time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第188部分

　　
　　〃Very　well；　since　you　want　it　the　hard　way。　I　order　you　to　lead　this　party。　Find　three　more　volunteers　from　your　squad。　If　they　don't　volunteer　you　know　what　to　do。　Once　you　pick
　　
　　'em；　tell　'em　to　get　ready…then　you　haul　ass　to　C。P。　and　FU　show　you　the　map。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃…
　　
　　〃And；　Bronson；　make　damn　sure　you　do　a　good　job　because　a　little　bird　told　me　that　you're　going　to　lead　the　way。　through　the　holes。　Dismissed。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　went　unhurriedly　back　down　below。　So　we're　going　over　the　top？　Big　secret。　Nobody　knows　it　but　Pershing　and　about　a　hundred　thousand　Yanks　and　twice　that　many　Boches　and　the　Imperial　High　mand。　Why　do　they　advertise　a　〃surprise　attauk〃…　…with　three　days　of　〃softening…up〃　bombardment　that　does　nothing　worth　mentioning　but　tells　the　Boche　where　to　bring　up　his　reserves　and　gives　him　time　to　position　them？　Forget　it；　Lazarus；　you're　not　in　charge。　Put　your　mind　on　picking　out　three　who　can　go　out；　do　it；　and　e　back。　…
　　
　　Not　Russell；　you'll　need　your　automatic　rifleman　before　dawn。　Wyatt　was　out　last　night。　Dink鄔ski　might　as　well　have　a　cowbell　around　his　neck。　Fielding　is　on　the　sick　list；　damn　it。　So　it　has　to　be　Schultz；　Talley；　and　Cadwallader。　Two　of　them　old　unkillables　and　Talley　the　only　repple　with　too　little　experience…and　a　shame　Fielding　has　la　grippe　or　whatever　it　is；　I　need　him。　Mi　right；　Schultz　gets　Cadwallader；　I'll　nurse　Talley　through　it。
　　
　　It　was　a　two…squad　dugout；　his　squad　was　sacked　in　on　the　left；　the　other　squad　had　a　card　game　going　by　candlelight　on　their　side。　Lazarus　called　his　squad　into　a　huddle；　waking　Cadwallader　and　Schultz　to　do　so。　Russell　and　Wyatt　stayed　in　their　bunks；　as　the　huddle　took　place　against　them。　〃The　Lieutenant　wants　us　to　cut　wire　and　told　me　to　ask　for　three　volunteers。〃
　　
　　Schultz　nodded　at　once；　as　Lazarus　knew　he　would。　〃I'll　go。〃　In　Lazarus'　opinion　his　assistant　squad　leader　should　have　a　section。　Schultz　was　forty；　a　married　volunteer；　and　trying　hard　to　offset　his　name；　his　trace　of　German　accent　（second　generation）…but　doing　it　steadily；　methodically；　withottt'fiash。　No　glory　hound。　Lazarus　hoped　that　not　many　of　the　Germans　they　faced　were　of　Schultz's　quality…but　he　knew　they　were；　especially　veterans　pulled　back　from　the　collapsed　Russian　front。　His　only　fault　in　Lazarus'…　eyes　was　that　he　disliked　Dinkowski。
　　
　　〃That's　one。　Don't　all　speak　at　once。〃
　　
　　〃What's　the　matter　with　them？〃　Cadwallader　said　loudly；
　　
　　jerking　a　thumb　at　the　other　squad。…　〃Teacher's　pets？　They　haven't　done　anything　for　a　week。〃
　　
　　Corporal　O'Brien　answered　for　his　squad：　〃'Tell　your　troubles　to　Jesus；　the　Chaplain's　gone　over　the　hill！'　Whose　deal？〃
　　
　　〃Who's　next？〃
　　
　　Dinkowski　gulped。　〃Take　me；　Corporal。〃
　　
　　Talley　shrugged。　〃Okay。〃
　　
　　（Damn　you；　Dinky…why　didn't　you　wait　and　simply　make　it　unanimous？　And　damn　that　silly　second　john　for　ordering　me　to　ask　for　volunteers。　Better　to　tell　'em。）　〃Let's　hear　some　more　voices。　This　isn't　the　S；O。S。〃　（Lieutenant　Birdbrain；　you　postnasal　drip；　Cadwallader　is　right；　it's　not　our　turn。　Why　didn't　you　go　through　the　platoon　sergeant　and　section　leader？　they're　fair　about　handing　out　dirty　details。）
　　
　　Russell　and　Wyatt　spoke　up　together。　Lazarus　waited；　then　said；　〃Cadwailader？　You're　the　only　holdout。〃
　　
　　〃Corporal；　you　asked　for　three　volunteers。　How　e　you　want　the　whole　squad？〃　…
　　
　　（Because　I　want　you；　you　unappetizing　ape。　You're　the　best　soldier　in　the　squad。）　〃Because　I　need　you。　Will　you　volunteer？〃
　　
　　〃I　ain't　no　volunteer；　Corporal；　I　was　drafted。〃
　　
　　〃Very　well。〃　（Damn　all　officers　…　who　interfere　where　they　shouldn't。）　〃Wyatt；　you　were　out　last　night；　get　back　in　your　bunk。　Russell；　you　get　some　sleep；　too；　you　may　be　busy　soon。　Schultz；　I'll　take　Dinkowski；　you　take　Talley。　Black　me　up　first　and　make　it　fast；　Fve　got　to　see　the　Lieutenant。　Get　out　the　cork。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　got　through　their　own　wire　without　much　trouble　by　enlarging　breaks　German　shells　had　made。　He　did　all　the　work　himself；　simply　requiring　Dinkowski　to　stay　flat　and　follow　…　him。　There　was　the　regular　crump！　of　artillery；　their　own　and　the　German　howitzers。　Lazarus　ignored　them；　there　being　nothing　better　he　could　do。　…The　chattering　cough　of　machine　guns　he　ignored；　too；　as　long　as　the　sound　came　from　far　enough　along　his　flanks。　Snipers　he　did　not　worry　about　other　than　to　stay　low。
　　
　　His　prime　wariness　was　directed　at　German　patrols…if　any
　　
　　…and　at　starshells…far　too　many。　The　latter　were　the　reason　he　had　Dinkowski　stay　belly　down；　he　did　not　trust　his　assistant　to　freeze　and　hold　it　if　caught　on　his　knees　when　a　star　shell　burst。
　　
　　Once…　past　the　last　of　their　own　entanglements　he　led　Dinkowski；　both；　belly…crawling；　into　a　shell　hole；　then　put　his　mouth　to　the　private's　ear。　〃Stay　here　till　I　get　back。〃
　　
　　〃But；　Corporal；　I　don't　want　to　stay　behind！〃〃Not　so　loud；　you'll　wake　the　baby。　Whisper　against　my…　ear。　If　I'm　not　back　in　an　hour；　go　back　alone。〃
　　
　　〃But　I　can't　find　my　way　back！〃
　　
　　〃There's　the　Dipper；　there's　the　Pole　Star。　Go　back　southwest。　If　you　miss　the　gaps；　you've　got　wirecutters。　Just　remem…　ber　this：　When　a　star　shell　bursts…/reeze！　The　time　to　move　is　…just　as　it　~oes　out；　while　their　eyes　are　still　dazzled。　And　try　to　be　quiet；　you　remind　me　of　two　skeletons　on　a　tin　roof。　Don't　get　shot　by　our　own　people　at　the　last　minute。　What's　the　password？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　hell；　it's　'Charlie　Chaplin。'　Forget　it　again　and　you'll　get　more　than　a　blighty；　some　of　our　lads　are　trigger…happy。　Now　repeat　back。〃
　　
　　〃Corporal；　I'm　going　to　cut　wire　with　you。〃　Lazarus　sighed　inwardly。　The　clumsy　little　clown　wanted　to　soldier。　If　I　don't　let　him　tag　along；　it　can　kill　his　spirit。　But　if　I　do　let　him；　it　might　kill　both　of　us。　Cadwallader；　I　admire；　your　good　sense…and　hate　your　guts。　And　wish　I　had　you　along。
　　
　　〃All　right。　Not　a　word　from　here　on。　Pat　my　foot　and　point　if　you　have　to…and　stay　that　close。　Remember　what　I　said　about　…　star　shells。　See　any　Boche；　don't　breathe。　I。f　they
　　
　　…。　surprise　us…surrender　at　once。〃
　　
　　〃'Surrender'？〃
　　
　　〃If　you　want　to　be　a　grandfather。　You　can't　kill　a　German　patrol　all　by　your　lonesome。　Even　if　you　could；　it　would
　　
　　…make　so　much　racket　that　their　machine　guns　would　chop　you　in　two。　Stick　close　and　stay　down。〃
　　
　　Laza？us　could　almost　touch　the　first　German　wire　when　a　star　shell　burst　and　the　…private　panicked…tried　for　a　shell　hole　they　had　just　e　through　and　was　hit　as　he　fell　into　it。
　　
　　Lazarus　lay　still　and　listened　to　screams　as　the　dazzling　star　burned　above　him。　One　of　our　own；　he　mused；　a　German　shell　would　burst　to　backlight　the　American　trenches。　If　that　poor　little　dope　doesn't　shut　up；　the　air　around　here　is　going　to　be　thick　with　merry　greetings。　Can't　cut　wire　with　all　that　advertising。　And…oh；　hell；　he's　my　boy；　I've　got　to　take　care　of　him。　Probably　be　a　favor　to　Dinky　to　finish　him　off…but
　　
　　~QA
　　
　　Maureen　wouldn't　like　that。　Okay；　let's　get　l~im　back…then　e　back　and　finish