第18节
ouldfirethroughtheleaves, froietheroad.nueronepanyht and,nsequently,oblant.ralphandper thefrontline,behirees. notashotpe gavetheenbehireesolie doongthelohandbrushended nearlyahundredyards.theerproofs,blas,andallother iedintshadbeebehindathalloville,sothatthenhad thefreeuseoftheirar.therifleshepouches shiftedroundsoastobereadyathandandordershavingbeen giventhatnotawordshouldbespoken,eveninawhispera perfeereignedoverthespot. ralphandperhother.theyhadexgeda heartygripofthehand,beforelyingdoh beatisandhandsfirygraspingtheirrifles,inreadiness forthesignal. thetiiitseedto thenagebeforetheyheardthetraofhorses.nearerand heydnoheyuldhearthejinglingof acuterntsfirst,throughtheirleafys,theyuldseetwo uhlanspassatahewoods,andlookingfor possibledahebusheshidtheynotiothing, aonatthesapace.itisprobable,ihatthey reallyanticipatednopossibilityofanattack,asthedijonfranc tireurshefirstheseofa;and theprussiansly,iireignorahe viedbodyoftheeneand,at,apprehended astrayshotfrlerfrohefrenchares,hidden inthewoods. inaeortoreuhlanspassed;andafterthe saintervalberofcattleand sheep.thegreaterportionhadpassedthespotheboyswere lying,aheireurs,he silehepesshout: ”now” beforetheuhlanshadtitoreinintheirhorses,ortoaskeach othereaningofthecry,theflashofthirtyrifles brokefrohetrees,andseveralnfellfroheirhorses.there ontarypaniarbines attheinvisiblefoe. theeyoungofficer,hlight staen: ”steady,theyareonlyahandful.forine,charge” quicklyastheo fireagain;andtheninacehtheirordersretreated, andjoiheirradesbypassagesleftitis,on purpose.inanotherinstanttheuhlanschargedbut,asquickly,the direstnfusined,he eopof eaedtheirdeadlyhailinto thenfusedss. thesendlineofuhlanschargedretuedthefire oftheirinvisibleeneesand,althoughtheyuldhe severaloftheballstookeffeothinguldbeolerthanthe offiplesteadiedtheir n.underverofthefireoftheirradesthen,inpart, extricatedtheelvesandtheirhorses,anddrehe ountand,leavingtheir horsestobeheldbypartiesoftheirradesfourhorsestoone advanfootagainsttheirapparentlygreatly inferiorfoe,keepingupaheavyfirehtheircarbihiswas ndantofthefranctireurshadhopedfor,and expected. theheofthehorses;andthe prussiansadvanced,opposedonlybyafeebleretutotheirheavy fire,until ahundredriflesflashedoutuponthe theeffect thoseseffect.itthattheyhadfallen intoanaush.thecaptainortification,at thefaulthehadttedrushedfallantly sendedhisefforts.invain,hoheytrytoseparatethe interlay flashedoutthionttheyoungcaptain thresandfell,shhtheheart.theofficeext inndorderedaretreat,thehorsesidsta
ntinuousfirefrohefranctireurs,thediroop gallopedbacktoont. thefranctireursnoallparty oforhevalley,togivenoticeifthe uhlansshouing.astrongbodysettoo driveiteredanils thevalleyherestllectedthedeadandwounded. ofthefranctireurseighteenhe uhlansfortysevenainedon theground.theirlargenuerofkilled,inproportiontothe edforbythefactthatthefiringlose that,innyenuallysinged bytheexplosion;enhadbeeo regaintheirhorses,andescape. thefirstiulseoftheyoungbarclays,hefireceased,was toturoundandtoerahotherhdelightonfinding thattheyhadeaapedhoutascratdthentoshake hailyhtheirusins,unehadbeenequally good.thereeforpesorder ca,sharpanddecisive: ”youthebars,andgo assisttodriveinthee. ”youhavedoyboys.” haflushofpleasure,theboysstartedofftocarryoutthe orders;hekind thoughtofsparingtheladstheterriblesightofthebattle ground. theshortbutdesperatenflictthroughheyhadpassed seed,totheyoungbar.inthe exultale, theyhadselyhadtieventogiveathoughttothedanger. fearisseldoeltbythesoldier. thetiosttriedisinginactive, atadistance,exposedtoaheavyshellfire;oro anattaofsketryandartillery.ina handtohandhink.hisnervesare strunguptosohighapitchthathenolohinksofdanger,or death.hiswho ...