the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第20部分
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minnits； I'll be over an' see t' him。〃
The youth's senses were so deadened that his friend's voice sounded
from afar and he could scarcely feel the pressure of the corporal's arm。 He
submitted passively to the latter's directing strength。 His head was in the
old manner hang… ing forward upon his breast。 His knees wobbled。
The corporal led him into the glare of the fire。 〃Now； Henry；〃 he said；
〃let's have look at yer ol' head。〃
The youth sat down obediently and the cor… poral； laying aside his rifle；
began to fumble in the bushy hair of his comrade。 He was obliged to turn
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the other's head so that the full flush of the fire light would beam upon it。
He puckered his mouth with a critical air。 He drew back his lips and
whistled through his teeth when his fingers came in contact with the
splashed blood and the rare wound。
〃Ah； here we are！〃 he said。 He awkwardly made further
investigations。 〃Jest as I thought；〃 he added； presently。 〃Yeh've been
grazed by a ball。 It's raised a queer lump jest as if some feller had
lammed yeh on th' head with a club。 It stopped a…bleedin' long time ago。
Th' most about it is that in th' mornin' yeh'll feel that a number ten hat
wouldn't fit yeh。 An' your head'll be all het up an' feel as dry as burnt
pork。 An' yeh may git a lot 'a other sicknesses； too； by mornin'。 Yeh can't
never tell。 Still； I don't much think so。 It's jest a damn' good belt on th'
head； an' nothin' more。 Now； you jest sit here an' don't move； while I go
rout out th' relief。 Then I'll send Wilson t' take keer 'a yeh。〃
The corporal went away。 The youth re… mained on the ground like a
parcel。 He stared with a vacant look into the fire。
After a time he aroused； for some part； and the things about him began
to take form。 He saw that the ground in the deep shadows was cluttered
with men； sprawling in every con… ceivable posture。 Glancing narrowly
into the more distant darkness； he caught occasional glimpses of visages
that loomed pallid and ghostly； lit with a phosphorescent glow。 These
faces expressed in their lines the deep stupor of the tired soldiers。 They
made them appear like men drunk with wine。 This bit of forest might
have appeared to an ethereal wanderer as a scene of the result of some
frightful debauch。
On the other side of the fire the youth observed an officer asleep；
seated bolt upright； with his back against a tree。 There was some… thing
perilous in his position。 Badgered by dreams； perhaps； he swayed with
little bounces and starts； like an old toddy…stricken grandfather in a
chimney corner。 Dust and stains were upon his face。 His lower jaw
hung down as if lacking strength to assume its normal position。 He was
the picture of an exhausted soldier after a feast of war。
He had evidently gone to sleep with his sword in his arms。 These
two had slumbered in an embrace； but the weapon had been allowed in
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time to fall unheeded to the ground。 The brass…mounted hilt lay in
contact with some parts of the fire。
Within the gleam of rose and orange light from the burning sticks were
other soldiers； snoring and heaving； or lying deathlike in slumber。 A few
pairs of legs were stuck forth； rigid and straight。 The shoes displayed the
mud or dust of marches and bits of rounded trousers； protruding from the
blankets； showed rents and tears from hurried pitchings through the dense
brambles。
The fire crackled musically。 From it swelled light smoke。
Overhead the foliage moved softly。 The leaves； with their faces turned
toward the blaze； were colored shifting hues of silver； often edged with red。
Far off to the right； through a window in the forest could be seen a handful
of stars lying； like glittering pebbles； on the black level of the night。
Occasionally； in this low…arched hall； a soldier would arouse and turn
his body to a new posi… tion； the experience of his sleep having taught him
of uneven and objectionable places upon the ground under him。 Or；
perhaps； he would lift himself to a sitting posture； blink at the fire for an
unintelligent moment； throw a swift glance at his prostrate companion； and
then cuddle down again with a grunt of sleepy content。
The youth sat in a forlorn heap until his friend the loud young soldier
came； swinging two canteens by their light strings。 〃Well； now； Henry；
ol' boy；〃 said the latter； 〃we'll have yeh fixed up in jest about a minnit。〃
He had the bustling ways of an amateur nurse。 He fussed around the
fire and stirred the sticks to brilliant exertions。 He made his patient drink
largely from the canteen that contained the coffee。 It was to the youth a
delicious draught。 He tilted his head afar back and held the canteen long to
his lips。 The cool mixture went caress… ingly down his blistered throat。
Having finished； he sighed with comfortable delight。
The loud young soldier watched his comrade with an air of satisfaction。
He later produced an extensive handkerchief from his pocket。 He folded
it into a manner of bandage and soused water from the other canteen upon
the middle of it。 This crude arrangement he bound over the youth's head；
tying the ends in a queer knot at the back of the neck。
〃There；〃 he said； moving off and surveying his deed； 〃yeh look like th'
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devil； but I bet yeh feel better。〃
The youth contemplated his friend with grate… ful eyes。 Upon his
aching and swelling head the cold cloth was like a tender woman's hand。
〃Yeh don't holler ner say nothin'；〃 remarked his friend approvingly。
〃I know I'm a black… smith at takin' keer 'a sick folks； an' yeh never
squeaked。 Yer a good un； Henry。 Most 'a men would a' been in th'
hospital long ago。 A shot in th' head ain't foolin' business。〃
The youth made no reply； but began to fumble with the buttons of his
jacket。
〃Well； come； now；〃 continued his friend； 〃come on。 I must put yeh t'
bed an' see that yeh git a good night's rest。〃
The other got carefully erect； and the loud young soldier led him
among the sleeping forms lying in groups and rows。 Presently he
stooped and picked up his blankets。 He spread the rubber one upon the
ground and placed the woolen one about the youth's shoulders。
〃There now；〃 he said； 〃lie down an' git some sleep。〃
The youth； with his manner of doglike obe… dience； got carefully down
like a crone stoop… ing。 He stretched out with a murmur of relief and
comfort。 The ground felt like the softest couch。
But of a sudden he ejaculated： 〃Hol' on a minnit！ Where you goin' t'
sleep？〃
His friend waved his hand impatiently。 〃Right down there by yeh。〃
〃Well； but hol' on a minnit；〃 continued the youth。 〃What yeh goin' t'
sleep in？ I've got your〃
The loud young soldier snarled： 〃Shet up an' go on t' sleep。 Don't be
makin' a damn' fool 'a yerself；〃 he said severely。
After the reproof the youth said no more。 An exquisite drowsiness had
spread through him。 The warm comfort of the blanket enveloped him and
made a gentle languor。 His head fell for… ward on his crooked arm and
his weighted lids went softly down over his eyes。 Hearing a splatter of
musketry from the distance； he wondered indifferently if those men
sometimes slept。 He gave a long sigh； snuggled down into his blanket；
and in a moment was like his com… rades。
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CHAPTER XIV。
WHEN the youth awoke it seemed to him that he had been asleep for
a thousand years； and he felt sure that he opened his eyes upon an unex…
pected world。 Gray mists were slowly shifting before the first efforts of
the sun rays。 An im… pending splendor could be seen in the eastern sky。
An icy dew had chilled his face； and im… mediately upon arousing he
curled farther down into his blanket。 He stared for a while at the leaves
overhead； moving in a heraldic wind of the day。
The distance was splintering and blaring with the noise of fighting。
There was in the sound an expression of a deadly persistency； as if it had
not begun and was not to cease。
About him were the rows and groups of men that he had dimly seen
the previous night。 They were getting a last draught of sleep before the
awakening。
