on the firing line-第22节
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〃Precious little。 I used to talk about I 'the un…tubbed。' Now I mean; merely for the sake of example; to shave twice in the month; and swab myself off between whiles。 It's not for comfort; I assure you。 It's my belief that an occasional bath is worse than none。 It merely stirs up memories of the buried past; and aspirations that can't be fulfilled。 However〃 And Carew; the quondam exquisite; pulled off his socks and shirt; punched them down into one of the buckets and then did his British best to wash himself in the other。
His lamentations rose again; however; when he put on his time… stained uniform once more。
〃I now understand why Brother Boer sleeps in his clothes;〃 he observed grimly。 〃Cleanliness; may be next to godliness; but it is mighty near the edge of the diabolical to put yourself back into clothes that are only fit for the dust bin。 When I am field marshal of a long campaign; my first act will be to establish swimming tanks and laundries as a branch of the Army Service Corps。 Meanwhile; see here!〃 His open hand came down on his dust…colored coat。 Ten minutes later; the print of every finger was still distinctly visible。
Weldon watched him sympathetically。 Thanks to the efforts of Kruger Bobs; his own clothing was slightly less filled with dust; and his abandoned socks came back to him in a state of comparative cleanliness。 Satisfied with the fact; he made no effort to inquire into the method of its achievement。
Carew; meanwhile; his coat off; his sleeves rolled to his elbows; was grappling with his efforts to produce laundry effect from a wooden bucket and a few quarts of dingy water。 Beyond splashing his putties and giving himself a pain in the hinges of his back; he accomplished little。 The garments were very wet; but their griminess was increased; rather than diminished。 Carew's face fell; as he lifted them one by one。 Then he shook his head。
〃They certainly aren't cleaner; but they may be a bit fresher for being irrigated;〃 he observed hopefully。 〃Look out!〃
Weldon dodged out of range; as a sock; squeezed from the ankle downward; yielded up its irrigation in a sudden spurt through the toe。
〃Hold on; Carew; I'm no candidate for baptism;〃 he adjured his friend。 〃Let your things soak for a while; and I'll send Kruger Bobs over to take them in hand; as soon as he gets through polishing off The Nig。〃
Carew straightened his aching back。
〃I'll change work with him;〃 he suggested promptly。 〃A horse is on your own level; it's degrading to run a Chinese laundry。〃
Weldon glanced from the wooden bucket to the soaked wrists and splashed putties of his companion。
〃I wish Miss Mellen could see you now; Carew;〃 he remarked unkindly。
With unexpected suddenness; Carew mounted his dignity。
〃Unfortunately Miss Mellen is at Johannesburg。 Moreover; Miss Mellen has probably seen men in this mess before now;〃 he answered a little shortly。
〃Doubtless。 She may have been in a similar fix; herself。 If she were; I suspect she would put it through and come out on top;〃 Weldon replied; with an accent of hearty and respectful admiration which mollified his companion。 〃There's my call。 I must go to inspect my day nursery。〃 And; leaving Carew beside his amateur wash… tub; he went striding away to the farther side of the camp where a hollow between the hills had been converted into a monstrous kraal。 Involuntarily he smiled; as he walked off to his duty。 Carew had been an edifying spectacle; as he had sacrificed himself upon the altar of cleanliness。 He had been neither deft; dignified nor devout; and; in all truth; Alice Mellen would have found it hard to recognize her finical patient in the dusty; unshaven man whose hair bore unmistakable signs of having been pruned with a pair of pocket scissors。 Little of Carew's past month had been spent in the base camp at Springfontein。 With hundreds of other men; he had gone galloping up and down the Free State on the slippery heels of De Wet; now being shot at by prowling Boers; now engaged in a lively skirmish from which he never made his exit totally unscathed; now riding for weary; dusty miles upon a scent which ultimately proved to be a false one。 And; meanwhile; not a postbag came into camp without a letter for Carew; bearing the mark of Johannesburg。 It was not altogether resultless that Carew's foot had been obstinately slow in its healing。
To Weldon; a fixture in camp; fell the care of receiving Carew's mail。 At last; when one day the bag brought in two letters addressed in the same dashing; angular handwriting; he forsook his principles and made open comment。
〃There is a slight monotony about your mail; in these latter days; Carew;〃 he observed dispassionately。 And Carew had answered; with perfect composure;
〃Yes; in view of my chronic trick of being potted at; I find it wise to keep on good terms with my nurse。 It may prove handy in case of accident; like an insurance policy; you know。 Is that all?〃 And; cramming the letters into his pocket; he walked away to his tent。
And Weldon; as he watched him; nodded contentedly to himself。 He liked Carew; he also liked Alice Mellen。 Beyond that; he made no effort to go。 Just now; he cared to penetrate the thoughts of but one woman。 The others he was willing to take on trust。 Nevertheless; it would have caused him some surprise; could he have reviewed all the mental processes of Alice Mellen; during the past ten months。 For Weldon; the days at Springfontein differed not one whit; one from another; yet each day was full of an excitement which sent his blood stinging through his veins。 Every man in the regiment could ride a broken horse; but; for many of them their attainments stopped there; and broken horses were few and far between。 With the increasing need of troopers for the guerrilla raiding into which the war was degenerating; with the inevitable losses of a long campaign; mounts of any kind were scarce。 Nevertheless; consternation had descended upon the camp; one day; when three hundred kicking; squealing American bronchos had been detrained and placed at their service。 The next day; casualties were frequent; on the day after that; there was made announcement that mounted parade would be omitted。 Weldon read the notice; smiled and went in search of his captain。 He was tired of inaction; and he felt his muscles growing soft。 They hardened speedily; however。
Day after day; he went striding into the kraal whence; after a skirmish which was more or less prolonged; he emerged astride a mount which; with shrieking voice and rampant hoofs; gave notice to all that such a liberty could not be permitted。 Nevertheless; it was permitted。 Sometimes; the final contest took place miles away from the point of its beginning。 Sometimes horse and rider settled the matter in the course of a few concentric circles of an hundred…yard radius; sometimes it bucked; sometimes it rolled; and sometimes it merely sat down upon its haunches; dog…wise; and refused to budge。 Almost invariably; it came out from the contest; unscarred save for its dignity and its temper。 Weldon's lips shut tight; but his eyes rarely blazed。 These wild; frightened creatures taxed his patience and his resource; but they hardly touched his temper in the least。
〃What's the use of thrashing a beast that's mad with terror?〃 he answered one critical amateur who had watched the game from a safe distance。 〃The creature is in a funk; as it is; there's no use in adding to it。 All I'm after is to teach 'em that saddles and bridles don't bite。 Treat 'em decently and sit tight; and they'll come right and learn to trust you in the end。〃
And; as mount after mount was delivered over to the waiting authorities; it came to be a matter of general belief that the regimental rough…rider knew his business; albeit he accomplished it more by dint of urging than by many blows。 Six weeks of this work had told upon him; told in the right direction。 Under the brown skin; the muscles stood out like knotted cords; his nerves were steady; he ate like a wolf and slept the dreamless sleep of a healthy child。 To the outward eye; his face changed but little。 Its outlines were more rugged; the curves of his lips a bit more resolute; but that was all。
Now and then; amid the merry group at the camp fire; he sat silent; while he let his mind range away to the southward。 Somewhere there; in the green…ringed town in the mountain's shelter; was a tall girl with yellow hair and eyes which matched the zenith when it darkens after the dropping of the sun。 His fancy painted her in every conceivable situation: walking; riding; resting at noonday in the shaded western end of the veranda; or pouring tea for relays of thirsty guests。 As a rule; the Captain's figure was in the background of these pictures; and Weldon was content to have it so。 In all South Africa; these were his two best friends; it was good that they could be together。 And the Captain was an older man; much older。 When one lives in the open air during twenty…four hours of every day; jealousy has scant place in his mind。 The smaller vices are for the cramped town; not for the limitless; unbroken veldt。
And now and then a day brought with it a letter; frank; friendly and full of news。 Those days Weldon marked with a white stone