第29节

  【】henverycautiously</p>

  and,osttotheground,soasnotttheir</p>

  bodiesonalevelhhiseye,theycreptupfootbyfoottothe</p>

  endofhisbeat.heretheye,whilehepassedand</p>

  repassedtheunthinkingofthedeadlyfoeheystretched</p>

  outtheirhands,uldhavetouloakashe.</p>

  atlast,thesendtihepassedthenhisohe</p>

  village,theyrosetogetherbehindhiinaninstantonehad</p>

  garrotedhiststrangledhiand</p>

  preveteringtheslightestsouhergrasped</p>

  hisriflebythelock,soastopreventthepossibilityofits</p>

  beingfired.inanotherinstant,theriflethegrasp</p>

  ofthealststupefiedn;rdsightlyroundhis</p>

  arandlegs;ahandkerchiefouth,and</p>

  fasteherebyardgoingaouthandtiedbehindthe</p>

  headand,beforethebeanfairlyknehadhappened,</p>

  heheroadside.</p>

  ohefranctireursnondantthat</p>

  thenuldadvance;heotherseleiallybecause</p>

  heuoodalittlegernputonthespikedheltofthe</p>

  capturedsentry,aoo</p>

  repeatthecryof”allbepassedround.</p>

  thepanyovedup.tennatthepoint</p>

  heseoveraretreat;ortoassistthe</p>

  sentry,incaseofanypartyingouttorelieveguard,andso</p>

  disveringthegeakenplace.theothers,ledby</p>

  thendant,proceededforiloppositethepriests</p>

  house,insillbuing;forit,asyet,</p>

  tenok.</p>

  jortee,aiedonlybytenandbyralphbarclay,to</p>

  interpret,ifneautiouslyuptothehouse.the</p>

  lightonthegroundfloor.tothisjortee</p>

  advand,lookingin,sahepriestsittingreading,alone.he</p>

  tappedverygentlyatthehepriest,lookingup,gave</p>

  astartuponseeinganardnlookinginatthewindow.</p>

  jorteeputhisfiohislips,toenforcethey</p>

  forsilentoopentheera</p>

  ationthepriestrosefroisseat,catothe</p>

  e;takiprecautionsagainstnoise.</p>

  ”areyoufrench”heasked,inawhisper.</p>

  ”yes;andantoffranctireurs.”</p>

  ”hush,then,foryourlife,”thepriestsaid,eaestly.”the</p>

  villageisfullofprussians.theofficer,hasoldierashis</p>

  servant,isupstairs.hearrivedinastateoffever;andis,</p>

  tonight,quiteill.thesoldierisup.ibelievethe</p>

  sergeant,ndfortonight.asoldier</p>

  ched,thisevening,toaskforanotherofficertobesent</p>

  out.</p>

  ”idoforyou”</p>

  ”ionlyeinasterlives.</p>

  heisatraitor,andhasbetrayedustotheprussians.itisowing</p>

  tohihattheyarehere.”</p>

  ”hehasabadna,inthevillage,”thepriestsaid;”andwehad</p>

  appliedtohavehieved.helivesihirdhousefroere,</p>

  onthesasideoftheroad.”</p>

  ”hasheanygernsquartereduponhi</p>

  ”ten,”thepriestsaid.”thesisfullof</p>

  the”</p>

  ”doyoukno”jorteeasked.”itwouldbea</p>

  greatthing,ifingtheene.i</p>

  havethirtyidonottohaveafightinthe</p>

  village,ifihelpit.”</p>

  ”iknoisattheside</p>

  ofthehouse,andhissittingroondkitonthegroundfloor</p>

  ofthehouseitself.therearethreebedrooover.hisroosin</p>

  frontofthehouse,thtasyoufaceit.”</p>

  ”thankyou,”jorteesaid.”haveyoualadder”</p>

  ”thereisonelyingonthegroundbytheotheleft.ihope</p>

  youdonotioshedblood”</p>

  ”no,”jorteesaid,griy.”ithinkthatiprosethat</p>

  therehatistosay,uacked</p>

  bytheprussians.</p>

  ”goodnight,andthankyou.isaythatforyourown</p>

  sakeyouention,intheing,havingseenus.”</p>

  thendantnoy,andtheyadvahe</p>

  houseioayhi</p>

  theresttoreinatadistayyards,htheirrifles</p>

  cked,andinreadinessforinstanta.theladderhen</p>

  broughtforeed,andplacedagainstthewindow.</p>

  jorteehad,beforestarting,providedhielffrohe</p>

  carpehevillageallandfinesaw,a</p>

  bottleofoil,andathinstriphtiron.henoounted</p>

  theladderand,aftercarefullyexaningthehwasof</p>

  theketicedheiedthestrip</p>

  ofiron,andtriedtoforkthefastening.thishefailedin</p>

  doing,beingafraidtouseelestthefasteningshould</p>

  givesuddenly,hacrash.hehad,hoaiheexact</p>

  positionofthefastening.</p>

  having,beforeunting,carefullyoiledtheaugerandsaw,henow</p>

  appliedtheforr;anddeaholethroughthefrathe</p>

  junofthetheabovethefastening.</p>

  introdugthesaothishole,henoiselesslytirely</p>

  rouening,iularsothejunof</p>

  the;andashedidso,theially</p>

  open,byitso.henoheladderagain,took</p>

  offhisboots;andorderedtentodothesa,andto</p>

  putasideallar,andacuternts,thatuldstrikeagainst</p>

  anythingandkeanoise.</p>

  then,takingailropeinhishand,andfollohe</p>

  ten,heagaiheladder.theinstruehertorein</p>

  ajorehe</p>

  roooiselessly,anddroppedatoohishandsandknees;</p>

  andier,joinedbyhisfollorawled</p>

  forake</p>

  noilhefoundthebed.then,risingtohisfeet,he</p>

  threselfuponthesleepingnand,inant,hadhibr></p>

  tightlybythethroathonehahered</p>

  firyonhisuth.</p>

  paralyzedbythesuddennessoftheattads</p>

  tightlykeptdohebedclothes,andtheofhis</p>

  assailant,thesasterle.</p>

  ”nopesaid,quietly.</p>

  hisfolloan</p>

  tlusively,inthesepartsof</p>

  frandlightedalaandingupoabl</p>

  ...</p>