"What news from the front, sergeant?" asked one of the Land Transport
Corps, a new comer.
"Nothing much on our side, except that they say there will be a new
bombardment in a few days. But the French, were pretty busy last
night, to judge from the firing."
"What was it?"
"Perhaps our friend here can tell you" and he turned to Anatole,
asking the question in French.
"A glorious affair, truly!" replied the Frenchman, delighted to have
an opportunity of launching out.
"I was there--I, who speak to you."
"Tell us about it," said Hyde; "I will interpret it to these
gentlemen."
"The Russians, you must understand, have been forming ambuscades in
front of our bastion Du Mat, which have given us infinite trouble.
Last night we attacked them in three columns, 10,000 strong, and drove
them out."
"Well done!"
"It was splendidly done!" went on Anatole, bombastically. "Three times
the enemy tried to retake their ambuscades; three times we beat them
back at the point of the bayonet, so!"
And the excitable Frenchman jumped from his seat and went through the
pantomime of charging with the bayonet.
"You lost many men?"
"Thousands. What matter? we have many more to come. The Imperial Guard
has landed, and the reserve, are at Constantinople."
"Yes, and there are the 'Sardines,'" said another pointing to the new
uniform.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260