首页 >出版文学> The Works of Rudyard Kipling One>第15章
  Iwentintoapublic-’ousetogetapinto’beer,Thepublican’eupan’sez,“Weservenored-coatshere。”
  Thegirlsbe’indthebartheylaughedan’giggledfittodie,Ioutsintothestreetagainan’tomyselfsezI:
  Oit’sTommythis,an’Tommythat,an’“Tommy,goaway“;
  Butit’s“Thankyou,MisterAtkins“,whenthebandbeginstoplay,Thebandbeginstoplay,myboys,thebandbeginstoplay,Oit’s“Thankyou,MisterAtkins“,whenthebandbeginstoplay。
  Iwentintoatheatreassoberascouldbe,Theygaveadrunkcivilianroom,but’adn’tnoneforme;
  Theysentmetothegalleryorroundthemusic-’alls,Butwhenitcomestofightin’,Lord!they’llshovemeinthestalls!
  Forit’sTommythis,an’Tommythat,an’“Tommy,waitoutside“;
  Butit’s“SpecialtrainforAtkins“whenthetrooper’sonthetide,Thetroopship’sonthetide,myboys,thetroopship’sonthetide,Oit’s“SpecialtrainforAtkins“whenthetrooper’sonthetide。
  Yes,makin’mocko’uniformsthatguardyouwhileyousleepIscheaperthanthemuniforms,an’they’restarvationcheap;
  An’hustlin’drunkensoldierswhenthey’regoin’largeabitIsfivetimesbetterbusinessthanparadin’infullkit。
  Thenit’sTommythis,an’Tommythat,an’“Tommy,’ow’syersoul?”
  Butit’s“Thinredlineof’eroes“whenthedrumsbegintoroll,Thedrumsbegintoroll,myboys,thedrumsbegintoroll,Oit’s“Thinredlineof’eroes“whenthedrumsbegintoroll。
  Wearen’tnothinred’eroes,norwearen’tnoblackguardstoo,Butsinglemeninbarricks,mostremarkablelikeyou;
  An’ifsometimesourconduckisn’tallyourfancypaints,Why,singlemeninbarricksdon’tgrowintoplastersaints;
  Whileit’sTommythis,an’Tommythat,an’“Tommy,fallbe’ind“,Butit’s“Pleasetowalkinfront,sir“,whenthere’stroubleinthewind,There’stroubleinthewind,myboys,there’stroubleinthewind,Oit’s“Pleasetowalkinfront,sir“,whenthere’stroubleinthewind。
  Youtalko’betterfoodforus,an’schools,an’fires,an’all:
  We’llwaitforextryrationsifyoutreatusrational。
  Don’tmessaboutthecook-roomslops,butproveittoourfaceTheWidow’sUniformisnotthesoldier-man’sdisgrace。
  Forit’sTommythis,an’Tommythat,an’“Chuckhimout,thebrute!”
  Butit’s“Saviourof’iscountry“whenthegunsbegintoshoot;
  An’it’sTommythis,an’Tommythat,an’anythingyouplease;
  An’Tommyain’tabloomin’fool——youbetthatTommysees!
  FUZZY-WUZZY
  SoudanExpeditionaryForce
  We’vefoughtwithmanymenacrosttheseas,An’someof’emwasbravean’somewasnot:
  ThePaythanan’theZuluan’Burmese;
  ButtheFuzzywasthefinesto’thelot。
  Wenevergotaha’porth’schangeof’im:
  ’Esquattedinthescruban’’ockedour’orses,’EcutoursentriesupatSuakim,An’’eplayedthecatan’banjowithourforces。
  So’ere’stoyou,Fuzzy-Wuzzy,atyour’omeintheSoudan;
  You’reaporebenighted’eathenbutafirst-classfightin’man;
  Wegivesyouyourcertificate,an’ifyouwantitsignedWe’llcomean’’avearompwithyouwheneveryou’reinclined。
  WetookourchanstamongtheKhyber’ills,TheBoersknockedussillyatamile,TheBurmangiveusIrriwaddychills,An’aZuluimpidishedusupinstyle:
  ButallweevergotfromsuchastheyWaspoptowhattheFuzzymadeusswaller;
  We’eldourbloomin’own,thepaperssay,ButmanformantheFuzzyknockedus’oller。
  Then’ere’stoyou,Fuzzy-Wuzzy,an’themissisandthekid;
  Ourorderswastobreakyou,an’ofcoursewewentan’did。
  WesloshedyouwithMartinis,an’itwasn’t’ardlyfair;
  Butforalltheoddsagin’you,Fuzzy-Wuz,youbrokethesquare。
  ’E’asn’tgotnopapersof’isown,’E’asn’tgotnomedalsnorrewards,Sowemustcertifytheskill’e’sshownInusin’of’islongtwo-’andedswords:
  When’e’s’oppin’inan’outamongthebushWith’iscoffin-’eadedshieldan’shovel-spear,An’appydaywithFuzzyontherushWilllastan’ealthyTommyforayear。
  So’ere’stoyou,Fuzzy-Wuzzy,an’yourfriendswhicharenomore,Ifwe’adn’tlostsomemessmateswewould’elpyoutodeplore;
  Butgivean’take’sthegospel,an’we’llcallthebargainfair,Forifyou’avelostmorethanus,youcrumpledupthesquare!
  ’Erushesatthesmokewhenweletdrive,An’,beforeweknow,’e’s’ackin’atour’ead;
  ’E’sall’otsandan’gingerwhenalive,An’’e’sgenerallyshammin’when’e’sdead。
  ’E’sadaisy,’e’saducky,’e’salamb!
  ’E’sainjia-rubberidiotonthespree,’E’stheon’ythingthatdoesn’tgiveadamnForaRegimento’BritishInfantree!
  So’ere’stoyou,Fuzzy-Wuzzy,atyour’omeintheSoudan;
  You’reaporebenighted’eathenbutafirst-classfightin’man;
  An’’ere’stoyou,Fuzzy-Wuzzy,withyour’ayrick’eadof’air——
  Youbigblackboundin’beggar——foryoubrokeaBritishsquare!
  SOLDIER,SOLDIER
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,Whydon’tyoumarchwithmytruelove?”
  “We’refreshfromofftheshipan’’e’smaybegivetheslip,An’you’dbestgolookforanewlove。”
  Newlove!Truelove!
  Bestgolookforanewlove,Thedeadtheycannotrise,an’you’dbetterdryyoureyes,An’you’dbestgolookforanewlove。
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,Whatdidyouseeo’mytruelove?”
  “Iseed’imservetheQueeninasuito’rifle-green,An’you’dbestgolookforanewlove。”
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,Didyeseenomoreo’mytruelove?”
  “Iseed’imrunnin’bywhentheshotsbeguntofly——
  Butyou’dbestgolookforanewlove。”
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,Didaughttake’armtomytruelove?”
  “Icouldn’tseethefight,forthesmokeitlaysowhite——
  An’you’dbestgolookforanewlove。”
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,I’llupan’tendtomytruelove!”
  “’E’slyingonthedeadwithabulletthrough’is’ead,An’you’dbestgolookforanewlove。”
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,I’lldownan’diewithmytruelove!”
  “Thepitwedug’ll’ide’iman’thetwentymenbeside’im——
  An’you’dbestgolookforanewlove。”
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,Doyoubringnosignfrommytruelove?”
  “Ibringalockof’airthat’eallususedtowear,An’you’dbestgolookforanewlove。”
  “Soldier,soldiercomefromthewars,OthenIknowit’strueI’velostmytruelove!”
  “An’Itellyoutruthagain——whenyou’velostthefeelo’painYou’dbesttakemeforyourtruelove。”
  Truelove!Newlove!
  Besttake’imforanewlove,Thedeadtheycannotrise,an’you’dbetterdryyoureyes,An’you’dbesttake’imforyourtruelove。
  SCREW-GUNS
  Smokin’mypipeonthemountings,sniffin’themornin’cool,Iwalksinmyoldbrowngaitersalongo’myoldbrownmule,Withseventygunnersbe’indme,an’neverabeggarforgetsIt’sonlythepickoftheArmythathandlesthedearlittlepets——’Tss!’Tss!
  Foryoualllovethescrew-guns——thescrew-gunstheyallloveyou!
  Sowhenwecallroundwithafewguns,o’courseyouwillknowwhattodo——hoo!hoo!
  JestsendinyourChiefan’surrender——
  it’sworseifyoufightsoryouruns:
  Youcangowhereyouplease,youcanskidupthetrees,butyoudon’tgetawayfromtheguns!
  Theysendsusalongwheretheroadsare,butmostlywegoeswheretheyain’t:
  We’dclimbupthesideofasign-boardan’trusttothesticko’thepaint:
  We’vechiviedtheNagaan’Looshai,we’vegivetheAfreedeemanfits,Forwefanciesourselvesattwothousand,wegunsthatarebuiltintwobits——’Tss!’Tss!
  Foryoualllovethescrew-guns。
  Ifamandoesn’twork,why,wedrills’iman’teaches’im’owtobehave;
  Ifabeggarcan’tmarch,why,wekills’iman’rattles’iminto’isgrave。
  You’vegottostanduptoourbusinessan’springwithoutsnatchin’
  orfuss。
  D’yousaythatyousweatwiththefield-guns?
  ByGod,youmustlatherwithus——’Tss!’Tss!
  Foryoualllovethescrew-guns。
  Theeaglesisscreamin’aroundus,theriver’sa-moanin’below,We’reclearo’thepinean’theoak-scrub,we’reoutontherocksan’thesnow,An’thewindisasthinasawhip-lashwhatcarriesawaytotheplainsTherattlean’stampo’thelead-mules——
  thejinglety-jinko’thechains——’Tss!’Tss!
  Foryoualllovethescrew-guns。
  There’sawheelontheHornso’theMornin’,an’awheelontheedgeo’thePit,An’adropintonothin’beneathyouasstraightasabeggarcanspit:
  Withthesweatrunnin’outo’yourshirt-sleeves,an’thesunoffthesnowinyourface,An’’arfo’themenonthedrag-ropestoholdtheoldgunin’erplace——’Tss!’Tss!
  Foryoualllovethescrew-guns。
  Smokin’mypipeonthemountings,sniffin’themornin’cool,Iclimbsinmyoldbrowngaitersalongo’myoldbrownmule。
  Themonkeycansaywhatourroadwas——
  thewild-goat’eknowswherewepassed。
  Standeasy,youlong-earedolddarlin’s!
  Outdrag-ropes!Withshrapnel!Holdfast——’Tss!’Tss!
  Foryoualllovethescrew-guns——thescrew-gunstheyallloveyou!
  Sowhenwetaketeawithafewguns,o’courseyouwillknowwhattodo——hoo!hoo!
  JestsendinyourChiefan’surrender——
  it’sworseifyoufightsoryouruns:
  Youmayhideinthecaves,they’llbeonlyyourgraves,butyoucan’tgetawayfromtheguns!
  GUNGADIN
  Youmaytalko’ginandbeerWhenyou’requarteredsafeout’ere,An’you’resenttopenny-fightsan’Aldershotit;
  ButwhenitcomestoslaughterYouwilldoyourworkonwater,An’you’lllickthebloomin’bootsof’imthat’sgotit。
  NowinInjia’ssunnyclime,WhereIusedtospendmytimeA-servin’of’ErMajestytheQueen,OfallthemblackfacedcrewThefinestmanIknewWasourregimentalbhisti,GungaDin。
  Hewas“Din!Din!Din!
  Youlimpin’lumpo’brick-dust,GungaDin!
  Hi!slipperyhitherao!
  Water,getit!Paneelao!1
  Yousquidgy-nosedoldidol,GungaDin。”
  Theuniform’eworeWasnothin’muchbefore,An’ratherlessthan’arfo’thatbe’ind,Forapieceo’twistyragAn’agoatskinwater-bagWasallthefield-equipment’ecouldfind。
  Whenthesweatin’troop-trainlayInasidin’throughtheday,Wherethe’eatwouldmakeyourbloomin’eyebrowscrawl,Weshouted“HarryBy!”2
  Tillourthroatswerebricky-dry,Thenwewopped’im’cause’ecouldn’tserveusall。
  Itwas“Din!Din!Din!
  You’eathen,wherethemischief’aveyoubeen?
  Youputsomejuldee3initOrI’llmarrowyouthisminute4
  Ifyoudon’tfillupmyhelmet,GungaDin!”
  ’Ewoulddotan’carryoneTillthelongestdaywasdone;
  An’’edidn’tseemtoknowtheuseo’fear。
  Ifwechargedorbrokeorcut,Youcouldbetyourbloomin’nut,’E’dbewaitin’fiftypacesrightflankrear。
  With’ismussick,5on’isback,’Ewouldskipwithourattack,An’watchustillthebuglesmade“Retire“,An’forall’isdirty’ide’Ewaswhite,clearwhite,insideWhen’ewenttotendthewoundedunderfire!
  Itwas“Din!Din!Din!”