brideshead+revisited-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　had　once　been　a　field　boundary　on　the　farm。　Here　he　began　grubbing　with　his　stick　like　a　truffling　pig　and　presently　gave　a　cry　of　triumph。　He　had　disclosed　one　of　those　deposits　of　rubbish　which　are　dear　to　the　private　soldier's　sense　of　order：　the　head　of　a　broom；　the　lid　of　a　stove；　a　bucket　rusted　through；　a　sock；　a　loaf　of　bread；　lay　under　the　dock　and　nettle　among　cigarette　packets　and　empty　tins。
　　　　'Look　at　that；'　said　the　manding　officer。　'Fine　impression　that　gives　to　the　regiment　taking　over　from　us。
　　　　'That's　bad；'　I　said。
　　　　'It's　a　disgrace。　See　everything　there　is　burned　before　you　leave　camp。'
　　　　'Very　good；　sir。　Sergeant…major；　send　over　to　the　carrier…platoon　and　tell　Captain　Brown　that　the　C。O。　wants　this　ditch　cleared　up。'
　　　　I　wondered　whether　the　colonel　would　take　this　rebuff；　so　did　he。　He　stood　a　moment　irresolutely　prodding　the　muck　in　the　ditch；　then　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　strode　away。
　　　　'You　shouldn't　do　it；　sir；　'　said　the　sergeant…major；　who　had　been　my　guide　and　prop　since　I　joined　the　pany。　'You　shouldn't　really。'
　　　　'That　wasn't　our　rubbish。'
　　　　'Maybe　not；　sir；　but　you　know　how　it　is。　If　you　get　on　the　wrong　side　of　senior　officers　they　take　it　out　of　you　other　ways。'

　　　　As　we　marched　past　the　madhouse；　two　or　three　elderly　inmates　gibbered　and　mouthed　politely　behind　the　railings。
　　　　'Cheeroh；　chum；　we'll　be　seeing　you'；　'We　shan't　be　long　now'；　'Keep　smiling　till　we　meet　again'；　the　men　called　to　them。
　　　　I　was　marching　with　Hooper　at；　the　head　of　the　leading　platoon。
　　　　'I　say；　any　idea　where　we're　off　to？　'
　　　　'None。'
　　　　'Do　you　think　it's　the　real　thing？'
　　　　'No。'
　　　　'Just　a　flap？'
　　　　'Yes。'
　　　　'Everyone's　been　saying　we're　for　it。　I　don't　know　what　to　think　really。　Seems　so　silly　somehow；　all　this　drill　and　training　if　we　never　go　into　action。'
　　　　'I　shouldn't　worry。　There'll　be　plenty　for　everyone　in　time。'
　　　　'Oh；　I　don't　want　much　you　know。　Just　enough　to　say　I've　been　in　it。'
　　　　A　train　of　antiquated　coaches　was　waiting　for　us　at　the　siding；　an　R。T。O。　was　in　charge；　a　fatigue　party　was　loading　the　last　of。　the　kit…bags　from　the　trucks　to　the　luggage　vans。　In　half　an　hour　we　were　ready　to　start　and　in　an　hour　we　started。
　　　　My　three　platoon　manders　and　myself　had　a　carriage　to　ourselves。　They　ate　sandwiches　and　chocolate；　smoked　and　slept。　None　of　them　had　a　book。　For　the　first　three　or　four　hours　they　noted　the　names　of　the　towns　and　leaned　out　of　the　windows　when；　as　often　happened；　we　stopped　between　stations。　Later　they　lost　interest。　At　midday　and　again　at　dark　some　tepid　cocoa　was　ladled　from　a　container　into　our　mugs。　The　train　moved　slowly　south　through　flat；　drab　main…line　scenery。
　　　　The　chief　incident　in　the　day　was　the　…　C。O。's　'order　group'。　We　assembled　in　his　carriage；　at　the　summons　of　an　orderly；　and　found　him　and　the　adjutant　wearing　their　steel　helmets　and　equipment。　The　first　thing　he　said　was：　'This　is　an　Order　Group。　I　expect　you　to　attend　properly　dressed。　The　fact　that　we　happen　to　be　in　a　train　is　immaterial。'　I　thought　he　was　going　to　send　us　back　but；　after　glaring　at　us；　he　said；　'Sit　down。'
　　　　'The　camp　was　left　in　a　disgraceful　condition'。　Wherever　I　went　I　found　evidence　that　officers　are　not　doing　their　duty。　The　state　in　which　a　camp　is　left　is　the　best　possible　test　of　the　efficiency　of　regimental　officers。　It　is　on　such　matters　that　the　reputation　of　a　battalion　and　its　mander　rests。　'And'　…　did　he　in　fact　say　this　or　am　I　finding　words　for　the　resentment　in　his　voice　and　eye？　I　think　he　left　it　unsaid　…　'I　do　not　intend　to　have　my　professional　reputation　promised　by　the　slackness　of　a　few　temporary　officers。'
　　　　We　sat　with　our　note…books　and　pencils　waiting　to　take　down　the　details　of　our　next　jobs。　A　more　sensitive　man　would　have　seen　that　he　had　failed　to　be　impressive；　perhaps　he　saw；　for　he　added　in　a　petulant　schoolmasterish　way：　'All　I　ask　is　loyal　cooperation。'
　　　　Then　he　referred　to　his　notes　and　read：
　　　　'Orders。
　　　　'Information。　The　battalion　is　now　in　transit　between　location　A　and　location　B。　This　is　a　major　L　of　C　and　is　liable　to　bombing　and　gas　attack　from　the　enemy。
　　　　'Intention。　I　intend　to　arrive　at　location　B。
　　　　'Method。　Train　will　arrive　at　destination　at　approximately　2315　hours　。　。　。'　and　so　on。
　　　　The　sting　came　at　the　end　under　the　heading；　'Administration'。　'C'　pany；　less　one　platoon；　was　to　unload　the　train　on　arrival　at　the　siding　where　three　three…tonners　would　be　available　for　moving　all　stores　to　a　battalion　dump　in　the　new　camp；　work　to　continue　until　pleted；　the　remaining　platoon　was　to　find　a　guard　on　the　dump　and　perimeter　sentries　for　the　camp　area。
　　　　'Any　questions？'
　　　　'Can　we　have　an　issue　of　cocoa　for　the　working　party？'
　　　　'No。　Any　more　questions？'
　　　　When　I　told　the　sergeant…major　of　these　orders　he　said：　'Poor　old　〃C〃　pany　struck　unlucky　again'；　and　I　knew　this　to　be　a　reproach　for　my　having　antagonized　the　manding　officer。
　　　　I　told　the　platoon　manders。
　　　　'I　say；'　said　Hooper；　'it　makes　it　awfully　awkward　with　the　chaps。　They'll　be　fairly　browned　off。　He　always　seems　to　pick　on　us　for　the　dirty　work。'
　　　　'You'll　do　guard。'
　　　　'Okeydoke。　But　I　say；　how　am　I　to　find　the　perimeter　in　the　dark？'
　　　　Shortly　after　blackout　we　were　disturbed　by　an　orderly　making　his　way　lugubriously　down　the　length　of　the　train　with　a　rattle。　One　of　the　more　sophisticated　sergeants　called　out　'Deuxieme　service。'
　　　　'We　are　being　sprayed　with　liquid　mustard…gas；'　I　said。　'See　that　the　windows　are　shut。'　I　then　wrote　a　neat　little　situation　report　to　say　that　there　were　no　casualties　and　nothing　had　been　contaminated；　that　men　had　been　detailed　to　decontaminate　the　outside　of　the　coach　before　detraining。　This　seemed　to　satisfy　the　manding　officer；　for　we　heard　no　more　from　him。　After　dark　we　all　slept。
　　　　At　last；　very　late；　we　came　to　our　siding。　It　was　part　of　our　training　in　security　and　active　service　conditions　that　we　should　eschew　stations　and　platforms。　The　drop　from　the　running　board　to　the　cinder　track　made　for　disorder　and　breakages　in　the　darkness。
　　　　'Fall　in　on　the　road　below　the　embankment。　〃C〃　pany　seems　to　be　taking　their　time　as　usual；　Captain　Ryder。'
　　　　'Yes；　sir。　We're　having　a　little；　difficulty。　with　the　bleach。'
　　　　'Bleach？'
　　　　'For　decontaminating　the　outside　of　the　coaches；　sir。'
　　　　'Oh　very　conscientious；　I'm　sure。　Skip　it　and　get　a　move　on。'
　　　　By　now　my　half…awake　and　sulky　men　were　clattering　into　shape　on　the　road。　Soon　Hooper's　platoon　had　marched　off　into　the　darkness；　I　found　the　lorries　organized　lines　of　men　to　ass　the　stores　from　hand　to　hand　down　the　steep　bank；　and；　presently；　as　they　found　themselves　doing　something　with　an　apparent　purpose　in　it；　they　got　more　cheerful。　I　handled　stores　with　them　for　the　first　half　hour；　then　broke　off　to　meet　the　pany　second…in…mand　who　came　down　with　the　first　returning　truck。
　　　　'It's　not　a　bad　camp；'　he　reported；　'big　private　house　with　two　or　three　lakes。　Looks　as　if　we　might　get　some　duck　if　we're　lucky。　Village　with　one　pub　and　a　post　office。　No　town　within　miles。　I've　managed　to　get　a　hut　between　the　two　of　us。'
　　　　By　four　in　the　morning　the　work　was　done。　I　drove　in　the　last　lorry；　through　tortuous　lanes　where　the　overhanging　boughs　whipped　the　windscreen；　somewhere　we　left　the　lane　and　turned　into　a　drive；　somewhere　we　reached　an　open　space　where　two　drives　converged　and　a　ring　of　storm　lanterns　marked　the　heap　of　stores。　Here　we　unloaded　the　truck　and；　at　long　last；　followed　the　guides　to　our　quarters；　under　a　starless　sky；　with　a　fine　drizzle　of　rain　beginning　now　to　fall。

　　　　I　slept　until　my　servant　called　me；　rose　wearily；　dressed　and　shaved　in　silence。　It　was　not　till　I　reached　the　door　that　I　asked　the　second…in…mand；　'What's　this　place　called？'
　　　　He　told　me　and；　on　the　instant；　it　was　as　though　someone　had　switched　off　the　wireless；　and　a　voice　that　had　been　bawling　in　my　ears；　incessantly；　fatuously；　for　days　beyond　number；　had　been　suddenly　cut　short；　an　immense　silence　followed；　empty　at　first；　but　gradually；　as　my　outraged　sense　regained　authority；　full　of　a　multitude　of　sweet　and　natural　and　long　forgotten　sounds：　for　he　had　spoken　a　name　that　was　so　familiar　to　me；　a　conjuror's　name　of　such　ancient　power；　that；　at　its　mere　sound；　the　phantoms　of　those　haunted　late　years　began　to　take　flight。
　　　　Outside　the　hut　I　stood　bemused。　The　rain　had　ceased　but　the　clouds　hung　low　and　heavy　overhead。　It　was　a　still　morning　and　the　smoke　from　the　cookhouse　rose　straight　to　the　leaden　sky。　A　cart…track；　once　metalled；　then　overgrown；　now　rutted　and　churned　to　mud；　followed　the　contour　of　the　hillside　and　dipped　out　of　sight　below；　a　knoll；　and　on　either　side　of　it　lay　the　haphazard　litter　of　corrugated　iron；　from　which　rose　the　rattle　and　chatter　and　whistling　and　catcalls；　all　the　zoo…noises　of　the　battalion　beginning　a　new　day。　Beyond　and　about　us；　more　familiar　still；　lay　an　exquisite　man…made　landscape。　It　was　a　sequestered　place；　enclosed　and　embraced　in　a　single；　winding　valley。　Our　camp　lay　along　one　gentle　slope；　opposite　us　the　ground　led；　still　unravished；　to　the　neighbourly　horizon；　and　between　us　flowed　a　stream　…　it　was　named　the　Bride　and　rose　not　two　miles　away　at　a　farm　called　Bridesprings；　where　we　used　sometimes　to　walk　to　tea；　it　became　a　considerable　river　lower　down　before　it　joined　the　Avon　…　which　had　been　dammed　here　to　form　three　lakes；　one　no　more　than　a　wet　slate　among　the　reeds；　but　the　others　more　spacious；　reflecting　the　clouds　and　the　mighty　beeches　at　their　margin。　The　woods　were　all　of　oak　and　beech；　the　oak　grey　and　bare；　the　beech　faintly　dusted　with　green　by　the　breaking　buds；　they　made　a　simple；　carefully　designed　pattern　with　the　green　glades　and　the　wide　green　spaces　…　Did　the　fallow　deer　graze　here　still？　…　and；　lest　the　eye　wander　aimlessly；　a　Doric　temple　stood　by　the　water's　edge；　and　an　ivy…grown　arch　spanned　the　lowest　of　the　connecting　weirs。　All　this　had　been　planned　and　planted　a　century　and　a　half　ago　so　that；　at　about　this　date；　it　might　be　seen　in　its　maturity；　From　where　I　stood　the　house　was　hidden　by　a　green　spur；　but　I　knew　well　how　and　where　it　lay；　couched　among　the　lime　trees　like　a　h