bruce(布鲁斯)-第14节
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and offered a fine mark for the German rifles。 A bullet or two sang
whiningly past his gayly up…flung head。
A hundred voices from the Here…We…Come trenches hailed the
advancing dog。
〃Why； it's Bruce！〃 cried Mahan in glad welcome。 〃I might 'a' known he
or another of the collies would be along。 I might 'a' known it； when the
telephones went out of commission。 He〃
〃Regardez…donc！〃 interrupted the admiring Vivier。 〃He acts like bullets
was made of flies！ Mooch he care for boche lead…pills； ce brave vieux！〃
〃Yes；〃 growled Dale worriedly； 〃and one of these days a bullet will
find its way into that splendid carcass of his。 He's been shot at； a thousand
times； to my own knowledge。 And all I ask is a chance； with a rifle…butt； at
the skull of the Hun who downs him！〃
〃Downs Bruce？〃 queried Vivier in fine scorn。 〃The boche he is no
borned who can do it。 Bruce has what you call it； in Ainglish； the 'charm
life。' He go safe； where other caniche be pepper… potted full of holes。 I've
watch heem。 I know。〃
Unscathed by the several shots that whined past him； Bruce came to a
halt at the edge of a traverse。 There he stood； wagging his plume of a tail
in grave friendliness； while a score of khaki… clad arms reached up to lift
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him bodily into the trench。
A sergeant unfastened the message from the dog's collar and posted off
to the colonel with it。
The message was similar to one which had been telephoned to each of
the supporting bodies； to right and to left of the Here…We… Comes。 It bade
the colonel prepare to withdraw his command from the front trenches at
nightfall； and to move back on the main force behind the hill…crest。 The
front trenches were not important； and they were far too lightly manned to
resist a mass attack。 Wherefore the drawing…in and consolidating of the
whole outflung line。
Bruce； his work done now； had leisure to respond to the countless
offers of hospitality that encompassed him。 One man brought him a slice
of cold broiled bacon。 Another spread pork…grease over a bit of bread and
proffered it。 A third unearthed from some sacredly guarded hiding…place
an excessively stale half…inch square of sweet chocolate。
Had the dog so chosen； he might then and there have eaten himself to
death on the multitude of votive offerings。 But in a few minutes he had
had enough； and he merely sniffed in polite refusal at all further gifts。
〃See？〃 lectured Mahan。 〃That's the beast of it！ When you say a fellow
eats or drinks 'like a beast；' you ought to remember that a beast won't eat
or drink a mouthful more than is good for him。〃
〃Gee！〃 commented the somewhat corpulent Dale。 〃I'm glad I'm not a
beastespecially on pay…day。〃
Presently Bruce tired of the ovation tendered him。 These ovations were
getting to be an old story。 They had begun as far back as his training…camp
dayswhen the story of his joining the army was told by the man to whom
The Place's guest had written commending the dog to the trainers'
kindness。
At the training…camp this story had been reenforced by the chief collie…
teachera dour little Hieland Scot named McQuibigaskie； who on the first
day declared that the American dog had more sense and more promise and
more soul 〃than a' t'other tykes south o' Kirkcudbright Brae。〃
Being only mortal； Bruce found it pleasanter to be admired and petted
than ignored or kicked。 He was impersonally friendly with the soldiers；
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when he was off duty； and he relished the dainties they were forever
thrusting at him。
But at times his soft eyes would grow dark with homesickness for the
quiet loveliness of The Place and for the Mistress and the Master who
were his loyally worshiped gods。 Life had been so happy and so sweetly
uneventful for him； at The Place！ And there had been none of the awful
endless thunder and the bewilderingly horrible smells and gruesome sights
which here met him at every turn。
The dog's loving heart used to grow sick with it all； and he longed
unspeakably for home。 But he was a gallant soldier； and he did his work
not only well； but with a snap and a dash and an almost uncanny
intelligence which made him an idol to the men。
Presently； now； having eaten all he wanted and having been patted and
talked to until he craved solitude； Bruce strolled ever to an empty dugout；
curled up on a torn blanket there； put his nose between his white paws and
went to sleep。
The German artillery…fire had swelled from an occasional explosion to
a ceaseless roar； that made the ground vibrate and heave； and that beat on
the eardrums with nauseating iterance。 But it did not bother Bruce。 For
months he had been used to this sort of annoyance； and he had learned to
sleep snugly through it all。
Meanwhile； outside his dugout； life was speeding up at a dizzying rate。
The German artillery had sprung to sudden and wholesale activity。 Far to
the right of the Here…We…Come regiment's trenches a haze had begun to
crawl along the ground and to send snaky tendrils high in air…tendrils that
blended into a single grayish…green wall as they moved forward。 The
hazewall's gray… green was shot by yellow and purple tinges as the sun's
weak rays touched it。 To the left of the Here…We…Comes； and then in front
of them； appeared the same wall of billowing gas。
The Here…We…Comes were ready for it with their hastily donned masks。
But there was no need of the precaution。 By one of the sudden wind
freaks so common in the story of the war； the gas… cloud was cleft in two
by a swirling breeze； and it rolled dankly on； to right and left； leaving the
central trenches clear。
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Now； an artillery barrage； accompanied or followed by a gas…
demonstration； can mean but one thing： a general attack。 Therefore
telephonic word came to the detachments to left and right of the Here…We…
Comes； to fall back； under cover of the gas… cloud； to safer positions。 Two
dogs were sent； with the same order； to the Here…We…Comes。 （One of the
dogs was gassed。 A bit of shrapnel found the other。）
Thus it was that the Here…We…Comes were left alone （though they did
not know it）； to hold the position；with no support on either side； and with
a mere handful of men wherewith to stem the impending rush。
On the heels of the dispersing gas…cloud； and straight across the half…
mile or less of broken ground； came a line of gray。 In five successive
waves； according to custom； the boches charged。 Each wave hurled itself
forward as fast as efficiency would let it； in face of the opposing fire； and
as far as human endurance would be goaded。 Then it went down； and its
survivors attached themselves to the succeeding wave。
Hence； by the time the fifth and mightiest wave got into motion； it was
swelled by the survivors of all four of its predecessors and was an all…but…
resistless mass of shouting and running men。
The rifles and machine…guns of the Here…We…Comes played merrily
into the advancing gray swarms； stopping wave after wave； and at last
checking the fifth and 〃master〃 wave almost at the very brink of the
Franco…American parapet。
〃That's how they do！〃 Mahan pantingly explained to a rather shaky
newcomer； as the last wave fell back。 〃They count on numbers and
bullrushes to get them there。 If they'd had ten thousand men； in that rush；
instead of five thousand； they'd have got us。 And if they had twice as many
men in their whole army as they have； they'd win this war。 But praise be；
they haven't twice as many！ That is one of the fifty…seven reasons why the
Allies are going to lick Germany。〃
Mahan talked jubilantly。 The same jubilation ran all along the line of
victors。 But the colonel and his staff were not rejoicing。 They had just
learned of the withdrawal of the forces to either side of them； and they
knew they themselves could not hop
