bruce(布鲁斯)-第20节
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out at once to obey it。
But at the very first step； he was checked。 Mahan did not release that
feverishly tight hold on his mane； but merely shifted to his collar。
Bruce glanced back； impatient at the delay。 But Mahan did not let go。
Instead he said once more：
〃CAMP； boy！〃
And Bruce understood he was expected to make his way to camp； with
Mahan hanging on to his collar。
Bruce did not enjoy this mode of locomotion。 It was inconvenient； and
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there seemed no sense in it； but there were many things about this
strenuous war…trade that Bruce neither enjoyed nor comprehended； yet
which he performed at command。
So again he turned campward； Mahan at his collar and an annoyingly
hindering tail of men stumbling silently on behind them。 All around were
the Germansbutting drunkenly through the blanket…dense fog； swinging
their rifles like flails； shouting confused orders； occasionally firing。 Now
and then two or more of them would collide and would wrestle in blind
fury； thinking they had encountered an American。
Impeded by their own sightlessly swarming numbers； as much as by
the impenetrable darkness； they sought the foe。 And but for Bruce they
must quickly have found what they sought。 Even in compact form； the
Americans could not have had the sheer luck to dodge every scattered
contingent of Huns which starred the German end of No Man's Land
most of them between the fugitives and the American lines。
But Bruce was on dispatch duty。 It was his work to obey commands
and to get back to camp at once。 It was bad enough to be handicapped by
Mahan's grasp on his collar。 He was not minded to suffer further delay by
running into any of the clumps of gesticulating and cabbage…reeking
Germans between him and his goal。 So he steered clear of such groups；
making several wide detours in order to do so。 Once or twice he stopped
short to let some of the Germans grope past him； not six feet away。 Again
he veered sharply to the leftincreasing his pace and forcing Mahan and
the rest to increase theirsto avoid a squad of thirty men who were
quartering the field in close formation； and who all but jostled the dog as
they strode sightlessly by。 An occasional rifle…shot spat forth its challenge。
From both trench…lines men were firing at a venture。 A few of the bullets
sang nastily close to the twelve huddled men and their canine leader。 Once
a German； not three yards away； screamed aloud and fell sprawling and
kicking； as one such chance bullet found him。 Above and behind； sounded
the plop of star…shells sent up by the enemy in futile hope of penetrating
the viscid fog。 And everywhere was heard the shuffle and stumbling of
innumerable boots。
At last the noise of feet began to die away； and the uneven groping
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tread of the twelve Americans to sound more distinctly for the lessening of
the surrounding turmoil。 And in another few seconds Bruce came to a halt…
…not to an abrupt stop； as when he had allowed an enemy squad to pass in
front of him； but a leisurely checking of speed； to denote that he could go
no farther with the load he was helping to haul。
Mahan put out his free hand。 It encountered the American wires。 Bruce
had stopped at the spot where the party had cut a narrow path through the
entanglement on the outward journey。 Alone； the dog could easily have
passed through the gap； but he could not be certain of pulling Mahan with
him。 Wherefore the halt。
* * * * * * * * * * *
The last of the twelve men scrambled down to safety； in the American
first…line trench； Bruce among them。 The lieutenant went straight to his
commanding officer； to make his report。 Sergeant Mahan went straight to
his company cook； whom he woke from a snoreful sleep。 Presently Mahan
ran back to where the soldiers were gathered admiringly around Bruce。
The Sergeant carried a chunk of fried beef； for which he had just given
the cook his entire remaining stock of cigarettes。
〃Here you are； Bruce！〃 he exclaimed。 〃The best in the shop is none too
good for the dog that got us safe out of that filthy mess。 Eat hearty！〃
Bruce did not so much as sniff at the （more or less） tempting bit of
meat。 Coldly he looked up at Mahan。 Then； with sensitive ears laid flat
against his silken head； in token of strong contempt； he turned his back on
the Sergeant and walked away。
Which was Bruce's method of showing what he thought of a human
fool who would give him a command and who would then hold so tightly
to him that the dog could hardly carry out the order。
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CHAPTER V
The Double Cross
In the background lay a landscape that had once been beautiful。 In the
middle distance rotted a village that had once been alive。 In the foreground
stood an edifice that had once been a church。 The once…beautiful landscape
had the look of a gigantic pockmarked face； so scored was it by shell…scar
and crater。 Its vegetation was swept away。 Its trees were shattered stumps。
Its farmsteads were charred piles of rubble。
The village was unlike the general landscape； in that it had never been
beautiful。 In spite of globe…trotters' sentimental gush； not all villages of
northern France were beautiful。 Many were built for thrift and for comfort
and for expediency； not for architectural or natural loveliness。
But this village of Meran…en…Laye was not merely deprived of what
beauty it once might or might not have possessed。 Except by courtesy it
was no longer a village at all。 It was a double row of squalid ruins； zig…
zagging along the two sides of what was left of its main street。 Here and
there a cottage or tiny shop or shed was still habitable。 The rest was debris。
The church in the foreground was recognizable as such by the shape
and size of its ragged walls； and by a half…smashed image of the Virgin
and Child which slanted out at a perilous angle above its fa 鏰 de。
Yet； miserable as the ruined hamlet seemed to the casual eye； it was at
present a vacation…resortand a decidedly welcome oneto no less than
three thousand tired men。 The wrecked church was an impromptu hospital
beneath whose shattered roof dozens of these men lay helpless on
makeshift cots。
For the mixed American and French regiment known as the 〃Here…We…
Comes〃 was billeted at Meran…en…Laye during a respite from the rigors
and perils of the front…line trenches。
The rest and the freedom from risks； supposed to be a part of the
〃billeting〃 system； were not wholly the portion of the 〃Here…We
Comes。〃 MeranenLaye was just then a somewhat important little
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speck on the warmap。 The Germans had been up to their favorite field
sport of trying to split in half two of the Allied armies； and to roll up each；
independently。 The effort had been a failure； yet it had come so near to
success that many railway communications were cut off or deflected。 And
Meran…en…Laye had for the moment gained new importance； by virtue of a
spur railway…line which ran through its outskirts and which made junction
with a new set of tracks the American engineers were completing。 Along
this transverse of roads much ammunition and food and many fighting
men were daily rushed。
The safety of the village had thus become of much significance。 While
it was too far behind the lines to be in grave danger of enemy raids； yet
such danger existed to some extent。 〃Wherefore the presence of the 〃Here…
We…Comes〃for the paradoxical double purpose of 〃resting up〃 and of
guarding the railway Function。
Still； it was better than trench…work； and the 〃Here…We…Comes〃
enjoyed itfor a day or so。 Then trouble had set in。
A group of soldiers were lounging on t
