on the firing line-第23部分

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〃Paddy；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃these　toys　are　excellent　toys。　If　anything　should　happen　to　me；　I'll　will　them　to　you。〃

Paddy　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　drew　out　his　own　nightcap　and　dangled　it　by　its　khaki…colored　tip。

〃And　look　at　it！〃　he　said　slowly。　〃The　spirit　is　willing　and　full　of　peace；　but　what　would　I　be　doing　with　that　thing；　I　who　never　had　a　hat　on　my　head　till　I　was　ten　years　old；　let　alone　a　cap？〃

〃Wrap　your　feet　in　it；　then；〃　Carew　suggested。　〃It's　large　enough　for　them　both。　Paddy；　who　eats　at　your　ant…hill？〃

The　little　Irishman　winked　knowingly。

〃Them　as　invites　theirselves；　first　off。　If　it's　you　and　Mr。　Weldon；　so　much　the　better　for　Paddy。　The　rum　ration　is　doubled；　the　day；　knowing　the　habits　of　you　both；　I'm　thinking　I　see　my　way　to　getting　six　times　gloriously　drunk。　There's　beer　by　the　hogshead；　too。　It'll　be　a　mighty　Christmas　dinner；　the　first　in　years　I've　eaten　without　cooking。〃

〃You　generally　eat　it　raw？〃　Carew　questioned　blandly。

〃Praised　be　Patrick；　no；　but　it's　Paddy　who　has　done　the　cooking。　This　year；　I　am　free　from　my　pots　and　kettles；　and　can　eat　with　the　best　of　them。　Little　Canuck　dear；　don't　ever　enlist　as　a　cook。　Nothing　spoils　the　stomach　of　you　like　the　smell　of　the　warming　broth。〃

〃You　like　the　change；　then；　Paddy？〃　Weldon　asked；　as　he　thriftily　packed　up　his　parcel　and　stowed　it　away　in　his　pocket；　with　an　eye　to　the　gratitude　of　Kruger　Bobs。

〃Like；　is　it？　I　rejoice　greatly　and　shout；　as　the　Book　bids　us。　It's　a　man's　work　I'm　doing　now；　it's　with　men　that　I　am　doing　that　work；　and　it's　a　man　who　leads　me　on　to　do　that　work；　meaning　Captain　Frazer。〃

〃Where　is　the　Captain　now？〃

Paddy　dropped　down　on　the　ground；　midway　between　his　friends　and　his　ant…hill。

〃Over　yonder；　doing　the　work　of　an　honest　man　and　a　warrior。〃

〃That　goes　without　saying。　What　now？〃

But　Paddy　chose　to　speak　in　metaphors。

〃He's　thrown　down　his　sword　and　picked　up　his　bottle；〃　he　responded　enigmatically。

〃Not　drinking？〃　Weldon　asked　incredulously。

〃No；　little　one；　not　doing；　but　doing　by。　He's　administering　advice　and　physic　to　them　cormyrants　of　Queenslanders。　The　Colonials　are　a　hard　race　to　manage　and　a　greedy。〃　Paddy　spoke　with　an　accent　of　extreme　disfavor。

〃What　have　the　poor　Queenslanders　done？〃

〃Poor　it　is；　not　poor　in　spirit；　but　poor　in　judgment。　They've　converted　the　top　course　of　their　dinner　into　the　bottom　course　of　their　breakfast；　and　now　they're　suffering　according。　Next　time；　when　their　kyind　officers　order　them　up；　each　a　little　Crosse　and　Blackwell　plum　pudding；　they'll　know　enough　to　eat　them　up　hot　on　a　full　stomach；　not　bolt　them　down　cold　on　top　of　a　lone　layer　of　dog…　bread。　Man　is　permitted　to　make　such　errors　but　once　in　his　life；　without　having　Providence　get　after　him　and　slay　him。　Little　Canuck？〃　〃Paddy？〃

〃The　top　of　the　ant…hill　is　white　with　heat；　and　the　lambie　must　enter　the　roasting　tomb。　Will　you　and　Mr。　Carew　eat　with　me？〃

〃We've　no　intention　of　eating　anywhere　else；　Paddy。　We　know　your　cooking　of　old。〃

〃It's　an　honor　you'll　be　doing　me；　then。　And；　moreover〃　Paddy　hesitated；　with　the　words　sticking　to　his　lips。

〃What　now？〃

〃Think　you　the　CaptainI　mean　the　Adjutant；　but　he'll　always　be　the　Captain　to　mewould　he　take　it　amiss；　think　you；　little　one；　if　I　sent　him　a　bit　of　the　joint；　for　the　sake　of　old　times？　He'll　like　be　eating　truffled　ostrich　and　locust　sauce　at　the　mess；　but　Paddy'd　like　to　have　a　hand　in　his　Christmas　dinner。　It's　all　I　can　do　for　him；　and　he's　done　much　for　me。〃

〃Try　him　and　see；　Paddy；〃　Weldon　advised。　〃If　I　know　Captain　Frazer；　he'll　have　nothing　to…day　that　will　please　him　more。〃

With　feasting　and　story…telling　and　the　inevitable　letters　to　wife　and　sweetheart；　the　sunshiny　day　lost　itself　in　twilight　and　the　twilight　in　the　chill　of　night。　Along　the　line　of　the　blockhouses　for　miles　away；　lights　began　to　twinkle　out　from　the　narrow　loopholes。　Throughout　the　camp；　answering　lights　twinkled　back　at　them　till　the　night　was　spotted　thick　with　dots　of　yellow；　winking　up　at　the　yellow　stars　above。　And　around　the　camp　and　the　blockhouses　lay　the　dark；　measureless　veldt；　and　the　veldt　was　very　still。

Stillness　was　not　in　the　camp；　however。　Even　the　gluttonous　Queenslanders　had　recovered　from　their　woes　of　the　morning；　and；　from　end　to　end　of　the　great　enclosure；　there　was　a　spirit　of　merrymaking　born　of　the　feast　day；　the　dinner　and　the　unwonted　allowance　of　rum。　In　the　groups　scattered　about　the　camp　fires；　tongues　wagged　freely　of　home；　of　boyhood；　of　adventures　in　past　years。　War　talk　was　tabooed　that　night。　According　to　his　custom；　Tommy　ignored　the　present　and　ranged　at　large　over　the　remote　past　and　yet　remoter　future。

Carew；　with　the　easy　adaptability　which　marked　him；　was　the　central　figure　of　one　of　the　groups　where　he　acted　as　a　species　of　toastmaster；　to　direct　the　trend　of　the　stories　and　lead　the　singing。　Weldon　sat　slightly　apart；　watching　the　firelit　group　before　him；　while　his　mind　trailed　lazily　to　and　fro；　from　home；　with　its　holly　wreaths　in　the　windows；　to　Cape　Town　where　the　flower…boxes　edging　a　wide　veranda　would　be　a　mass　of　geranium　blossoms　now；　and　where；　in　the　shady　western　end；　would　sit　a　tall　girl　with　hair　the　color　of　the　yellow　flame。　Strangely　enough；　to　his　honest；　straightforward　mind　it　never　occurred　to　doubt　that　she　was　thinking　of　him；　sending　a　Christmas　wish　in　his　direction。　More　than　once　she　had　given　proof　of　her　liking　for　him；　her　interest　in　his　concerns。　Her　blue　eyes　had　met　his　eyes　steadily；　kindly。　Weldon　had　certain　old…fashioned　notions　of　womanhood　which　not　all　of　his　social　life　had　been　able　to　beat　out　of　him。　Far　back　in　his　boyhood；　his　mother；　still　a　social　leader　at　home；　had　told　him　it　was　unmanly　to　flirt。　A　good　and　loyal　woman　would　have　no　share　in　flirtation；　women　of　the　other　sort　could　have　no　share　in　his　life。　Weldon　was　no　Galahad。　He　had　danced　and　dined　with　many　women；　had　given　sympathy　to　some；　chaff　to　others；　nevertheless；　his　relations　with　them　had　been　curiously　direct　and　simple。　Quite　unconsciously　to　himself；　his　mother's　code　had　become　ingrained　in　the　very　fibre　of　his　being。　And　now　he　was　ready　to　stand　or　fall　by　his　judgment　that　Ethel　Dent；　Cooee　as　he　called　her　in　his　secret　heart；　was　as　good　and　loyal　as　a　woman　could　be。　The　future　seemed　to　him　so　obvious　that　he　made　no　effort　to　forecast　it。　He　was　content　to　wait。

〃Christmas　is　nearly　over；　Weldon。〃

He　roused　himself　abruptly；　as　Captain　Frazer　dropped　down　at　his　side。

〃Yes；　but　the　revel　will　outlast　the　day；〃　he　answered；　laughing。　〃Tommy　is　in　his　glory　now；　and　it　will　take　more　than　taps　to　make　him　subside。〃

〃Perhaps。　He　has　rioted　most　joyously。　Christmas　has　been　no　empty　mockery　to　him。〃　Weldon's　quick　ear　detected　a　ring　of　melancholy　in　the　Captain's　voice。

〃Has　it　to　you？〃

The　Captain　sat　silent　for　a　moment；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　winking　fires。

〃Not　really。　Of　course；　we　all　have　been　a　bit　homesick；　and　I　can　see　no　shame　in　confessing　it。　Besides；　after　one　gets　out　of　his　windsor…tie　stage　of　life；　these　especial　holidays　seem　to　mark　time　so。　One　thinks　back　to　this　time；　last　year；　and　one　has　to　wonder　a　bit　where　he　will　be；　a　year　from　now。　A　good　deal　can　happen　in　a　year。〃

〃For　better；　or　for　worse；〃　Weldon　added。

The　words　caught　the　Captain's　ear。

〃Yes；　for　better　or　for　worse；〃　he　repeated；　〃in　sickness　and　in　health。　A　year　is　a　long　time。　Tell　me；　have　you　heard　lately　from　Miss　Dent？〃

Long　afterwards；　the　question　came　back　to　Weldon；　with　the　obvious　association　of　ideas。　Now　he　answered；　with　perfect　unconcern；

〃Not　for　three　or　four　weeks。〃

〃I　have　heard　since　you；　then。　She　wrote；　last　week；　and　sent　greeting　to　you　and　Mr。　Carew。〃

〃Thank　you。　Give　mine　back　to　her；　that　is；　if　you　are　writing。〃

〃I　shall　write；　to…night；〃　the　Captain　said　briefly。

〃Then　please　send　her　my　wishes　for　Christmas　and　New　Year's　both。　You　might　also　remind　her　to　write　to　me。　She　writes　wonderfully　good　letters。〃　Turning　his　eyes　from　the　fire；　the　Captain　watched　him　steadily　for　a　moment。　Unconscious　of　his　companion's　gaze；　Weldon　was　staring　out　across　the　camp；　his　lips　framed　to　a　noiseless　whistling；　his　face　full　of　dreamy　content。　The　Captain　studied　the　happy；　resolute　young　face；　drew　a　deep　breath　and　then　turned　to　the　fire　once　more。

〃Yes；〃　he　assented。　〃But　you　would　know　that；　from　hearing　her　talk。〃

Suddenly；　Weldon's　lips　straightened；　and　he　faced　the　Captain　directly。

〃I　like　Miss　Dent；〃　he　said　frankly。　〃Of　course；　you　know　that。　But；　moreover；　I　have　always　felt　I　owed　her　a　debt　of　gratitude　for　introducing　me　to　you。　I　know　one　doesn't　usually　say　such　things；　Captain　Frazer；〃　he　laughed；　in　sudden　boyish　embarrassment；　〃but　it　is　a　little　different　on　Christmas　night；　you　know。　Next　year；　we　may　be　miles　apart；　and　so；　if　you　don't　mind；　I'd　like　to　say　that　you　have　been　wonderfully　good　to　me；　this　year；　and　that　I　appreciate　it。〃

Captain　Frazer　took　the　outstretched　hand；　slim；　but　hard　now；　and　a　bit　stubby　about　the　nails。

〃Thank　you；　Weldon；〃　he　answered。　〃This　may　be　our　only　Christmas　together；　and　I　am　glad　you　told　me。〃

The　silence　about　them　was　broken　by　the　voices　of　the　soldiers　singing　around　the　camp　fires　and　by　the　bagpipes　playing　somewhere　across　the　distance。　Then；　after　a　little；　they　fell　to　talking　of　other　things；　with　the　natural　antipathy　of　healthy　men　to　any　recurrence　of　a　momentary　outburst　of　sentiment。

Around　them；　the　fires　flared　and　flamed　across　the　darkness；　beyond　them；　the　veldt　stretched　away；　sinister；　mysterious；　and　from　above　the　stars　twinkled　down　upon　them；　smiling　a　Christmas　blessing　alike　on　those　who　were　doomed　to　glory　and　those　who　were　doomed　to　death。　For　an　instant；　the　sudden　pause　in　the　singing　and　laughter　seemed　typical　of　the　short；　sudden　pause　in　their　active　lives。　Then；　as　the　Captain　rose；　the　singing　broke　out　once　more；　Carew's　voice　leading。

〃Good…night；　Weldon。　I　must　go　back　to　my　quarters。〃

〃And　to　your　letters？〃

〃Yes；　to　my　letters。　And　may　next　Christmas　be　good　to　us　both！〃

Weldon　rose　and　saluted；　then　stood　looking　after　his　companion　as