Page:Poet Lore, volume 27, 1916.djvu/390

 yard.) It’s a veritable fortress (To ) you are in our regiment, Moravian—it scratched you.

Vichodil.—A little bit, brother; it caught me in here in the leg.

Vonka.—This reminds me of the story they tell in our regiment. There are a few old fellows there who served in Italy in the 59th. It was just like this grave-yard. A single company of our men held back a whole regiment of the enemy of French Zouaves. (He stands undecided whether to leave or remain—a cannon shot—he turns a little and listens attentively.)

Vichodil (The removal of his clothes is causing him pain).—Oh! Oh!

Vonka.—It scratched you thoroughly, brother—here my shirt is clean if you want it for a bandage.

Vichodil.—I have one—myself—it is not so bad. It’s just bleeding a bit.

Vonka.—It ought to be washed out; we’ll get some water here. (A momentary pause.) (A shot— is startled.)

Havlin (Quickly).—At the village there to the left—back of these trees—or at least in a farm house.

( looks at him, then steps upon a grave, looks over the wall. He does not say a word, but intently watches the highway, suddenly laughter seizes him.)

Havlin (Has quickly moved near him).—He fell over his scabbard

Vonka (Pays no attention to, turns to . He is nervous, the following is said nervously and brokenly).—You charged all right—I watched you but I knew you were lost when you passed that wood. When a fellow is in it he does not know anything—but we were lying down and we saw you when you ran to the woods with a “hurrah.” We could have shot you down, every single one of you. To let you charge from that wood—the man who led you was stupid—there was fire to the right and left and Prussians—I bet a whole corps—and they were all supported—and then you fellows charge across the bare field. Now picture it. You were like playing schoolboys rolling on the ground and all about you was torn smoke—Oh, it was funny—very funny—and our boys were all on pins and needles, we wanted to be right in it. Our major, he stood there watching it—then he turned to us—I could not watch it any longer so I counted the nervous twitches of the major’s moustache—I tell you, like a bunch of boys rolling around in smoke—and then we started.