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

THE ORDERLY.
II
the writing ;
it is from your mother." One meant to say,
" Thanks " ;
the other had intended to reply, " You have anticipated
my pleasure."
After which they both returned to their customary silent
and severe modes of address. Not once, in presenting himself
before, or upon leaving his superior, did the proud soldier
forget to put his hand to his cap in a resolute manner,
raising his head as he did so, and fixing his eyes upon his
face, and when he went away, his right-about-face
was always
performed according to regulations.
They had only been living together for four years ;
but the
soldier, who had been made an orderly after the first year
of duty, was completing his
term of service.
One day the commandant of the corps
received orders to dismiss
the class to which the orderly belonged.
That day, between the officer and the
soldier, there passed
few more words than usual, but their two hearts talked at
" " "
length. Do you require any thing more ? Nothing."
'
The order to dismiss your class has arrived ; you will leave
in ten days."
A brief silence followed without their eyes meeting.
. .
"May I go?" "Yes, certainly." This time a certainly was
added, and this was a great step on the road to tenderness.
They were both sad at heart, but not to an equal degree.
One lost his friend in fact, more than a.
friend, a brother,
who loved him with an almost religious devotion. The other,
too, lost a friend, a brother ;
but the former remained, the
latter returned to his home, and this was a great comfort.
return home !
To
After so many years, so many perils ; after having
asked himself so often of an evening when the long, sad