The colonel
should be more than a father to these youngsters." And, indeed, he loved
all his men with as much affection as a father of a large family can
feel for every individual member of it. If human beings by an oversight
of Providence came into the world in the state of civilians, they were
born again into a regiment as infants are born into a family, and it was
that military birth alone which really counted.
At the sight of Lieutenant D'Hubert standing before him bleached and
hollow-eyed, the heart of the old warrior was touched with genuine
compassion. All his affection for the regiment--that body of men which
he held in his hand to launch forward and draw back, who had given him
his rank, ministered to his pride and commanded his thoughts--seemed
centred for a moment on the person of the most promising subaltern. He
cleared his throat in a threatening manner and frowned terribly.
"You must understand," he began, "that I don't care a rap for the life
of a single man in the regiment. You know that I would send the 748
of you men and horses galloping into the pit of perdition with no more
compunction than I would kill a fly."
"Yes, colonel. You would be riding at our head," said Lieutenant
D'Hubert with a wan smile.
The colonel, who felt the need of being very diplomatic, fairly roared
at this.
"I want you to know, Lieutenant D'Hubert, that I could stand aside and
see you all riding to Hades, if need be.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50