adventures and letters-第55章

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Winston　Churchill　and　I　stood　in　front　of　Gen。　White　and　cried　for　an　hour。　　For　the　time　you　forgot　Boers　and　the　cause；　or　the　lack　of　cause　of　it　all；　and　saw　only　the　side　of　it　that　was　before　you；　the　starving　garrison　relieved　by　men　who　had　lost　almost　one　out　of　every　three　in　trying　to　help　them。　　I　was　rather　too　previous　in　getting　in　and　like　every…one　else　who　came　from　outside　gave　away　everything　I　had　so　that　now　I'm　as　badly　off　as　the　rest　of　them。　　Yesterday　my　rations　for　the　day　were　four　biscuits　and　an　ounce　of　coffee　and　of　tea；　with　corn　which　they　call　mealies　which　I　could　not　eat　but　which　saved　my　horse's　life。　　He　is　a　Boer　pony　I　bought　from　a　Tommy　for　two　pounds　ten　and　he's　worth　both　of　the　other　two　for　which　I　paid　125　a　piece。　　Tomorrow　the　wagon　carrying　my　supplies　will　be　in　and　I　can　get　millions　of　things。　　It　almost　apalls　me　to　think　how　many。　　Especially　clean　clothes。　　I've　slept　in　these　for　four　days。　　I　got　off　some　stories　which　I　hope　will　read　well。　　I　can't　complain　now　that　I　saw　the　raising　of　this　siege。　　But　I　hope　we　don't　stay　still。　　I　want　to　see　a　lot　quickly　and　get　out。　　This　is　very　safe　warfare。　　You　sit　on　a　hill　and　the　army　does　the　rest。　　My　sciatica　is　not　troubling　me　at　all。　　Love　to　you　all　and　God　bless　you。

DICK。


LADYSMITH；　March　4th；　1900。　DEAR；　DEAR　MOTHER：

Today　I　got　the　first　letter　I　have　had　from　you　since　we　left　home。　　It　was　such　happiness　to　see　your　dear　sweet　handwriting　again。　　It　was　just　like　seeing　you　for　a　glimpse；　or　hearing　you　speak。　　I　am　so　hungry　for　news　of　Nora　and　Chas　and　you　all。　　I　know　you've　written；　but　the　letters　have　missed　somehow。　　I　sent　yours　right　back　to　Cecil　who　is　very　lonely　at　present。　　Somerset　has　gone　to　the　front　and　JimhomeBlessed　word！　　A　little　middy　rode　up　to　me　today　and　began　by　saying　〃I'm　going　home。　　I'm　ORDERED　there。　　Home　To　England！〃　　He　seemed　to　think　I　would　not　understand。　　He　prattled　on　like　a　child　saying　what　luck　he　had　had；　that　he　had　been　besieged　in　Ladysmith　and　seen　lots　of　fighting　and　would　get　a　medal　and　all　the　while　he　was　〃just　a　middy。〃　　〃But　isn't　it　awful　to　think　of　our　chaps　that　were　left　on　the　ship〃　he　said　quite　miserably。　　It　is　a　beastly　dull　war。　　The　whole　thing　is　so　〃class〃　and　full　of　〃form〃　and　tradition　and　worrying　over　〃putties〃　and　etiquette　and　rank。　　It　is　the　most　wonderful　organization　I　ever　imagined　but　it　is　like　a　beautiful　locomotive　without　an　engineer。

The　Boers　outplay　them　in　intelligence　every　day。　　The　whole　army　is　officered　by　one　class　and　that　the　dull　one。　　It　is　like　the　House　of　Peers。　　You　would　not　believe　the　mistakes　they　make；　the　awful　way　in　which　they　sacrifice　the　lives　of　officers　and　men。　　And　they　let　the　Boers　escape。　　I　watched　the　Boers　for　four　hours　the　other　day　escaping　after　the　battle　of　Pieters　and　I　asked；　not　because　I　wanted　them　captured　but　just　as　a　military　proposition　〃Why　don't　you　send　out　your　cavalry　and　light　artillery　and　take　those　wagons？〃　　The　staff　officer　giggled　and　said　〃They　might　kill　us。〃　　I　don't　know　what　he　meant；　neither　did　he。　　However；　I'm　sick　of　it　but　there's　nothing　else　to　talk　of。　　I　hate　all　the　people　about　me　and　this　dirty　town　and　I　wish　I　was　back。　　And　I'm　going　too。　　I'll　have　started　by　the　time　you　get　this。

I　mean　to　cut　out　of　this　soon　but　don't　imagine　I'm　in　any　danger。　　I'm　taking　d…d　good　care　to　keep　out　of　danger。　　No　one　is　more　determined　on　that　than　I　am。　　Dear　Mother；　this　is　such　a　dull　letter　but　you　must　forgive　me。　　I　was　never　so　homesick　and　bored　in　my　life。　　It　will　be　better　when　I　go　out　tomorrow　in　my　green　tent　and　leave　this　beastly　hole。　　I　like　the　tent　life；　and　the　horses　and　being　clean。　　I've　really　starved　here　for　four　days　and　haven't　had　a　clean　thing　on　me。　　God　bless　you　all　and　dear　Nora　God　bless　her　and　Chas　and　the　Lone　Fisherman。

DICK。


Outside　Ladysmith。　5th　March；　1900。　DEAREST　MOTHER：

I　was　a　brute　to　write　as　I　did　last　night。　　But　I　was　so　blue　in　that　miserable　town！！！　　It　was　so　foul　and　dirty。　　The　town　smelt　as　bad　as　Johnstown。　　My　room　in　the　so　called　hotel　stunk；　the　dirt　was　all　over　the　floor　and　the　servants　had　to　be　paid　to　do　everything　even　to　bring　you　a　toweland　then　I　had　no　place　to　write　or　be　alone；　and　nothing　to　eat　The　poor　souls　at　my　table　who　had　been　in　the　siege；　when　they　got　a　little　bit　of　sugar　or　a　can　of　condensed　milk　would　carry　it　off　from　the　table　as　though　it　were　a　diamond　diadem　I　did　the　same　thing　myself　for　I　couldn't　eat　what　they　gave　me　and　so　I　corrupted　the　canteen　dealer　and　bought　tin　things　I've　really　never　wanted　tobacco　so　much　and　food　as　I　have　hereto　give　away　I　mean；　for　it　was　something　wonderful　to　see　what　it　meant　to　them。　　Three　troopers　came　into　the　dining　room　yesterday　and　asked　if　they　could　buy　some　tea　and　were　turned　out　so　rudely　that　it　seemed　to　hurt　them　much　more　than　the　fact　that　they　were　hungry：　　I　followed　them　out　and　begged　them　to　come　back　to　my　verandah　and　have　tea　with　me　but　they　at　first　would　not　because　they　knew　I　had　witnessed　what　had　happened　in　the　hotel。　　They　belonged　to　a　very　good　regiment　and　they　had　been　starved　for　four　months。　　But　in　spite　of　their　independence　I　got　them　to　my　porch。　　I　had　just　purchased　at　awful　prices　a　few　delicacies　like　sugar　and　tobacco；　marmalade　and　a　bottle　of　whiskey。　　So　I　gave　them　to　them　and　I　never　enjoyed　anything　so　much　The　poor　yellow　faced　skeletons　ate　in　absolute　silence　still　fighting　with　their　pride　until　I　told　them　I　was　an　American　and　was　a　canteen　contractor's　friend　Then　I　gave　them　segars　and　it　was　too　pitiful　In　our　column；　if　you　give　a　man　something　extra　he　says　a　lot　and　swears　it's　the　best　drink　or　the　best　segar　or　that　you're　the　best　chap　he　ever　met　Just　as　I　say　it　to　them　when　they　give　me　things。　　But　these　starved　bodies　tried　to　be　very　polite　and　conversational　on　every　subject　except　foodwhen　I　offered　them　the　segars　which　could　only　be　got　then　at　a　dollar　twenty…five　a　piece　（they　had　not　cost　me　that　as　I　had　bought　them　in　Cape　Town　for　two　cents　apiece！）　　What　has　Dad　to　say　to　that　for　economy？　　They　accepted　them　quite　as　though　it　was　in　Havanaand　then　leaned　back　and　went　off　into　opium　dreams　Imagine　the　first　segar　after　three　months。　　I　am　out　here　now　on　a　bluff；　with　two　trees　in　front　and　great　hills　with　names　historical　of　the　　siege　of　Ladysmithnames　which　I　refuse　to　learn　or　　rememberI　am　perfectly　comfortable　and　were　it　not　for　Cecil　perfectly　content　If　she　were　only　here　it　would　be　perfectly　magnificent　I　have　a　retinue　that　would　do　credit　to　the　Warringtons　in　the　Virginians　Three　Kaffir　boys　who　refuse　to　yield　to　my　sense　of　the　picturesque　and　go　naked　like　their　less　effete　brothers；　two　oxen　and　three　ponies；　a　little　puppy　I　found　starved　in　Ladysmith　and　fed　on　compressed　beef　tablets。　　I　call　her　Ladysmith　and　she　sleeps　beside　my　cot　and　in　my　lap　when　I　am　readingI　have　also　a　beautiful　tent　with　tape　window　panes；　ventilators；　pockets　inside；　doors　that　loop　up　and　red　knobs；　also；　it　is　green　so　that　the　ants　won't　eat　it。　　Also　two　tables；　two　chairs；　a　bath　tub；　two　lanterns；　and　a　cape　cartand　a　folding　bed　In　Cuba　I　had　two　saddle　bags　and　was　just　as　clean　and　just　as　happy。　　One　boy　does　nothing　but　polish　my　boots　and　gaiters　and　harness；　so　that　I　look　as　well　as　the　officers　who　are　not　much　good　at　anything　but　that。　　I　must　tell　you　what　I　think　is　the　saddest　story　of　the　siege　They　could　not　feed　the　horses；　so　they　kept　part　of　them　for　scouting；　part　to　eat　and　drove　3；000　of　them　towards　the　Boers。　　Being；　well　trained　cavalry　horses；　they　did　not　know　how　to　eat　grass；　so　at　bugle　call　the　whole　3；000　came　trotting　back　again　and　sentries　were　placed　at　every　street　to　stampede　them　back　into　the　veldt　One　horse　from　one　battery　met　out　in　the　prairie　another　horse　that　had　been　its　gun　mate　in　an　artillery　regiment　five　years　before　in　India　and　the　two　poor　things　came　galloping　back　side　by　side　and　passed　the　sentries　and　into　the　lines　and　drew　up　beside　their　battery。　　Another　horse　found　its　rider　acting　as　sentry　and　when　the　man　tried　to　drive