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

A MIDSUMMER MARCH. 7
Another blast of the trumpet
it is the Attention ! which is
; " There
followed by along murmur of surprise and discontent.
is n't time to swallow a mouthful ! It would have been better
not to have stopped at all !
They certainly want to kill us "
!
The crowd disperses slowly ;
those lying down sit
up wearily ;
some rise to their feet slowly others stand there and
; enjoy
the last moment, the last instant ;
little by little all have sprung
from the ditches on the way-side, the knapsacks
are on their
shoulders, the lines are formed. Another blast, the first
company
moves, the second, the third the entire regiment
is in motion.
" Fall in there, eh ! Don't let us have any repetition of the
former confusion,"
For a half hour things go a trifle less badly than before,
though the entire body feels painfully the shortness of the rest,
and not all the men were able to quench their thirst. " But
look how that rear is
marching ! Will you close up there ? "
For a half hour, as I said, things go a trifle less badly than
before ;
the lines are compact, the man who was behind has
caught up with his company, the officers are back at their posts.
"But how this sun burns ! This is African heat ! It 's
impossible
to stand " it ! The feet have no longer strength enough to
raise themselves from the ground, they drag along ;
the arms
hang at the side, the belt slides over the hips, the straps of the
knapsacks clasp the shoulders, the cloak weighs heavily on the
stomach.
" And we don't reach our destination ! Where are
they taking us to "
?
" "
A fountain ! a fountain ! A cry of joy greets this news.
The lines break up
all run
; forward, by fives, sixes, and tens,
dashing breakneck fashion on the water ;
then follow blows,
pushes, squabbles, shouts, and thrusts.
" To your places, to