TheybroughtthenewstoRevereandhegroaned“AnyonebutBobbyandIshouldn’thavecared！TheSergeant-Majorwasright。”
“Notgoingoutthisjourney。”gaspedBobby，ashewasliftedfromthedoolie“Notgoingoutthisjourney。”Thenwithanairofsupremeconviction-“Ican’t，yousee。”
“NotifIcandoanything！”saidtheSurgeon-Major，whohadhastenedoverfromthemesswherehehadbeendining。
HeandtheRegimentalSurgeonfoughttogetherwithDeathforthelifeofBobbyWickTheirworkwasinterruptedbyahairyapparitioninablue-greydressing-gownwhostaredinhorroratthebedandcried-“Oh，myGawdItcan’tbe’im！”untilanindignantHospitalOrderlywhiskedhimaway。
Ifcareofmananddesiretolivecouldhavedoneaught，BobbywouldhavebeensavedAsitwas，hemadeafightofthreedays，andtheSurgeon-Major’sbrowuncreased“We’llsavehimyet。”hesaid；andtheSurgeon，who，thoughherankedwiththeCaptain，hadaveryyouthfulheart，wentoutuponthewordandprancedjoyouslyinthemud。
“Notgoingoutthisjourney。”whisperedBobbyWick，gallantly，attheendofthethirdday。
“Bravo！”saidtheSurgeon-Major“That’sthewaytolookatit，Bobby。”
AseveningfellagreyshadegatheredroundBobby’smouth，andheturnedhisfacetothetentwallwearilyTheSurgeon-Majorfrowned。
“I’mawfullytired。”saidBobby，veryfaintly“What’stheuseofbotheringmewithmedicine？
I~on’t-want-itLetmealone。”
Thedesireforlifehaddeparted，andBobbywascontenttodriftawayontheeasytideofDeath。
“It’snogood。”saidtheSurgeonMajor“Hedoesn’twanttolive。
He’smeetingit，poorchild。”Andheblewhisnose。
Halfamileaway，theregimentalbandwasplayingtheoverturetotheSing。
INTHEMATTEROFAPRIVATE
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song，forthemenhadbeentoldthatBobbywasoutofdanger。
TheclashofthebrassandthewailofthehornsreachedBobby’sears。
Isthereasinglejoyorpain，ThatIshouldneverkno~ow？
Youdonot~oveme，’tisinvain，Bidmegood-byeandgo！
Anexpressionofhopelessirritationcrossedtheboy’sface，andhetriedtoshakehishead。
TheSurgeon-Majorbentdown-“Whatisit？Bobby？”-“Notthatwaltz。”mutteredBobby。
“That’sourown-ourveryownestown。
Mummydear。”
Withthishesankintothestuporthatgaveplacetodeathearlynextmorning。
Revere，hiseyesredattherimsandhisnoseverywhite，wentintoBobby’stenttowritealettertoPapaWickwhichshouldbowthewhiteheadoftheex-CommissionerofChota-BuldanainthekeenestsorrowofhislifeBobby’slittlestoreofpaperslayinconfusiononthetable，andamongthemahalf-finishedletterThelastsentenceran：
“Soyousee，darling，thereisreallynofear，becauseaslongasI
knowyoucareformeandIcareforyou，nothingcantouchme。”
ReverestayedinthetentforanhourWhenhecameout，hiseyeswereredderthanever。
PrivateConklinsatonaturned-downbucket，andlistenedtoanotunfamiliartunePrivateConklinwasaconvalescentandshouldhavebeentenderlytreated。
“Ho！”saidPrivateConklin“There’sanotherbloomin’orf’cerda~d。”
Thebucketshotfromunderhim，andhiseyesfilledwithasmithyfulofsparksAtallmaninablue-greybedgownwasregardinghimwithdeepdisfavor。
“Yououghttotakeshameforyourself，Conky！Orf’cer？-bloomin’
orf’cer？I’lllearnyoutomisnamethelikesof’imHangel！Bloomin’Hangel！That’swot’eis！”
AndtheHospitalOrderlywassosatisfiedwiththejusticeofthepunishmentthathedidnotevenorderPrivateDormerbacktohiscot。
IntheMatterofaPrivateHurrah！hurrah！asoldier’slifeforme！Shout，boys，shout！foritmakesyoujollyandfree-
TheRamrodCorps。
PEOPLEwhohaveseen，saythatoneofthequaintestspectaclesofhumanfrailtyisanoutbreakofhystericsinagirls’schoolItstartswithoutwarning，generallyonahotafternoonamongtheelderpupilsAgirlgigglestillthegigglegetsbeyondcontrol。
Thenshethrowsupherhead，andcries，“Honk，honk，honk。”likeawildgoose，andtearsmixwiththelaughterIfthen，istresbewiseshewillrapoutsometl~ngsevercatthispoint0checkmattersIfshebetender-hearted，andsendforadrinkofwater，thechancesarelargelyini42
WORKSOFRUDYARDKIPLING
favorofanothergirllaughingattheafflictedoneandherselfcollapsingThusLhetroublespreads，andmayendinhalfofwhatanswerstotheLowerSixthofabo...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：