankees

led　by　Top…Sergeant　Mahan；　ten　minutes　later。　It　was　the　shudder

accompanied　pointing　of　the　delirious　man's　finger；　toward　the

nearby　clump　of　undergrowth；　that　revealed　to　them　the　still　warm

body　of　Bruce。



Back　to　camp；　carried　lovingly　in　Mahan's　strong　arms；　went　all

that　was　left　of　the　great　courier…dog。　Back　to　camp；　propelled

between　two　none…too…gentle　soldiers；　staggered　the　fit…ridden

Corporal　Freund。



At　the　colonel's　quarters；　a　compelling　dose　of　stimulant　cleared

some　of　the　mists　from　the　prisoner's　brain。　His　nerve　and　his

will…power　still　gone　to　smash；　he　babbled　eagerly　enough　of　the

night　attack；　of　the　killing　of　the　sentries　and　of　his　encounter

with　the　Werewolf。



〃I　saw　him　fall！〃　he　raved。　〃But　he　is　not　dead。　The　Werewolf　can

be　killed　only　by　a　silver　bullet；　marked　with　a　cross　and

blessed　by　a　priest。　He　will　live　to　track　me　down！　Lock　me　where

he　cannot　find　me；　for　the　sake　of　sweet　mercy！〃



And　in　this　way；　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃　learned　of　Bruce's　part　in

the　night's　averted　disaster。



Old　Vivier　wept　unashamed　over　the　body　of　the　dog　he　had　loved。

Top…Sergeant　Mahanthe　big　tears　splashing；　unnoted；　from　his

own　red　eyesbesought　the　Frenchman　to　strive　for　better　self…

control　and　not　to　set　a　cry…baby　example　to　the　men。



Then　a　group　of　grim…faced　soldiers　dug　a　grave。　And；　carried　by

Mahan　and　Vivier；　the　beautiful　dog's　body　was　borne　to　its

resting…place。　A　throng　of　men　in　the　gray　dawn　stood　wordless

around　the　grave。　Some　one　shamefacedly　took　off　his　hat。　With

equal　shamefacedness；　everybody　else　followed　the　example。



Mahan　laid　the　dog's　body　on　the　ground；　at　the　grave's　brink。

Then；　looking　about　him；　he　cleared　his　throat　noisily　and　spoke。



〃Boys；〃　he　began；　〃when　a　human　dies　for　other　humans；　there's　a

Christian　burial　service　read　over　him。　I'd　have　asked　the

chaplain　to　read　one　over　Bruce；　here；　if　I　hadn't　known　he'd　say

no。　But　the　Big　Dog　isn't　going　to　rest　without　a　word　said　over

his　grave；　for　all　that。〃



Mahan　cleared　his　throat　noisily　once　more；　winked　fast；　then

went　on：



〃You　can　laugh　at　me；　if　any　of　you　feel　like　it。　But　there's

some　of　you　here　who　wouldn't　be　alive　to　laugh；　if　Bruce　hadn't

done　what　he　did　last　night。　He　was　only　just　a　dogwith　no

soul；　and　with　no　life　after　this　one；　I　s'pose。　So　he　went　ahead

and　did　his　work　and　took　the　risks；　and　asked　no　pay。



〃And　by　and　by　he　died；　still　doing　his　work　and　asking　no　pay。



〃He　didn't　work　with　the　idea　of　getting　a　cross　or　a　ribbon　or　a

promotion　or　a　pension　or　his　name　in　the　paper　or　to　make　the

crowd　cheer　him　when　he　got　back　home；　or　to　brag　to　the

homefolks　about　how　he　was　a　hero。　He　just　went　ahead　and　WAS　a

hero。　That's　because　he　was　only　a　dog；　with　no　souland　not　a

man。



〃All　of　us　humans　are　working　for　some　reward；　even　if　it's　only

for　our　pay　or　for　the　fun　of　doing　our　share。　But　Bruce　was　a

hero　because　he　was　just　a　dog；　and　because　he　didn't　know　enough

to　be　anything　else　but　a　hero。



〃I've　heard　about　him；　before　he　joined　up　with　us。　I　guess　most

of　us　have。　He　lived　up　in　Jersey；　somewhere。　With　folks　that　had

bred　him。　I'll　bet　a　year's　pay　he　was　made　a　lot　of　by　those

folks；　and　that　it　wrenched　'em　to　let　him　go。　You　could　see　he'd

been　brought　up　that　way。　Life　must　'a'　been　pretty　happy　for　the

old　chap；　back　there。　Then　he　was　picked　up　and　slung　into　the

middle　of　this　hell。



〃So　was　the　rest　of　us；　says　you。　But　you're　wrong。　Those　of　us

that　waited　for　the　draft　had　our　choice　of　going　to　the　hoosgow；

as　'conscientious　objectors；'　if　we　didn't　want　to　fight。　And

every　mother's　son　of　us　knew　we　was　fighting　for　the　Right；　and

that　we　was　making　the　world　a　decenter　and　safer　place　for　our

grandchildren　and　our　womenfolks　to　live　in。　We　didn't　brag　about

God　being　on　our　side；　like　the　boches　do。　It　was　enough　for　us

to　know　WE　was　on　GOD'S　side　and　fighting　His　great　fight　for

Him。　We　had　patriotism　and　religion　and　Right；　behind　us；　to　give

us　strength。



〃Brucie　hadn't　a　one　of　those　things。　He　didn't　know　what　he　was

here　forand　why　he'd　been　pitched　out　of　his　nice　home；　into

all　this。　He　didn't　have　a　chance　to　say　Yes　or　No。　He　didn't

have　any　spellbinders　to　tell　him　he　was　making　the　world　safe

for　d'mocracy。　He　was　MADE　to　come。



〃How　would　any　of　us　humans　have　acted；　if　a　deal　like　that　had

been　handed　to　us？　We'd　'a'　grouched　and　slacked　and　maybe

deserted。　That's　because　we're　lords　of　creation　and　have　souls

and　brains　and　such。　What　did　Bruce　do？　He　jumped　into　this　game；

with　bells　on。　He　risked　his　life　a　hundred　times；　and　he　was

just　as　ready　to　risk　it　again　the　next　day。



〃Yes；　and　he　knew　he　was　risking　it；　too。　There's　blame　little　he

didn't　know。　He　saw　war…dogs；　all