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

88 MILITARY LIFE.
When the men were drilling he would withdraw to a corner
of the camp, and from thence would watch in ecstacy
all the
time the drill lasted. When all the regiment was drawn up
and handling their arms, the poor boy was greatly excited.
That striking on the ground
of one thousand five hundred
muskets, in one blow, like a single musket that ; long and sharp
rattle of the thousand five hundred fixed bayonets, removed,
replaced, and sheathed in a moment that ; powerful tone of
command, and the profound silence of the lines, and all those
faces motionless and intent as statues ;
the sight of those new
things fired his enthusiasm, filled him with restlessness, a desire
to shout, run, and jump ; but he never did this until after the
regiment had broken ranks, out of respect for it. At first
he contented himself with assuming heroic
attitudes, and looking
at us with his head raised and a proud glance, without
being aware of it ; reproducing unconsciously
the emotions
of his soul, like some one who, in relating us a story, so impresses
us that we show by the movements of our intent faces
the sense and effect of his words.
When he heard the band he seemed quite crazy. The evenings
when some one of us had to go to the outposts he was
less gay than usual. " "
Good-night, Mr. Officer ! he would
say, with a long look, when we left, and outside the tent he
would watch us until we were lost to sight.
He had this gentle, affectionate way with all, officers and
soldiers ;
and thus all loved him. When he passed among the
tents of any company, he was called on all sides ;
arms were
stretched out to detain him ;
there was a jumping up and running
after him by soldiers with letters in their hands : "Carluccio,
a moment, a word, only a word." He gave
the officers