第21节
【】peotheotherofficers,hhly agreedaiheroo inightbeaskedinreferehe proclation.theynohingelsewererequiredand, upoiveansedandtooktheirleave. itheyoutand,astheyohe s,theyheardagreattultofvoicesraisedinanger, angdoyle. ”hoed,ih. ”givealante,oradle,abegoheboysare alletobegin.” hurryingup,theyfoundtiurroundedbyafeheprincipal inhabitantsofthevillage,andsoohecauseofthe dispute.supperitoodarktoseetoeatit; andtilakehielfusefulhadvoluogo insearchofalight.hehadinvainusedhisfeh et,andthesehadatlastcalledthe saster,theonlypersoninthevillageoodfrench. thisnhadaddressedtiirstinfrendtheningernand, uponreceivingansherlanguage,hadarrived atthenakingfunofthehehe disputehadarisen. theboysexplaiers,andthevillagerswhoseknowledgeof englandostof, indeed,hadpreviouslybelievedthatalltheher frenandiately procuredsodles,andtheboyshastehe s.tpanyandonebeing lightedatea,andstuckuponnailsinthe heboysoseetheplacewaslike. stratered,afootdeep,dohe rooandfifteenblash eantforthesapshungthe haversacks,ents;he rifles,leavingspace enoughtoandthebeds.at thefartherendoftheroo,inhalog fireallshed,outside,hadbeeed intoakit. ”ightbehanthis,alongway,ralph,”saidlouis duburg,asralphtookhisplathestra. ”thatight,louis.thefirelookscheerful,too,andthenights aregettingveryld.” ”thattheyare,ralph. ”ahhereissupper.iauitereadyforthat,too.” the,hadbeen releasedfrollnightdutyinionoftheirregularly uakingthatoupationnoinalargesaufull ofsoup;andeauphhisteen,andreceivedhis portiouingtohisbeduporaoeatit. ”anythingneenasked,froheotherside oftheroo ”yes,indeed,”ralphsaid.”neindnoneofyou gettakenprisoners,fortheprussiangeneralhasissueda proclationthatheshallshootallfranctireurshehes.” ”iossible”allpresent. ”soundslikeit,butitistrueenough,”andralph repeated,ationranslated tojortee. asghthavebeenexpeof indignation;andthislasteduntil,atnineok,thesergeant gavetheword: ”lightsout.” intheing,afterparade,ralphandpercystrolledaway togetherandhadalongtalkand,attheendofanhour,they pehadestablishedhis headquarters. ”gooding,friends,”hesaid,astheyentered.”isthere anythingidoforyousitdown.” ”hinking,sirperdithatouldveryeasily dressupaspeasants,andgodoight thinkfit,andfindoutallparticularsastothestrengthand positionoftheene.noo tireurs.itethatanyonewouldask usaionsand,ifeshouldsaywebelonged tosovillageiains,andhadedoobuyffee, andotheecessaries.theriskofdeteto nothing,foranquiteopassforlads froheuntains.” jorteeinute. ”youkno,atonted.” ”nodoubt,sir,butthereisnoreasonintheeshould bedetected.theprussianstkno,even hioself;andnoticeus,atall.iftheydo, ourans.” ”itellyoufrankly,boys,ihinkingonlylastnightofthe tter;buthouaykelightofitthereis,of urse,acertainauntofdangerinagasspies;andyour fatherfriendeof it: ”igaveyouboystofightforfranto theirdeath,asspies. ”soiresolvedtosaynothingaboutit.” ”butnohecaseisdifferent,”ralphsaid. ”frourkne,weare betterfittedthanaherpstoperforhisservid thereforeitit, greatlyredangerousthanitis.ourfathersaidtous,at starting: ”doyourduty,boys,everthedanger. ”hestherebenodifficultyabout that,thereareseveralladsinthevillagehings us.shalleinthisafteoon,forinstrus” ”thankyou,lads,”jorteesaid,ly.”itrust,hyou, thatnoharofit.butyourofferisoftoogreat advaherpsfortopersistinrefusal.” uponleavingthequartersofthendant,theboysatonce tothehouseofafarrashortdistancefrohevillagewhere, thedaybefore,theyhadnoticedttheirownsize. theyexplaihefarrthattheyasuit ofthehesofeachofhissons.greatlysurprisedat thisrequest,thefarrhadinquiredtheyuldpossibly theor;andralphh thesecretrepliedthat,astheprussiangeneralhadgivennotice thatheshouldshootallfranctireursheghttakeprisoners, theyightsliponin caseofdefeaterofcapture.thepretenselausible one;andthefarrsoldtheherequiredhargingonly abouttheirst,whennew. theboystooktheparcel ...