第82节
donotthinkitisobeout,thesebitteights,until youarequitestrong.” ”iauitestrong,a,asstrongasever,”percylaughed;but hislaughself,alittleunnatural. hisfatherlookedsharplyup. percysatdootherhao hi ”iein,”hesaid,”andofurseit ynotbesobutiheardofsoonehedescription, seedtoberalph.” ”other gazedathiapalefadappealingeyes. ”dontagitateyourself,adearyousee,ityrue, afterallbutangthepeopleiraine straightfres.ispoketohiandhesaidthathehad heardbyafrieraightfroierzonthatayoung officerhadjustarrivedthere,indisguise;whohadbeenwounded, andinhiding,eversin, itisjustthetiiulatedheing;andfrohe factofhisbeingayoungstaffofficer,andindisguise,ihave verylittledoubtitisralph.” hisseatandstandingforant behindhisperdthenatthedoor, inquiringly.perodded. captainbarclayleanedover,andkissedhiswife ”thankgod,dear,forallhisrciesanotherdayortwo,andwe shallbehavinghio.” ”thankgod,indeed”s.barclaysaid;”butthoughihopethough itrytothinkitperhapsit,perhaps” ”no,a,”pereparticularshegave,andfrobr> ostsureiysayiauitesureitis ralph.isayso,youknoverycertain.” s.barclayfeltthathe,andfellintoherhusbands ar,gsoftlyhhappiness. lly.shehadcaughttheglaween herfatherandperdhadrightlyinterpretedit.shehadrisen toherfeet,butacaptainbarhecked the therooclosedthedoooiselessly,hadfloothefrontdoor andoutintotheroadbeyond,andryinghappilyinralphs ar. ”andrs.barclay askedherhusband. ”soon,dearquitesoon,”heaorrow.he ealstasquicklyasthenews.” ”oh,ho”s.barclaysaid.”thankgodforhis rorroayhavebothboysback again.” ”herebearainin,tonight,peraptainbarclay asked. ”quitepossibly,”percysaid;”indeed,indeed,”andhe hesitated”yousee,i;itisjustpossiblethathe yhavearrivedbythistrain.” s.barclayuoodnow. ”heise,”sheexclaid,lookingup.”ikno,now.” s. ”youelanieyes,dear,hehase.” percysahatittothedoor,andope. ralphonthis thers. laterintheevening,captainbarclaysaidtoralph: ”isupposetorroediertificate,and etogeneralzy:sayingthatyouarealive,butuo rejoin” ”yes,”ralphanshathebestplan.i sthaveanthsrest.” ”thatans,dearboy,thatyouhavetogooutany re.ahheendofthestruggleoratany rate,iftheendhasnotabsolutelyarrived,itwillbe unstakable. ”thegais,iavinced,altogetherlost.afhtago,i hadstillhope.y,nearlyor quiteequaltothatofprinkcharles.heuldnot attaeinforce,houtleavingtheroadtoparisopentothe other. ”bourbakihaseuponthisdexpeditiontotheeast;andyou hrth uponay relievebelfort,butinthateroffranceishetodo prussianreinfortsareingdoowerder,everyday. troopsarergonthistoparisand,ifbourbakiisnot hersedanhere. ”afterthedefeatofthese,thelasttiesoffrawould bedontiheustsurrender,forthere herpossibilityofrelief;andtherewouldbeno advantage,ever,inenduringfurthersufferings. ”no,boys,isaidgohoughtthattherewasa possibilityofsavingfrahan yourduty.ithanfollyito voluntarilyputyourlivesintodanger,o bepossible.ishouldbethelastntohinderyoufroas yourduty.isaidgobefore,herswouldhavesaidso. iycalledyou;butasyou bothobtainsickleave,foranothersixakethat leave.donotdorethanyourduty,forheroissnowofnouse tofrance.” ”iagreehyoualtogether,papa,”ralphsaid.”ihaveseen,and had,quiteenoughfightingforlifeti.ofurse,ifthewar goesoretutoourduty,butiabr> oobtainallthesickleaveiget;foralthoughi stillbelieveintheindividualbraveryofthefrenchsoldiers,i auitenvihatitisaltogetheroutofthequestion thaththeiranization,ofgenerals,of officers,ofdiscipline,ofeverythingtheydrive outthegnifiany. ”haspercygothisleaveextended” ”yes,”percysaid;”iaairlystillshaky.ihave notquitegotoverthats;andthesurgeonsaid,y applyingforit,thatisthaveprolongedrestso,attheendof thenth,heextefortonthslonger. ”ithhlyagreehyouboth.eenoughofit. isfathatyto frandourrank;andtheseribbons,”aouchedthe rosetteofthelegionofhonor,inhisbutto inguishedourselves.goodfortune, hitherto;itghttu,i.” andsoitainatho,forthe onths;byetheyagreed,htheirfather,the resistance.ralphetogeneralzy, relatiancesofhisabsence.generalzy andsuponhistisayinghow pleasedhehatralphhadescaped,ashehadquit ...