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

9O
MILITARY LIFE.
began to cry. Yet they were attacks of melancholy that vanished
quickly.
VII.
In a corner of the camp there were two small houses, inhabited
by an excellent family of peasants, in which were established
the general quarters of the kitchens of all the officers of
the four battalions. Fancy the confusion ! There were six or
eight soldiers, between cooks and scullions, for every kitchen ;
and consequently a continual squabbling between the former
who did not know how todo any thing and wished to teach
each other how to do every thing ;
a continuous conflict between
the others who were vying with each other in order to
become cooks ;
an incessant coming and going of orderlies
to carry the dinner to the officers on the outposts ;
and peasants,
vendors, and stupefied gamins of the neighborhood.
In one of the empty rooms of
one of those houses Carluccio
was placed when seized by the fever, which had raged for
many days in the regiment to such a degree, that every day
from three to five and seven soldiers were taken down in every
company. Carluccio had it so badly that it was feared he
would die. The surgeon of the regiment took care of him, and
all the rest of us lent our assistance.
Between the curtains and door of his room was a constant
coming and going of soldiers. They entered on tiptoe ; approached
his bed quite slowly looked into his
; eyes, which he
moved slowly around and half closed, or kept motionless for a
long time on the face of the persons without giving sign of recognition.
They called him by name, placed their hands on
his forehead, made signs to one another in order to express