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

THE SON OF THE REGIMENT.
Q7
bridge upon which, a few hours before, an Austrian and an
Italian sentinel stood drawn up, looking doggedly at each
other. I entered Goito ;
turned to the right on the principal
street. What a spectacle met my eyes On the ! right and
left of the street, at the corners, against the walls, under the
eaves, in the door-ways of shops and houses, everywhere, in
fact, were soldiers utterly exhausted from their march and fast;
some standing with their shoulders leaning against the wall ;
some sitting all doubled up, with their hands on their
knees and their chins in their hands and their eyes wandering
here and there with a tired, sleepy look others were
;
stretched out and fast asleep with their heads on their knapsacks
;
others who nibbled a piece of bread, holding it tightly
in their two hands and glancing around suspiciously, as if some
one were threatening to come and drag
it
away from their very
teeth others ; re-arranged the things in their knapsacks, or
slowly and listlessly dried their arms on the folds of the cloaks.
Meanwhile the street swarmed with soldiers who were going
toward Cerlungo. Many, glancing here and there with a halfastonished,
half-frightened face, passed on ;
others stopped beside
the wall, threw their knapsacks carelessly down, and let
themselves down on to them like bundles of rags. From time
to time one of those lying down, raising himself on his elbows,
rose to his feet with a great effort, and joined and continued
his way with the first soldier of his regiment whom he
saw pass by. At the doors of the few shops which were open,
there was a continual appearance of soldiers by threes, fours,
and ten at a time, and a persistent demand for something to
eat, for which they would gladly pay, and they stretched out
their hands to show the money.
'
There is nothing more,' re-