white lies-第59节

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〃If　you　keep　that；　it　will　be　a　bone　of　contention　between　you　two；〃

said　he；　〃especially　at　midnight。　　HE　WILL　BE　ALWAYS　COMING　BACK　TO　YOU　FOR　IT。〃

〃There；　take　it　away！〃　said　the　Breton　hastily；　〃and　bury　it　with　the　poor　fellow。〃

Sergeant　La　Croix　presented　himself　before　the　colonel　with　a　rueful　face　and　saluted　him　and　said；　〃Colonel；　I　beg　a　thousand　pardons；　your　dinner　has　been　spilta　shot　from　the　bastion。〃

〃No　matter；〃　said　the　colonel。　　〃Give　me　a　piece　of　bread　instead。〃

La　Croix　went　for　it　himself；　and　on　his　return　found　Cadel　sitting　on　one　side　of　Death's　Alley；　and　Dard　with　his　head　bound　up　on　the　other。　　They　had　got　a　bottle　which　each　put　up　in　turn　wherever　he　fancied　the　next　round　shot　would　strike；　and　they　were　betting　their　afternoon　rations　which　would　get　the　Prussians　to　hit　the　bottle　first。

La　Croix　pulled　both　their　ears　playfully。

〃Time　is　up　for　playing　marbles；〃　said　he。　　〃Be　off；　and　play　at　duty；〃　and　he　bundled　them　into　the　battery。


It　was　an　hour　past　midnight：　a　cloudy　night。　　The　moon　was　up；　but　seen　only　by　fitful　gleams。　　A　calm；　peaceful　silence　reigned。

Dard　was　sentinel　in　the　battery。

An　officer　going　his　rounds　found　the　said　sentinel　flat　instead　of　vertical。　　He　stirred　him　with　his　scabbard；　and　up　jumped　Dard。

〃It's　all　right；　sergeant。　　O　Lord！　it's　the　colonel。　　I　wasn't　asleep；　colonel。〃

〃I　have　not　accused　you。　　But　you　will　explain　what　you　were　doing。〃

〃Colonel；〃　said　Dard；　all　in　a　flutter；　〃I　was　taking　a　squint　at　them；　because　I　saw　something。　　The　beggars　are　building　a　wall；　now。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Between　us　and　the　bastion。〃

〃Show　me。〃

〃I　can't；　colonel；　the　moon　has　gone　in；　but　I　did　see　it。〃

〃How　long　was　it？〃

〃About　a　hundred　yards。〃

〃How　high？〃

〃Colonel；　it　was　ten　feet　high　if　it　was　an　inch。〃

〃Have　you　good　sight？〃

〃La！　colonel；　wasn't　I　a　bit　of　a　poacher　before　I　took　to　the　bayonet？〃

〃Good！　　Now　reflect。　　If　you　persist　in　this　statement；　I　turn　out　the　brigade　on　your　information。〃

〃I'll　stand　the　fire　of　a　corporal's　guard　at　break　of　day　if　I　make　a　mistake　now；〃　said　Dard。

The　colonel　glided　away；　called　his　captain　and　first　lieutenants；　and　said　two　words　in　each　ear；　that　made　them　spring　off　their　backs。

Dard；　marching　to　an　fro；　musket　on　shoulder；　found　himself　suddenly　surrounded　by　grim；　silent；　but　deadly　eager　soldiers；　that　came　pouring　like　bees　into　the　open　space　behind　the　battery。　　The　officers　came　round　the　colonel。

〃Attend　to　two　things；〃　said　he　to　the　captains。　　〃Don't　fire　till　they　are　within　ten　yards：　and　don't　follow　them　unless　I　lead　you。〃

The　men　were　then　told　off　by　companies；　some　to　the　battery；　some　to　the　trenches；　some　were　kept　on　each　side　Death's　Alley；　ready　for　a　rush。

They　were　not　all　of　them　in　position；　when　those　behind　the　parapet　saw；　as　it　were；　something　deepen　the　gloom　of　night；　some　fourscore　yards　to　the　front：　it　was　like　a　line　of　black　ink　suddenly　drawn　upon　a　sheet　covered　with　Indian　ink。

It　seems　quite　stationary。　　The　novices　wondered　what　it　was。　　The　veterans　muttered〃Three　deep。〃

Though　it　looked　stationary；　it　got　blacker　and　blacker。　　The　soldiers　of　the　24th　brigade　griped　their　muskets　hard；　and　set　their　teeth；　and　the　sergeants　had　much　ado　to　keep　them　quiet。

All　of　a　sudden；　a　loud　yell　on　the　right　of　the　brigade；　two　or　three　single　shots　from　the　trenches　in　that　direction；　followed　by　a　volley；　the　cries　of　wounded　men；　and　the　fierce　hurrahs　of　an　attacking　party。

Our　colonel　knew　too　well　those　sounds：　the　next　parallel　had　been　surprised；　and　the　Prussian　bayonet　was　now　silently　at　work。

Disguise　was　now　impossible。　　At　the　first　shot；　a　guttural　voice　in　front　of　Dujardin's　men　was　heard　to　give　a　word　of　command。　　There　was　a　sharp　rattle　and　in　a　moment　the　thick　black　line　was　tipped　with　glittering　steel。

A　roar　and　a　rush；　and　the　Prussian　line　three　deep　came　furiously　like　a　huge　steel…pointed　wave；　at　the　French　lines。　　A　tremendous　wave　of　fire　rushed　out　to　meet　that　wave　of　steel：　a　crash　of　two　hundred　muskets；　and　all　was　still。　　Then　you　could　see　through　the　black　steel…tipped　line　in　a　hundred　frightful　gaps；　and　the　ground　sparkled　with　bayonets　and　the　air　rang　with　the　cries　of　the　wounded。

A　tremendous　cheer　from　the　brigade；　and　the　colonel　charged　at　the　head　of　his　column；　out　by　Death's　Alley。

The　broken　wall　was　melting　away　into　the　night。　　The　colonel　wheeled　his　men　to　the　right：　one　company；　led　by　the　impetuous　young　Captain　Jullien；　followed　the　flying　enemy。

The　other　attack　had　been　only　too　successful。　　They　shot　the　sentries；　and　bayoneted　many　of　the　soldiers　in　their　tents：　others　escaped　by　running　to　the　rear；　and　some　into　the　next　parallel。

Several；　half　dressed；　snatched　up　their　muskets；　killed　one　Prussian；　and　fell　riddled　like　sieves。

A　gallant　officer　got　a　company　together　into　the　place　of　arms　and　formed　in　line。

Half　the　Prussian　force　went　at　them；　the　rest　swept　the　trenches：　the　French　company　delivered　a　deadly　volley；　and　the　next　moment　clash　the　two　forces　crossed　bayonets；　and　a　silent　deadly　stabbing　match　was　played：　the　final　result　of　which　was　inevitable。　　The　Prussians　were　five　to　one。　　The　gallant　officer　and　the　poor　fellows　who　did　their　duty　so　stoutly；　had　no　thought　left　but　to　die　hard；　when　suddenly　a　roaring　cheer　seemed　to　come　from　the　rear　rank　of　the　enemy。　　〃France！　France！〃　　Half　the　24th　brigade　came　leaping　and　swarming　over　the　trenches　in　the　Prussian　rear。　　The　Prussians　wavered。　　〃France！〃　cried　the　little　party　that　were　being　overpowered；　and　charged　in　their　turn　with　such　fury　that　in　two　seconds　the　two　French　corps　went　through　the　enemy's　centre　like　paper；　and　their　very　bayonets　clashed　together　in　more　than　one　Prussian　body。

Broken　thus　in　two　fragments　the　Prussian　corps　ceased　to　exist　as　a　military　force。　　The　men　fled　each　his　own　way　back　to　the　fort；　and　many　flung　away　their　muskets；　for　French　soldiers　were　swarming　in　from　all　quarters。　　At　this　moment；　bang！　bang！　bang！　from　the　bastion。

〃They　are　firing　on　my　brigade；〃　said　our　colonel。　　〃Who　has　led　his　company　there　against　my　orders？　　Captain　Neville；　into　the　battery；　and　fire　twenty　rounds　at　the　bastion！　　Aim　at　the　flashes　from　their　middle　tier。〃

〃Yes；　colonel。〃

The　battery　opened　with　all　its　guns　on　the　bastion。　　The　right　attack　followed　suit。　　The　town　answered；　and　a　furious　cannonade　roared　and　blazed　all　down　both　lines　till　daybreak。　　Hell　seemed　broken　loose。

Captain　Jullien　had　followed　the　flying　foe：　but　could　not　come　up　with　them：　and；　as　the　enemy　had　prepared　for　every　contingency；　the　fatal　bastion；　after　first　throwing　a　rocket　or　two　to　discover　their　position；　poured　showers　of　grape　into　them；　killed　many；　and　would　have　killed　more　but　that　Captain　Neville　and　his　gunners　happened　by　mere　accident　to　dismount　one　gun　and　to　kill　a　couple　of　gunners　at　the　others。　　This　gave　the　remains　of　the　company　time　to　disperse　and　run　back。　　When　the　men　were　mustered；　Captain　Jullien　and　twenty…five　of　his　company　did　not　answer　to　their　names。　　At　daybreak　they　were　visible　from　the　trenches　lying　all　by　themselves　within　eighty　yards　of　the　bastion。

A　flag　of　truce　came　from　the　fort：　the　dead　were　removed　on　both　sides　and　buried。　　Some　Prussian　officers　strolled　into　the　French　lines。　　Civilities　and　cigars　exchanged：　〃Bon　jour；〃　〃Gooten　daeg：〃　then　at　it　again；　ding　dong　all　down　the　line　blazing　and　roaring。

At　twelve　o'clock　the　besieged　had　got　a　man　on　horseback；　on　top　of　a　hill；　with　colored　flags　in　his　hand；　making　signals。

〃What　are　you　up　to　now？〃　inquired　Dard。

〃You　will　see；〃　said　La　Croix；　affecting　mystery；　he　knew　no　more　than　the　other。

Presently　off　went　Long　Tom　on　the　top　of　the　bastion；　and　the　shot　came　roaring　over　the　heads　of　the　speakers。

The　flags　were　changed；　and　off　went　Long　Tom　again　at　an　elevation。

Ten　seconds　had　scarcely　elapsed　when　a　tremendous　explosion　took　place　on　the　French　right。　　Long　Tom　was　throwing　red…hot　shot；　one　had　fallen　on　a　powder　wagon；　and　blown　it　to　pieces；　and　killed　two　poor　fellows　and　a　horse；　and　turned　an　artillery　man　at　some　distance　into　a　seeming　nigger；　but　did　him　no　great　harm；　only　took　him　three　days　to　get　the　powder　out　of　his　clothes　with　pipe　clay；　and　off　his　face　with　raw　potato…peel。

When　the　tumbril　exploded；　the　Prussians　could　be　heard　to　cheer；　and　they　turned　to　and　fired　every　iron　spout　they　owned。　　Long　Tom　worked　all　day。

They　got　into　a　corner　where　the　guns　of　the　battery　could　not　hit　them　or　him；　and　there　was　his　long　muzzle　looking　towards　the　sky；　and　sending　half　a　hundredweight　of　iron　up　into　the　clouds；　and　plunging　down　a　mile　off　into　the　French　lines。

And；　at　every　shot；　the　man　on　horseback　made　signals　to　let　the　gunners　know　where　the　shot　fell。

At　last；　about　four　in　the　afternoon；　they　threw　a　forty…eight…pound　shot　slap　into　the　commander…in…chief's　tent；　a　mile　and　a　half　behind　trenches。

Down　comes　a　glittering　aide…de…camp　as　hard　as　he　can　gallop。

〃Colonel　Dujardin；　what　are　you　about；　sir？　　YOUR　BASTION　h