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

THE DISABLED SOLDIER. 2$$
superior officers ahead with their swords in the air, and the
flags, music, arid all those shouts ; your heart fires, your head
whirls, and the ball has struck you while you are still shouting :
'
Forward !
' "
At that moment there came from the street the sound of
songs and the music of fifes and shepherd's pipes.
"
They are my companions who are starting," shouted
the conscript, springing to his feet with a sudden outburst
of gaiety.
The disabled soldier's face lighted up ; he, too, rose to his
feet, supported by his mother and fiancee, and begged them to
lead him to the door, saw the conscripts who were leaving
:
"A pleasant journey, boys ;
a pleasant journey !" he shouted.
They turned toward him, caught a glimpse of his leg, understood,
and replied in one voice :
" Hurrah for the brave
"
soldiers !
And he thanked them by waving his
head, for between his emotion and weariness
hands and shaking his
he had no voice
left.
" " Hurrah for the brave soldiers ! the men shouted as they
moved off.
The disabled soldier made one more motion with his hand
and head, then, passing one arm around the neck of the young
girl who was supporting him on the left, he turned to his mother,
standing on the other side, and, in a sweet and affectionate
tone, exclaimed :
" "
Oh, mother, can you believe it ? . . . I am content !
Then he let his head sink on her breast.
The eyes of all present filled with tears, and the music died
away, little by little, in the distance down the road.