Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

THE SON OF THE REGIMENT, 8/
any one in need. Sleep quietly, Carluccio, and dream of your
mother ;
be assured that she is
looking down upon you, and is
content that you are among us, because she knows that
our rough cloaks beat hearts that
resemble her own."
under
He was always busy during the day. He went out of the
camp to fetch water for the soldiers when they were prohibited
from leaving ;
and one could see him moving around among
the tents laden with flasks and bowls, quite red in the face
and dripping with perspiration, accompanied by a crowd of
thirsty men who pressed around him, importuning him in
"
this wise : Carluccio, my canteen " "
; my flask, Carluccio !"
" I want mine " "
first
; no, mine " "I
; gave you mine before
he did," etc., etc. And making signs for them to keep quiet,
or pushing them back : " One at a time, like good fellows."
" Be kind enough to move off a little, and let me breathe." Then
he would wipe his brow and take breath, for he was really so exhausted
that he could do nothing more. From time to time
some soldier hunted him up to have a letter written home, or
to have him read and explain one received. He always did this
favor with much gravity. He would be quite pensive for a
moment, and then say, gravely
:
" Let us see." They seated
themselves in the tent, and with the forefinger stretched toward
the sheet already written, or to be written ; finally, Carluccio,
turning up his jacket sleeves, knitting his brows, would set to
work, pursing up his lips, and uttering an inarticulate sound that
"
signified It is a serious : affair, but I will do what I can."
He would assist first one and then the other in arranging
the tents, and he had such taste in drawing the cords and
fastening the poles in the ground
he had done nothing else all his life.
that one would have fancied