on the firing line-第38章

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ms。




CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE


〃Yes；〃　Carew　said　meditatively；　〃I　wish　there　had　been　glory　enough　to　go　around。　As　long　as　there　wasn't；　though；　I　am　glad　it　was　fated　to　fall　to　your　share。〃

Weldon　hurled　a　little　black　stone　at　a　great　black　rock。

〃Not　so　much　glory；　after　all。〃

Carew　raised　his　eyes　and　apostrophized　the　dark　gray　clouds　rushing　across　the　paler　gray　arch　of　the　sky。

〃Just　listen　to　the　man！　What　can　he　be　wanting？　'Not　so　much　glory！'　And　he　recommended　for　a　V。　C。！〃

Weldon　shook　his　head。

〃What　does　it　profit　a　man；〃　he　paraphrased；　〃if　he　gain　the　V。　C。　and　lose　one　of　his　best　friends？　Besides；　I　didn't　gain　it；　it　was　fated。　Paddy　was　as　brave　as　I；　and　so　were　half　a　dozen　more　of　them。　It　was　only　chance　that　brought　me　through　the　bullets。〃

〃Poor　Paddy！〃　Carew's　tone　was　full　of　thoughtful　regret。

〃Not　poor　at　all。　He　had　the　end　we　all　are　wishing　for。　He　died　with　his　boots　on；　and　fighting　pluckily　for　a　forlorn　hope。　We　can't　mourn　a　man　that　we　envy。〃

Half　way　to　the　distant　sky…line；　the　horses　of　the　squadron　were　grazing　peacefully　over　the　stubbly　grass。　The　corporal　and　the　third　of　the　troopers　appointed　to　guard　them　were　far　away　towards　the　crest　of　a　ridge　to　the　westward；　and　Carew　and　Weldon　were　alone。　Carew　sat　silent　for　a　moment；　his　eyes　on　the　scattered　groups　of　horses。　Then　he　turned　and　looked　directly　at　his　friend。

〃Perhaps；〃　he　assented。　〃I　was　sorry　to　be　out　of　the　scrimmage。　It　took　all　my　grit　to　obey　you；　old　man；　but　it　was　an　order。　Now　it　is　over〃

〃Well？〃　Weldon　prompted　him。

〃Now　it　is　over；　I　am　less　sorry　than　I　was。　The　fact　is；　the　future　holds　a　good　deal　for　us。〃

〃For　you；　perhaps。〃

〃For　you；　too。　The　whole　future　of　a　man　doesn't　go　to　wreck　in　an　hour。　There　are　other　crises　later　on；　and　some　of　them　are　bound　to　come　out　well。　Save　yourself　for　those；　Weldon。　There　is　no　especial　use　in　throwing　yourself　away。〃

〃I'm　not。　But；　when　the　order　comes；　I　must　obey　it；〃　Weldon　said　gloomily。

〃It　depends　something　on　the　order；　but　it　depends　a　good　sight　more　on　the　way　you　obey　it。　When　a　man　comes　into　collision　with　a　bulldog；　it's　generally　wise　to　grapple　with　him　back　of　his　teeth；　else；　you　may　lose　a　thumb　or　two。　It's　the　same　way　with　your　orders　here。　Because　you　don't　funk；　there　is　no　reason　you　should　flirt　with　an　early　death。〃

〃But　I　don't。〃

〃What　about　now？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃That　you　ought　to　be　in　hospital。〃

Weldon　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed；　but　mirthlessly。

〃Why；　then？〃

Without　speaking；　Carew　took　out　his　pipe；　filled　it　and　began　fumbling　in　his　pocket。

〃Have　you　a　match？〃　he　asked。

Weldon　nodded；　produced　the　match；　lighted　it　and　held　it　to　the　extended　pipe。　Carew's　eyes；　drooped　to　the　bowl；　watched　the　bit　of　flame。

〃Do　you　call　that　a　steady　hand？〃　he　asked　then。　〃Man；　you're　ill；　I　tell　you。　Your　face　is　hot　and　your　hands　are　cold；　and　your　nerves　are　worn　to　shoestrings；　frayed　shoestrings　at　that。　If　you　keep　on；　you'll　be　down　flatter　than　you　like。　You　ought　to　have　stopped　four　weeks　ago。〃

Weldon　crossed　his　arms　at　the　nape　of　his　neck　and　lay　back　at　his　ease　on　the　ground。

〃Then　what　would　have　become　of　my　V。　C。？〃　he　queried；　with　languid　indifference。

〃But　I　thought　you　claimed　not　to　care　for　your　V。　C。〃

〃I　don't。　My　friends　may；　however。〃　〃As　a　legacy？　I　think　your　friends　may　possibly　choose　you　to　the　V。　C。〃

〃Foolish　of　them；〃　Weldon　commented。　〃Still；　'If　we　could　choose　the　time；　and　choose　aright；　'T　were　best　to　die；　our　honor　at　the　height。'　I　learned　that　when　I　was　a　small　boy；　but　I've　only　just　found　out　what　it　means。〃

With　scoffing　lips；　but　eyes　full　of　unspoken　love；　Carew　turned　on　his　friend。

〃Don't　dodder；　Weldon；〃　he　counselled　him。　〃That's　canting　drivvle；　made　to　console　the　unsuccessful。　No　man　knows　when　he　has　reached　his　high…water　mark。　Yours　may　have　come　on　the　day　you　licked　Stevie　Ballard　for　gilding　the　tailless　cat；　it　may　not　come　till　you　are　ninety。〃

〃No。〃　The　syllable　was　quiet；　deliberate。　Then　Weldon　roused　himself　and　sat　up　to　speak　with　sudden　energy。　〃Promise　me　this；　Carew；　that　while　the　matter　is　hanging　fire；　you　won't　mention　this　V。　C。　business　to　any　one。〃

Carew　stared　at　him　in　unmixed　surprise。

〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　he　asked　blankly。

〃Nothing；　only　that　I　want　you　to　promise。〃

〃Not　to〃

〃Not　to　a　living　soul。〃

〃Why？　What's　the　use？〃

〃No　use；　but　my　wish。　If　it　comes　off；　let　it　be　as　a　joyous　surprise。　If　it　misses　fire；　as　it　quite　well　may；　then　there'll　be　no　harm　done。　In　either　case；　it　is　best　to　keep　still。　My　own　notion　is　that　I'll　not　get　it。　As　a　rule；　one　doesn't　get　the　V。　C。　for　shinning　up　the　side　of　a　hill；　no　matter　how　steep　it　is。〃

Carew　made　no　attempt　to　discuss　the　chances。　Instead；　he　merely　asked；

〃Mayn't　I　tell　Miss　Mellen？〃

Weldon　shook　his　head。　It　was　exactly　to　prevent　the　inevitable　consequences　of　Alice　Mellen's　knowing　the　story　that　he　was　seeking　to　extort　the　promise　from　Carew。　To　protect　his　motive；　however；　he　took　a　sudden　resolution。

〃I　shall　not　even　tell　my　mother；〃　he　answered；　with　slow　emphasis。

Carew　raised　his　brows。

〃Then　I　suppose　that　ties　my　tongue。　I　am　sorry。　What's　the　use　of　being　so　confoundedly　modest；　Weldon？〃

〃Do　you　promise？〃

〃I　suppose　I　must。〃

〃On　your　honor？〃

〃On　my　honor。〃

Weldon　stretched　himself　out　at　full　length　once　more。

〃So　be　it。　Give　me　a　light。　You　took　my　last　match；〃　he　said　as　unconcernedly　as　if　they　had　merely　been　talking　of　the　weather。

Indeed；　the　weather　might　well　have　been　the　subject　of　their　talk。　The　earth　was　baked　until　it　cracked　beneath　the　parching　sun　and　wind。　There　had　been　no　rain　for　weeks；　but；　to…day；　the　raw　wind　sent　the　lead…colored　clouds　flying　over　the　sky；　and　the　lead…　colored　clouds　were　heavy　with　rain。　All　the　morning　and　till　mid…　afternoon；　the　column　had　been　camping　not　far　away；　while　their　weary；　hungry　mounts　had　been　turned　out　on　the　veldt　to　graze。　For　men　and　mounts；　the　halt　was　needed。

The　fight　about　the　laager　had　been　no　easy　victory。　Twelve　hundred　half…starved　Britons　are　no　match　for　fifteen　hundred　Boers　fat　with　easy　living。　Weldon's　hold　on　the　crest　had　decided　the　game；　but　the　game　had　not　played　itself　out　without　wounds　for　some　and　utter　weariness　for　all。　War　mad；　yet　half…dazed　in　all　other　respects；　Weldon　had　watched　the　reinforcements　come　swarming　up　the　hill　to　his　relief；　had　heard　their　cheers　mingling　themselves　with　the　sound　of　his　name。　Then；　listless；　but　with　his　arm　still　about　Paddy's　shoulders；　he　had　seen　the　fight　move　to　its　destined　finish。　He　came　down　from　the　hilltop；　feeling　that　something　had　taken　yet　one　more　turn　in　the　evertightening　coil　of　his　brain。　For　one　instant；　as　they　were　laying　Paddy　into　the　narrow　grave　scooped　out　of　the　veldt；　the　coil　relaxed。　Then；　as　the　lumps　of　earth　closed　over　his　plucky；　loyal　little　comrade；　it　tightened　again　and　pressed　on　him　more　closely　than　ever。

And　that　was　a　week　ago；　and　the　week　between　had　been　one　long　trek　in　search　of　errant　Boers。　Weldon　still　rode　in　the　front　of　the　column。　He　had　been　ordered　into　hospital；　but；　bracing　himself；　he　had　looked　the　doctor　steadily　between　the　eyes　and　had　refused　to　obey。　The　hospital　was　not　for　himas　yet。　〃By　Jove！〃　Carew　was　remarking　deliberately。　〃Look　at　the　horses！〃

Noses　in　air；　tails　lashing　and　eyes　staring　wildly；　the　frightened　groups　had　swept　together　and　were　rushing　down　upon　them　in　one　mad　stampede。　Straight　towards　the　two　troopers　they　came　dashing　along；　swerved　slightly　and　went　sweeping　past　them；　wrapped　in　a　thick　column　of　dust　which　parted；　just　as　the　horde　rushed　by；　before　the　fierce　impact　of　the　breaking　storm。　From　zenith　to　horizon；　the　leaden　sky　was　marked　with　wavering　lines　of　golden　fire；　but　the　shock　of　the　thunder　was　outborne　by　the　clash　of　falling　hail。　Half　a　mile　away；　the　tents　were　riddled　by　the　egg…sized　lumps　of　ice；　and；　out　on　the　open　veldt；　Carew　threw　himself　on　the　earth；　face　downward；　and　buried　his　head　in　his　sheltering　arms。　But　Weldon　staggered　to　his　feet。　In　the　th