Thenwebroughtthelancesdown，thenthebuglesblew，WhenwewenttoKandahar，ridin’twoan’two，Ridin’，ridin’，ridin’，twoan’two，Ta-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra，AllthewaytoKandahar，ridin’twoan’two——
Barrack-RoomBallad。
’I’MNOTangrywiththeBritishpublic，butIwishwehadafewthousandofthemscatteredamongtheserooksTheywouldn’tbeinsuchahurrytogetattheirmorningpapersthenCan’tyouimaginetheregulationhouseholder——LoverofJustice，ConstantReader，Paterfamilias，andallthatlot——frizzlingonhotgravel？’
’Withablueveiloverhishead，andhisclothesinstripsHasanymanhereaneedle？I’vegotapieceofsugar-sack。’
’I’lllendyouapacking-needleforsixsquareinchesofitthenBothmykneesarewornthrough。’
’Whynotsixsquareacres，whileyou’reaboutit？Butlendmetheneedle，andI’llseewhatIcandowiththeselvageIdon’tthinkthere’senoughtoprotectmyroyalbodyfromthecoldblastasitisWhatareyoudoingwiththateverlastingsketch-bookofyours，Dick？’
’StudyofourSpecialCorrespondentrepairinghiswardrobe，’saidDick，gravely，astheothermankickedoffapairofsorelywornriding-breechesandbegantofitasquareofcoarsecanvasoverthemostobviousopenspaceHegrunteddisconsolatelyasthevastnessofthevoiddevelopeditself。
’Sugar-bags，indeed！Hi！youpilotmanthere！lendmeallthesailsforthatwhale-boat。’
Afez-crownedheadbobbedupinthestern-sheets，divideditselfintoexacthalveswithoneflashinggrin，andbobbeddownagainThemanofthetatteredbreeches，cladonlyinaNorfolkjacketandagrayflannelshirt，wentonwithhisclumsysewing，whileDickchuckledoverthesketch。
Sometwentywhale-boatswerenuzzlingasand-bankwhichwasdottedwithEnglishsoldieryofhalfadozencorps，bathingorwashingtheirclothesAheapofboat-rollers，commissariat-boxes，sugar-bags，andflour-andsmall-arm-ammunition-casesshowedwhereoneofthewhale-boatshadbeencompelledtounloadhastily；andaregimentalcarpenterwasswearingaloudashetried，onawhollyinsufficientallowanceofwhitelead，toplasterupthesun-parchedgapingseamsoftheboatherself。
’Firstthebloomin’ruddersnaps，’saidhetotheworldingeneral；
’thenthemastgoes；an’then，s’’helpme，whenshecan’tdonothin’else，sheopens’erselfoutlikeacock-eyesChineselotus。’
’Exactlythecasewithmybreeches，whoeveryouare，’saidthetailor，withoutlookingup’Dick，IwonderwhenIshallseeadecentshopagain。’
Therewasnoanswer，savetheincessantangrymurmuroftheNileasitracedroundabasalt-walledbendandfoamedacrossarock-ridgehalfamileupstreamItwasasthoughthebrownweightoftheriverwoulddrivethewhitemenbacktotheirowncountryTheindescribablescentofNilemudintheairtoldthatthestreamwasfallingandthenextfewmileswouldbenolightthingforthewhale-boatstooverpassThedesertrandownalmosttothebanks，where，amonggray，red，andblackhillocks，acamel-corpswasencampedNomandaredevenforadaylosetouchoftheslow-movingboats；therehadbeennofightingforweekspast，andthroughoutallthattimetheNilehadneversparedthem。
Rapidhadfollowedrapid，rockrock，andisland-groupisland-group，tilltherankandfilehadlongsincelostallcountofdirectionandverynearlyoftimeTheyweremovingsomewhere，theydidnotknowwhy，todosomething，theydidnotknowwhatBeforethemlaytheNile，andattheotherendofitwasoneGordon，fightingforthedearlife，inatowncalledKhartoumTherewerecolumnsofBritishtroopsinthedesert，orinoneofthemanydeserts；therewereyetmorecolumnswaitingtoembarkontheriver；therewerefreshdraftswaitingatAssiootandAssuan；
therewereliesandrumoursrunningoverthefaceofthehopelesslandfromSuakintotheSixthCataract，andmensupposedgenerallythattheremustbesomeoneinauthoritytodirectthegeneralschemeofthemanymovementsThedutyofthatparticularriver-col...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：