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

AN ORIGINAL ORDERLY.
fast, and it was the hour at which the Corriere Italiano was
cried through the streets. One morning, knowing that there
was some news I wished to see in the paper, I said to him :
"Quick, now ham and the Corriere Italiano." He never
could seize two ideas at a time. He went out and returned a
moment later with the ham wrapped up in the Corriere.
One morning I was turning over in his presence and that of
a friend, a beautiful military map that had been lent me from
the library, and I said :
"The trouble is, you understand, that
I cannot see all these maps at a glance, and am obliged to look
at them one by one. To get a clear idea of the battle I should
like to see them all nailed on to the wall in a row, so that they
would form one picture." That evening when I entered the
house I shudder to think of it
every map in the collection
was nailed to the wall, and to make matters worse, the following
morning I was obliged to see him appear with the
modest, smiling face of a man who is expecting a compliment.
Another morning I sent him to buy two eggs to cook in
spirits.
While he was out, a friend came to talk about a very
important affair with me. That unfortunate wretch returned.
" "
I said : Wait ! He seated himself in a corner, and I continued
to talk with my friend. After a moment I saw the soldier
turn red, white, and green, and seem to be on thorns about
something, so that he hardly knew where to hide his face. I
dropped my eyes and saw a leg of the chair slightly streaked
with gold color, which I had never seen. I approached
it
;
was the yolk of an egg. The wretch had put the eggs in the
back pockets of his jacket, and on entering the house had
seated himself without remembering that my breakfast was
under him.