white lies-第65节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


record　of　an　unhappy　love：　and　even　so　pass　away　my　life；　my　hopes　of　glory；　and　my　dreams　of　love；　it　all　ends　to…day：　at　nine　and　twenty。〃

He　put　his　white　handkerchief　to　his　eyes。　　Josephine　had　given　it　him。　　He　cried　a　little。

When　he　had　done　crying；　he　put　his　white　handkerchief　in　his　bosom；　and　the　whole　man　was　transformed　beyond　language　to　express。　Powder　does　not　change　more　when　it　catches　fire。　　He　rose　that　moment　and　went　like　a　flash　of　lightning　out　of　the　tent。　　The　next；　he　came　down　between　the　lines　of　the　strong　column　that　stood　awaiting　orders　in　Death's　Alley。

〃Attention！〃　cried　the　sergeants；　〃the　colonel！〃

There　was　a　dead　silence；　for　the　bare　sight　of　that　erect　and　inspired　figure　made　the　men's　bosoms　thrill　with　the　certainty　of　great　deeds　to　come：　the　light　of　battle　was　in　his　eye。　　No　longer　the　moody　colonel；　but　a　thunderbolt　of　war；　red…hot；　and　waiting　to　be　launched。

〃Officers；　sergeants；　soldiers；　a　word　with　you！〃

La　Croix。　　Attention！

〃Do　you　know　what　passed　here　five　minutes　ago？〃

〃The　attack　of　the　bastion　was　settled！〃　cried　a　captain。

〃It　was；　and　who　was　to　lead　the　assault？　do　you　know　that？〃

〃No。〃

〃A　colonel　FROM　EGYPT。〃

At　that　there　was　a　groan　from　the　men。

〃With　detachments　from　the　other　brigades。〃

〃AH！〃　an　angry　roar。

Colonel　Dujardin　walked　quickly　down　between　the　two　lines；　looking　with　his　fiery　eye　into　the　men's　eyes　on　his　right。　　Then　he　came　back　on　the　other　side；　and；　as　he　went；　he　lighted　those　men's　eyes　with　his　own。　　It　was　a　torch　passing　along　a　line　of　ready　gas…　lights。

〃The　work　to　us！〃　he　cried　in　a　voice　like　a　clarion　（it　fired　the　hearts　as　his　eye　had　fired　the　eyes）〃The　triumph　to　strangers！　Our　fatigues　and　our　losses　have　not　gained　the　brigade　the　honor　of　going　out　at　those　fellows　that　have　killed　so　many　of　our　comrades。〃

A　fierce　groan　broke　from　the　men。

〃What！　shall　the　colors　of　another　brigade　and　not　ours　fly　from　that　bastion　this　afternoon？〃

〃No！　no！〃　in　a　roar　like　thunder。

〃Ah！　you　are　of　my　mind。　　Attention！　the　attack　is　fixed　for　five　o'clock。　　Suppose　you　and　I　were　to　carry　the　bastion　ten　minutes　before　the　colonel　from　Egypt　can　bring　his　men　upon　the　ground。〃

At　this　there　was　a　fierce　burst　of　joy　and　laughter；　the　strange　laughter　of　veterans　and　born　invincibles。　　Then　a　yell　of　exulting　assent；　accompanied　by　the　thunder　of　impatient　drums；　and　the　rattle　of　fixing　bayonets。

The　colonel　told　off　a　party　to　the　battery。

〃Level　the　guns　at　the　top　tier。　　Fire　at　my　signal；　and　keep　firing　over　our　heads；　till　you　see　our　colors　on　the　place。〃

He　then　darted　to　the　head　of　the　column；　which　instantly　formed　behind　him　in　the　centre　of　Death's　Alley。

〃The　colors！　　No　hand　but　mine　shall　hold　them　to…day。〃

They　were　instantly　brought　him：　his　left　hand　shook　them　free　in　the　afternoon　sun。

A　deep　murmur　of　joy　rolled　out　from　the　old　hands　at　the　now　unwonted　sight。　　Out　flashed　the　colonel's　sword　like　steel　lightning。　　He　pointed　to　the　battery。

Bang！　bang！　bang！　bang！　went　his　cannon；　and　the　smoke　rolled　over　the　trenches。　　At　the　same　moment　up　went　the　colors　waving；　and　the　colonel's　clarion　voice　pealed　high　above　all：

〃Twenty…fourth　brigadeFORWARD！〃

They　went　so　swiftly　out　of　the　trenches　that　they　were　not　seen　through　their　own　smoke　until　they　had　run　some　sixty　yards。　　As　soon　as　they　were　seen；　coming　on　like　devils　through　their　own　smoke；　two　thousand　muskets　were　levelled　at　them　from　the　Prussian　line。　　It　was　not　a　rattle　of　small　armsit　was　a　crash；　and　the　men　fell　fast：　but　in　a　moment　they　were　seen　to　spread　out　like　a　fan；　and　to　offer　less　mark；　and　when　the　fan　closed　again；　it　half　encircled　the　bastion。　　It　was　a　French　attack：　part　swarmed　at　it　in　front　like　bees；　part　swept　round　the　glacis　and　flanked　it。　They　were　seen　to　fall　in　numbers；　shot　down　from　the　embrasures。　But　the　living　took　the　place　of　the　dead：　and　the　fight　ranged　evenly　there。　　Where　are　the　colors？　　Towards　the　rear　there。　　The　colonel　and　a　hundred　men　are　fighting　hand　to　hand　with　the　Prussians；　who　have　charged　out　at　the　back　doors　of　the　bastion。　Success　there；　and　the　bastion　must　fallboth　sides　know　this。

The　colors　disappeared。　　There　was　a　groan　from　the　French　lines。　The　colors　reappeared；　and　close　under　the　bastion。

And　now　in　front　the　attack　was　so　hot；　that　often　the　Prussian　gunners　were　seen　to　jump　down；　driven　from　their　posts；　and　the　next　moment　a　fierce　hurrah　from　the　rear　told　that　the　French　had　won　some　great　advantage　there。　　The　fire　slackening　told　a　similar　tale　and　presently　down　came　the　Prussian　flag…staff。　　That　might　be　an　accident。　　A　few　moments　of　thirsting　expectation；　and　up　went　the　colors　of　the　24th　brigade　upon　the　Bastion　St。　Andre。

The　French　army　raised　a　shout　that　rent　the　sky；　and　their　cannon　began　to　play　on　the　Prussian　lines　and　between　the　bastion　and　the　nearest　fort；　to　prevent　a　recapture。

Sudden　there　shot　from　the　bastion　a　cubic　acre　of　fire：　it　carried　up　a　heavy　mountain　of　red　and　black　smoke　that　looked　solid　as　marble。　　There　was　a　heavy；　sullen；　tremendous　explosion　that　snuffed　out　the　sound　of　the　cannon；　and　paralyzed　the　French　and　Prussian　gunners'　hands；　and　checked　the　very　beating　of　their　hearts。　　Thirty　thousand　pounds　of　gunpowder　were　in　that　awful　explosion。　　War　itself　held　its　breath；　and　both　armies；　like　peaceable　spectators；　gazed　wonder…struck；　terror…struck。　　Great　hell　seemed　to　burst　through　the　earth's　crust；　and　to　be　rushing　at　heaven。　　Huge　stones；　cannons；　corpses；　and　limbs　of　soldiers；　were　seen　driven　or　falling　through　the　smoke。　　Some　of　these　last　came　quite　clear　of　the　ruins；　ay；　into　the　French　and　Prussian　lines；　that　even　the　veterans　put　their　hands　to　their　eyes。　　Raynal　felt　something　patter　on　him　from　the　skyit　was　blooda　comrade's　perhaps。


The　smoke　cleared。　　Where；　a　moment　before；　the　great　bastion　stood　and　fought；　was　a　monstrous　pile　of　blackened；　bloody　stones　and　timbers；　with　dismounted　cannon　sticking　up　here　and　there。

And；　rent　and　crushed　to　atoms　beneath　the　smoking　mass；　lay　the　relics　of　the　gallant　brigade；　and　their　victorious　colors。


CHAPTER　XXII。


A　few　wounded　soldiers　of　the　brigade　lay　still　till　dusk。　　Then　they　crept　back　to　the　trenches。　　These　had　all　been　struck　down　or　disabled　short　of　the　bastion。　　Of　those　that　had　taken　the　place　no　one　came　home。

Raynal；　after　the　first　stupefaction；　pressed　hard　and　even　angrily　for　an　immediate　assault　on　the　whole　Prussian　line。　　Not　they。　　It　was　on　paper　that　the　assault　should　be　at　daybreak　to…morrow。　　Such　leaders　as　they　were　cannot　IMPROVISE。

Rage　and　grief　in　his　heart；　Raynal　waited　chafing　in　the　trenches　till　five　minutes　past　midnight。　　He　then　became　commander　of　the　brigade；　gave　his　orders；　and　took　thirty　men　out　to　creep　up　to　the　wreck　of　the　bastion；　and　find　the　late　colonel's　body。

Going　for　so　pious　a　purpose；　he　was　rewarded　by　an　important　discovery。　　The　whole　Prussian　lines　had　been　abandoned　since　sunset；　and；　mounting　cautiously　on　the　ramparts；　Raynal　saw　the　town　too　was　evacuated；　and　lights　and　other　indications　on　a　rising　ground　behind　it　convinced　him　that　the　Prussians　were　in　full　retreat；　probably　to　effect　that　junction　with　other　forces　which　the　assault　he　had　recommended　would　have　rendered　impossible。

They　now　lighted　lanterns；　and　searched　all　over　and　round　the　bastion　for　the　poor　colonel；　in　the　rear　of　the　bastion　they　found　many　French　soldiers；　most　of　whom　had　died　by　the　bayonet。　　The　Prussian　dead　had　all　been　carried　off。

Here　they　found　the　talkative　Sergeant　La　Croix。　　The　poor　fellow　was　silent　enough　now。　　A　terrible　sabre…cut　on　the　skull。　　The　colonel　was　not　there。　　Raynal　groaned；　and　led　the　way　on　to　the　bastion。　　The　ruins　still　smoked。　　Seven　or　eight　bodies　were　discovered　by　an　arm　or　a　foot　protruding　through　the　masses　of　masonry。　　Of　these　some　were　Prussians；　a　proof　that　some　devoted　hand　had　fired　the　train；　and　destroyed　both　friend　and　foe。

They　found　the　tube　of　Long　Tom　sticking　up；　just　as　he　had　shown　over　the　battlements　that　glorious　day；　with　this　exception；　that　a　great　piece　was　knocked　off　his　lip；　and　the　slice　ended　in　a　long；　broad　crack。

The　soldiers　looked　at　this。　　〃That　is　our　bullet's　work；〃　said　they。　　Then　one　old　veteran　touched　his　cap；　and　told　Raynal　gravely；　he　knew　where　their　beloved　colonel　was。　　〃Dig　here；　to　the　bottom；〃　said　he。　　〃HE　LIES　BENEATH　HIS　WORK。〃

Improbable　and　superstitious　as　this　was；　the　hearts　of　the　soldiers　assented　to　it。

Presently　there　was　a　joyful　cry　outside　the　bastion。　　A　rush　was　made　thither。　　But　it　proved　to　be　only　Dard；　who　had　discovered　that　Sergeant　La　Croix's　heart　still　beat。　　They　took　him　up　carefully；　and　carried　him　gently　into　camp。　　To　Dard's　delight　the　surgeon　pronounced　him　curable。　　For　all　that；　he　was　three　days　insensible；　and　after　that　unfit　for　duty。　　So　they　sent　him　home　invalided；　with　a　hundred　francs　out　of　the　poor　colonel's　purse。

Raynal　reported　the　evacuation　of　the　place；　and　that　Colonel　Dujardin　was　buried　under　the　bastion；　and　soon