第63节
at,”avoicesaid. thenhebesciousthathehhot flannels.heopenedhiseyes,andsaingofving ery,andtheredglareoffuaces. ”i”heasked,atlast. ”intheengineroofthegunboatfaresaid. ”iaufferingagony,”ralphrred,beteeth. ”idaresay,”theoffiswered.”you tynearfrozeh.luckilyyourlifebeltskeptyou froakinginanyer,butitherthree heer,aorsaysitwouldhavebeenallup hyou.” ”ybrother”ralphaskedsuddenly;sittingup,ha fullnsciousnessofallthathadpassed. ”heisinground,”theofficersaid.”hehergohan youthe ld.hislisaretgorsayshewilldo. ”youeanyourson” ”pleaselendsoclothes,”ralphsaid.”istand,now.” soclotheshadalreadybeengotinreadiness,anded;andin aupleofnutesralphhersside.percy ingto,andilartothoseh ralphhielfhadexperieof bs.helookedround,utterlybewildered;for hehadbeeinsensiblebeforethefarceysgunhadgivennotice ofherproxity.hesled,however,whenhiseyesfellonralphs face. ”itisallright,percy,thankgod,”ralphsaid.”weareonboard thegunboatfard,ies,he heartofparis.” inanotherfivenutes,percylyreveredtobegin todress.thehefarouedtoralph. ”yoursonhashadaverynarro,sir.” ”son”ralphsaid,”heisbrother.” theofficerlookedsurprised. ”hoetobe”ralphasked. ”fortyfiveorfifty,”theofficersaid. ”ishallnotbeseventeenforsonths,”ralphanswered. theoffient,and therethenstandinground.the ndantfro. ”quiteso,dearsir,”hesaid,soothingly.”iwasonlyjoking hyou.itisevidentthatyouareseventeen.” ”youthinkihavelostseheshock,”ralphsaid, sling.”iyage.beardand lyfixedon,hbblershatishall haveanaoff;andhairthesa.ifyou feelalonghere,frootheother,youwillfeelaridge. thatisthebblersassoffrizzled hairon. ”didyounotnotiybrothersandfadhands uchdarkerthaofourskin” ”yes,thedoctordidnoticethat,”thecaptainsaidnowbeginning tothinkthatralphierall. passinghisfinger,hefelttheridgeof thefalsehair. ”ayiask”hesaid. ”brotherandselfarenadbarclay,”ralphsaid.”weare lieutenantsinthear,ahderatedforservithe field.toursfourdaysago,andarebearersofdispatches froaettatogerochu.” aallandinghinhearing;andthe boyshandsforperaupatthentlyshakenby theofficersoftheboat,oeranratulationsofall sorts,andthosearoundake enoughofthe ”nopigeonhasein,fortendays,”thendersaid.”you e.” atthisnt,asailorcadoosaythattheywerepassing thelouvreand,inaihegunboatlayalongside thewharf. ”youdonotknoobefound”the hefarceyasked. ”no,indeed,”ralphsaid. ”iyself,”theofficersaid.”ifthegeneralhas goobed,ustknockhip.heind,he reason.” itashortdistaheboyshadgreat diffibsiffandag, andtheyfeltabuiionallovertheasiftheyhad beendippedinboilinger.gerochuhadgoo bedanduponthessagebeingdeliveredbytheorderly,”the hefarcey, tours,”heorderedtheobeinstantlyadtted. ”thesearethelieutenantsbarclay,general,”thehe fartheer sideatlooursideandthinking thatitghtbestosacrossifiredaroundof grapeintothegerns,andorderedasharplookouttobekept.i hadselyspokentheerehailedforarope;and inaetheseoffildwere pulledonboard.thinkihavedispatches,iatonce starteduptheriver;andheyround,bythe surgeoatedthattheyhelieutenantsbarclay, bearersofdispatchesfroours.” ”gallantlydolenbravelydohegeneralsaidly, shakingbothboysbythehand. thebuiofpercyshandstrue. ”enyouhavepreservedthei hope” ralphproducedthetwoquills. ”theyareduplicate,general,”hesaid.”hcarriedone,in tghtbefalloneofus.” ”thankyou,”thegeneralsaid.”ineednoainyounolonger.i have,andyouhadbettergoinstantlyto bed.yourbrotherisinahighstateoffever.” hetouchedabell,andanoffiein. ”captainbar,entoahotel,at ohehorsesare,asusual,inthecarriageisuppose; and,”hedroppedhisvoietorequest doar,atoheyoungeroneisinastate ofhighfever.” inanotherquarterofanhourtheboysfortablebeds,in rooadjoiningeachother.ralphupid,h theeffectsoftheldosttheinstanthishead touchedthepilloeafterwardsbybeing shakenand,openinghiseyes,hesaeoneleaningoverhi ”drinkthis,”thegentlensaid,holdingaglasstohislips. ralphicallydidasheold;andfelloffagainintoa heavysleep,froillatethe afteoon. hisfirstiulseolookathisch.ithadstoppedat elevenok,thenightbeforethehouratered theseihenherangthebell. ”oc ...