bruce-第10章

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Dale　of　his　company　and　Sergeant　Vivier　of　the　French　infantry。

The　Frenchman　was　slow　in　learning　poker's　mysteries。



And；　anyway；　all　three　men　were　temporarily　penniless　and　were

forced　to　play　for　I。O。U'swhich　is　stupid　sport；　at　best。



So　when；　from　the　German　line；　came　a　quick　sputt…sputt…sputt

from　a　half…dozen　sharpshooters'　rifles；　all　three　men　looked　up

from　their　desultory　game　in　real　interest。　Mahan　got　to　his　feet

with　a　grunt。



〃Some　other　fool　has　been　trying　to　see　how　far　he　can　rubber

above　the　sandbags　without　drawing　boche　fire；〃　he　hazarded；

starting　out　to　investigate。　〃It's　a　miracle　to　me　how　a　boche

bullet　can　go　through　heads　that　are　so　full　of　first…quality

ivory　as　those　rubberers'。〃



But　Mahan's　strictures　were　quite　unwarranted。　The　sharpshooters

were　not　firing　at　the　parapet。　Their　scattering　shots　were

flying　high；　and　hitting　against　the　slope　of　the　hill　behind　the

trenches。



Adown　this　shellpocked　hillside；　as　Mahan　and　the　other

disturbed　idlers　gazed；　came　cantering　a　huge　dark…brown…and…

white　collie。　The　morning　wind　stirred　the　black　stippling　that

edged　his　tawny　fur；　showing　the　gold…gray　undercoat　beneath　it。

His　white　chest　was　like　a　snowdrift；　and　offered　a　fine　mark　for

the　German　rifles。　A　bullet　or　two　sang　whiningly　past　his　gayly

up…flung　head。



A　hundred　voices　from　the　Here…We…Come　trenches　hailed　the

advancing　dog。



〃Why；　it's　Bruce！〃　cried　Mahan　in　glad　welcome。　〃I　might　'a'

known　he　or　another　of　the　collies　would　be　along。　I　might　'a'

known　it；　when　the　telephones　went　out　of　commission。　He〃



〃Regardez…donc！〃　interrupted　the　admiring　Vivier。　〃He　acts　like

bullets　was　made　of　flies！　Mooch　he　care　for　boche　lead…pills；　ce

brave　vieux！〃



〃Yes；〃　growled　Dale　worriedly；　〃and　one　of　these　days　a　bullet

will　find　its　way　into　that　splendid　carcass　of　his。　He's　been

shot　at；　a　thousand　times；　to　my　own　knowledge。　And　all　I　ask　is

a　chance；　with　a　rifle…butt；　at　the　skull　of　the　Hun　who　downs

him！〃



〃Downs　Bruce？〃　queried　Vivier　in　fine　scorn。　〃The　boche　he　is　no

borned　who　can　do　it。　Bruce　has　what　you　call　it；　in　Ainglish；

the　'charm　life。'　He　go　safe；　where　other　caniche　be　pepper…

potted　full　of　holes。　I've　watch　heem。　I　know。〃



Unscathed　by　the　several　shots　that　whined　past　him；　Bruce　came

to　a　halt　at　the　edge　of　a　traverse。　There　he　stood；　wagging　his

plume　of　a　tail　in　grave　friendliness；　while　a　score　of　khaki…

clad　arms　reached　up　to　lift　him　bodily　into　the　trench。



A　sergeant　unfastened　the　message　from　the　dog's　collar　and

posted　off　to　the　colonel　with　it。



The　message　was　similar　to　one　which　had　been　telephoned　to　each

of　the　supporting　bodies；　to　right　and　to　left　of　the　Here…We…

Comes。　It　bade　the　colonel　prepare　to　withdraw　his　command　from

the　front　trenches　at　nightfall；　and　to　move　back　on　the　main

force　behind　the　hill…crest。　The　front　trenches　were　not

important；　and　they　were　far　too　lightly　manned　to　resist　a　mass

attack。　Wherefore　the　drawing…in　and　consolidating　of　the　whole

outflung　line。



Bruce；　his　work　done　now；　had　leisure　to　respond　to　the　countless

offers　of　hospitality　that　encompassed　him。　One　man　brought　him　a

slice　of　cold　broiled　bacon。　Another　spread　pork…grease　over　a

bit　of　bread　and　proffered　it。　A　third　unearthed　from　some

sacredly　guarded　hiding…place　an　excessively　stale　half…inch

square　of　sweet　chocolate。



Had　the　dog　so　chosen；　he　might　then　and　there　have　eaten　himself

to　death　on　the　multitude　of　votive　offerings。　But　in　a　few

minutes　he　had　had　enough；　and　he　merely　sniffed　in　polite

refusal　at　all　further　gifts。



〃See？〃　lectured　Mahan。　〃That's　the　beast　of　it！　When　you　say　a

fellow　eats　or　drinks　'like　a　beast；'　you　ought　to　remember　that

a　beast　won't　eat　or　drink　a　mouthful　more　than　is　good　for　him。〃



〃Gee！〃　commented　the　somewhat　corpulent　Dale。　〃I'm　glad　I'm　not　a

beastespecially　on　pay…day。〃



Presently　Bruce　tired　of　the　ovation　tendered　him。　These　ovations

were　getting　to　be　an　old　story。　They　had　begun　as　far　back　as

his　training…camp　dayswhen　the　story　of　his　joining　the　army

was　told　by　the　man　to　whom　The　Place's　guest　had　written

commending　the　dog　to　the　trainers'　kindness。



At　the　training…camp　this　story　had　been　reenforced　by　the　chief

collie…teachera　dour　little　Hieland　Scot　named　McQuibigaskie；

who　on　the　first　day　declared　that　the　American　dog　had　more

sense　and　more　promise　and　more　soul　〃than　a'　t'other　tykes　south

o'　Kirkcudbright　Brae。〃



Being　only　mortal；　Bruce　found　it　pleasanter　to　be　admired　and

petted　than　ignored　or　kicked。　He　was　impersonally　friendly　with

the　soldiers；　when　he　was　off　duty；　and　he　relished　the　dainties

they　were　forever　thrusting　at　him。



But　at　times　his　soft　eyes　would　grow　dark　with　homesickness　for

the　quiet　loveliness　of　The　Place　and　for　the　Mistress　and　the

Master　who　were　his　loyally　worshiped　gods。　Life　had　been　so

happy　and　so　sweetly　uneventful　for　him；　at　The　Place！　And　there

had　been　none　of　the　awful　endless　thunder　and　the　bewilderingly

horrible　smells　and　gruesome　sights　which　here　met　him　at　every

turn。



The　dog's　loving　heart　used　to　grow　sick　with　it　all；　and　he

longed　unspeakably　for　home。　But　he　was　a　gallant　soldier；　and　he

did　his　work　not　only　well；　but　with　a　snap　and　a　dash　and　an

almost　uncanny　intelligence　which　made　him　an　idol　to　the　men。



Presently；　now；　having　eaten　all　he　wanted　and　having　been　patted

and　talked　to　until　he　craved　solitude；　Bruce　strolled　ever　to　an

empty　dugout；　curled　up　on　a　torn　blanket　there；　put　his　nose

between　his　white　paws　and　went　to　sleep。



The　German　artillery…fire　had　swelled　from　an　occasional

explosion　to　a　ceaseless　roar；　that　made　the　ground　vibrate　and

heave；　and　that　beat　on　the　eardrums　with　nauseating　iterance。

But　it　did　not　bother　Bruce。　For　months　he　had　been　used　to　this

sort　of　annoyance；　and　he　had　learned　to　sleep　snugly　through　it

all。



Meanwhile；　outside　his　dugout；　life　was　speeding　up　at　a　dizzying

rate。　The　German　artillery　had　sprung　to　sudden　and　wholesale

activity。　Far　to　the　right　of　the　Here…We…Come　regiment's

trenches　a　haze　had　begun　to　crawl　along　the　ground　and　to　send

snaky　tendrils　high　in　air…tendrils　that　blended　into　a　single

grayish…green　wall　as　they　moved　forward。　The　hazewall's　gray…

green　was　shot　by　yellow　and　purple　tinges　as　the　sun's　weak　rays

touched　it。　To　the　left　of　the　Here…We…Comes；　and　then　in　front

of　them；　appeared　the　same　wall　of　billowing　gas。



The　Here…We…Comes　were　ready　for　it　with　their　hastily　donned

masks。　But　there　was　no　need　of　the　precaution。　By　one　of　the

sudden　windfreaks　so　common　in　the　story　of　the　war；　the　gas…

cloud　was　cleft　in　two　by　a　swirling　breeze；　and　it　rolled　dankly

on；　to　right　and　left；　leaving　the　central　trenches　clear。



Now；　an　artillery　barrage；　accompanied　or　followed　by　a　gas…

demonstration；　can　mean　but　one　thing：　a　general　attack。

Therefore　telephonic　word　came　to　the　detachments　to　left　and

right　of　the　Here…We…Comes；　to　fall　back；　under　cover　of　the　gas…

cloud；　to　safer　positions。　Two　dogs　were　sent；　with　the　same

order；　to　the　Here…We…Comes。　（One　of　the　dogs　was　gassed。　A　bit

of　shrapnel　found　the　other。）



Thus　it　was　that　the　Here…We…Comes　were　left　alone　（though　they

did　not　know　it）；　to　hold　the　position；with　no　support　on

either　side；　and　with　a　mere　handful　of　men　wherewith　to　stem　the

impending　rush。



On　the　heels　of　the　dispersing　gas…cloud；　and　straight　across　the

half…mile　or　less　of　broken　ground；　came　a　line　of　gray。　In　five

successive　waves；　according　to　custom；　the　boches　charged。　Each

wave　hurled　itself　forward　as　fast　as　efficiency　would　let　it；　in

face　of　the　opposing　fire；　and　as　far　as　human　endurance　would　be

goaded。　Then　it　went　down；　and　its　survivors　attached　themselves

to　the　succeeding　wave。



Hence；　by　the　time　the　fifth　and　mightiest　wave　got　into　motion；

it　was　swelled　by　the　survivors　of　all　four　of　its　predecessors

and　was　an　all…but…resistless　mass　of　shouting　and　running　men。



The　rifles　and　machine…guns　of　the　Here…We…Comes　played　merrily

into　the　advancing　gray　swarms；　stopping　wave　after　wave；　and　at

last　checking　the　fifth　and　〃master〃　wave　almost　at　the　very

brink　of　the　Franco…American　parapet。



〃That's　how　they　do！〃　Mahan　pantingly　explained　to　a　rather　shaky

newcomer；　as　the　last　wave　fell　back。　〃They　count　on　numbers　and

bullrushes　to　get　them　there。　If　they'd　had　ten　thousand　men；　in

that　rush；　instead　of　five　thousand；　they'd　have　got　us。　And　if

they　had　twice　as　many　men　in　their　whole　army　as　they　have；

they'd　win　this　war。　But　praise　be；　they　haven't　twice　as　many！

That　is　one　of　the　fifty…seven　reasons　why　the　Allies　are　going

to　lick　Germany。〃



Mahan　talked　jubilantly。　The　same　jubilation　ran　all　along　the

line　of　victors。　But　the　colonel　and　his　staff　were　not

rejoicing。　They　had　just　learned　of　the　withdrawal　of　the　forces

to　either　side　of　them；　and　they　knew　they　themselves　could　not

hope　to　stand　against　a　second　and　larger　charge。



Such　a　charge　the　enemy　were　certain　to　make。　The　Germans；　too；

must　soon　learn　of　the　defection　of　the　supports。　It　was　now　only

a　question　of　an　hour　or　less　before　a　charge　with　a　double…

enveloping　movement　would　surround　and　bag　the　Here…We…Comes；

catching　the　whole　regiment　in　an　inescapable　trap。



To　fall　back；　now；　up　that　long　bare　hillside；　under　full　fire　of

the　augmented　German　artillery；　would　mean　a　decimating　of　the

entire　command。　The　Here…We…Comes　could　not　retreat。　They　could

not　hope　to　hold　their　ground。　The　sole　chance　for　life　lay　in

the　arrival　of　strong　reenforcements　from　the　rear；　to　help　them

hold　the　trenches　until　night；　or　to　man　the　supporting

positions。　Reserves　were　within　easy　striking　distance。　But；　as

happened　so　many　times　in　the　war；　there　was　no　routine　way　to

summon　them　in　time。



It　was　the　chance　sight　of　a　crumpled　message　lying　on　his

dugout…table　that　reminded　the　colonel　of　Bruce's　existence　and

of　his　presence　in　the　front　trench。　It　was　a　matter　of　thirty

seconds　for　the　colonel　to　scrawl　an　urgent　appeal　and　a　brief

statement　of　conditions。　Almost　as　soon　as　the　note　was　ready；　an

orderly　appeared　at　the　dugout　entrance；　convoying　the　newly

awakened　Bruce。



The　all…important　message　was　fastened　in　place。　The　colonel

himself　went　to　the　edge　of　the　traverse；　and　with　his　own　arms

lifted　the　eighty…pound　collie　to　the　top。



There　was　tenderness　as　well　as　strength　in　the　lifting　arms。　As

he　set　Bruce　down　on　the　brink；　the　colonel　said；　as　if　speaking

to　a　fellow…human：



〃I　hate　to　do　it；　old　chap。　I　HATE　to！　There　isn't　one　chance　in

three　of　your　getting　all　the　way　up　the　hill　alive。　But　there

wouldn't　be　one　chance　in　a　hundred；　for　a　MAN。　The