round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第5章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
goodish way you've come；〃 said he at last。 〃Likely the stage left
yesternight。〃
〃The what； uncle？〃
〃The coach that brought you。〃
〃Nay； I came by the mornin' train。〃
〃Lor； now； think o' that！ You ain't afeard o' those newfangled things！
By Jimini； to think of you comin' by railroad like that！ What's the world
a… comin' to！〃
There was silence for some minutes while Norah sat stirring her tea
and glancing sideways at the bluish lips and champing jaws of her
companion。
〃You must have seen a deal o' life； uncle；〃 said she。 〃It must seem a
long； long time to you！〃
〃Not so very long neither。 I'm ninety； come Candlemas； but it don't
seem long since I took the bounty。 And that battle； it might have been
yesterday。 Eh； but I get a power o' good from my rations！〃 He did
indeed look less worn and colourless than when she first saw him。 His
face was flushed and his back more erect。
〃Have you read that？〃 he asked； jerking his head towards the cutting。
〃Yes； uncle； and I'm sure you must be proud of it。〃
20
… Page 21…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃Ah； it was a great day for me！ A great day！ The Regent was there；
and a fine body of a man too！ ‘The ridgment is proud of you；' says he。
‘And I'm proud of the ridgment；' say I。 ‘A damned good answer too！'
says he to Lord Hill； and they both bu'st out a…laughin'。 But what be you
a…peepin' out o' the window for？〃
〃Oh； uncle； here's a regiment of soldiers coming down the street with
the band playing in front of them。〃
〃A ridgment； eh？ Where be my glasses？ Lor； but I can hear the
band； as plain as plain！ Here's the pioneers an' the drum…major！ What
be their number； lass？〃 His eyes were shining and his bony yellow
fingers； like the claws of some fierce old bird； dug into her shoulder。
〃They don't seem to have no number； uncle。 They've something
wrote on their shoulders。 Oxfordshire； I think it be。〃
〃Ah； yes！〃 he growled。 〃I heard as they'd dropped the numbers and
given them newfangled names。 There they go； by Jimini！ They're
young mostly； but they hain't forgot how to march。 They have the swing…
aye； I'll say that for them。 They've got the swing。〃 He gazed after them
until the last files had turned the corner and the measured tramp of their
marching had died away in the distance。
He had just regained his chair when the door opened and a gentleman
stepped in。
〃Ah； Mr。 Brewster！ Better to…day？〃 he asked。
〃Come in； doctor！ Yes； I'm better。 But there's a deal o' bubbling in
my chest。 It's all them toobes。 If I could but cut the phlegm； I'd be right。
Can't you give me something to cut the phlegm？〃
The doctor； a grave…faced young man； put his fingers to the furrowed；
blue…corded wrist。
〃You must be careful；〃 he said。 〃You must take no liberties。〃 The
thin tide of life seemed to thrill rather than to throb under his finger。
The old man chuckled。
〃I've got brother Jarge's girl to look after me now。 She'll see I don't
break barracks or do what I hadn't ought to。 Why； darn my skin； I knew
something was amiss！
〃With what？〃
21
… Page 22…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃Why； with them soldiers。 You saw them pass； doctoreh？ They'd
forgot their stocks。 Not one on 'em had his stock on。〃 He croaked and
chuckled for a long time over his discovery。 〃It wouldn't ha' done for the
Dook！〃 he muttered。 〃No； by Jimini！ the Dook would ha' had a word
there。〃
The doctor smiled。 〃Well； you are doing very well；〃 said he。 〃I'll
look in once a week or so； and see how you are。〃 As Norah followed him
to the door； he beckoned her outside。
〃He is very weak；〃 he whispered。 〃If you find him failing you must
send for me。〃
〃What ails him； doctor？〃
〃Ninety years ails him。 His arteries are pipes of lime。 His heart is
shrunken and flabby。 The man is worn out。〃
Norah stood watching the brisk figure of the young doctor； and
pondering over these new responsibilities which had come upon her。
When she turned a tall； brown…faced artilleryman； with the three gold
chevrons of sergeant upon his arm； was standing； carbine in hand； at her
elbow。
〃Good…morning； miss；〃 said he； raising one thick finger to his jaunty；
yellow…banded cap。 〃I b'lieve there's an old gentleman lives here of the
name of Brewster； who was engaged in the battle o' Waterloo？〃
〃It's my granduncle； sir；〃 said Norah； casting down her eyes before the
keen； critical gaze of the young soldier。 〃He is in the front parlour。〃
〃Could I have a word with him； miss？ I'll call again if it don't chance
to be convenient。〃
〃I am sure that he would be very glad to see you； sir。 He's in here； if
you'll step in。 Uncle； here's a gentleman who wants to speak with you。〃
〃Proud to see you； sirproud and glad； sir；〃 cried the sergeant； taking
three steps forward into the room； and grounding his carbine while he
raised his hand； palm forwards； in a salute。 Norah stood by the door；
with her mouth and eyes open； wondering if her granduncle had ever； in
his prime； looked like this magnificent creature； and whether he； in his
turn； would ever come to resemble her granduncle。
The old man blinked up at his visitor； and shook his head slowly。 〃Sit
22
… Page 23…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
ye down； sergeant；〃 said he； pointing with his stick to a chair。 〃You're
full young for the stripes。 Lordy； it's easier to get three now than one in
my day。 Gunners were old soldiers then and the grey hairs came quicker
than the three stripes。〃
〃I am eight years' service； sir；〃 cried the sergeant。 〃Macdonald is my
nameSergeant Macdonald； of H Battery； Southern Artillery Division。 I
have called as the spokesman of my mates at the gunner's barracks to say
that we are proud to have you in the town； sir。〃
Old Brewster chuckled and rubbed his bony hands。 〃That were what
the Regent said；〃 he cried。 〃‘The ridgment is proud of ye；' says he。
‘And I am proud of the ridgment；' says I。 ‘And a damned good answer
too；' says he； and he and Lord Hill bu'st out a… laughin'。〃
〃The non…commissioned mess would be proud and honoured to see
you； sir；〃 said Sergeant Macdonald； 〃and if you could step as far you'll
always find a pipe o' baccy and a glass o' grog a…waitin' you。〃
The old man laughed until he coughed。 〃Like to see me； would they？
The dogs！〃 said he。 〃Well； well； when the warm weather comes again I'll
maybe drop in。 Too grand for a canteen； eh？ Got your mess just the
same as the orficers。 What's the world a… comin' to at all！〃
〃You was in the line； sir； was you not？〃 asked the sergeant respectfully。
〃The line？〃 cried the old man； with shrill scorn。 〃Never wore a shako
in my life。 I am a guardsman； I am。 Served in the Third Guardsthe
same they call now the Scots Guards。 Lordy； but they have all marched
awayevery man of themfrom old Colonel Byng down to the drummer
boys； and here am I a stragglerthat's what I am； sergeant； a straggler！
I'm here when I ought to be there。 But it ain't my fault neither； for I'm
ready to fall in when the word comes。〃
〃We've all got to muster there；〃 answered the sergeant。 〃Won't you
try my baccy； sir？〃 handing over a sealskin pouch。
Old Brewster drew a blackened clay pipe from his pocket； and began
to stuff the tobacco into the bowl。 In an instant it slipped through his
fingers； and was broken to pieces on the floor。 His lip quivered； his nose
puckered up； and he began crying with the long； helpless sobs of a child。
〃I've broke my pipe；〃 he cried。
23
… Page 24…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
〃Don't； uncle； oh； don't！〃 cried Norah； bending over him； and patting
his white head as one soothes a baby。 〃It don't matter。 We can easy get
another。〃
〃Don't you fret yourself； sir；〃 said the sergeant。 〃'Ere's a wooden pipe
with an amber mouth； if you'll do me the honour to accept it from me。 I'd
be real glad if you will take it。〃
〃Jimini！〃 cried he； his smiles breaking in an instant through his tears。
〃It's a fine pipe。 See to my new pipe； Norah。 I lay that Jarge never had
a pipe like that。 You've got your firelock there； sergeant？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I was on my way back from the butts when I looked in。〃
〃Let me have the feel of it。 Lordy； but it seems like old times to have
one's hand on a musket。 What's the manual； sergeant； eh？ Cock your
firelocklook to your primingpresent your firelockeh； sergeant？ Oh；
Jimini； I've broke your musket in halves！〃
〃That's all right； sir；〃 cried the gunner laughing。 〃You pressed on the
lever and opened the breech…piece。 That's where we load 'em； you
know。〃
〃Load 'em at the wrong end！ Well； well； to think o' that！ And no
ramrod neither！ I've heard tell of it； but I never believed it afore。 Ah！ it
won't come up to brown Bess。 When there's work to be done； you mark
my word and see if they don't come back to brown Bess。〃
〃By the Lord； sir！〃 cried the sergeant hotly； 〃they need some change
out in South Africa now。 I see by this mornin's paper that the
Government has knuckled under to these Boers。 They're hot about it at
