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

DEPARTURE AND RETURN. 309
In his presence I cannot deny that I was a trifle embarrassed ;
but suddenly my friend would break out with another strophe,
and then good-by to all gravity, for we grew wilder than ever.
This was the public comedy, which was followed by a private
one. The eldest of the old soldier's grandchildren used to
"
come and see me, and I would say to him : Courage ;
fall
"
into line ! then taking my mother, sister, and the boy by the
arm, I put them in line whether they liked it or not, and made
them stay there too.
on her shoulder and said :
If my mother laughed, I placed my hand
"
Quiet, my dear lady, erect, and
serious, otherwise we shall close the doors and declaim fiftyeight-line
stanzas with all the strength of our lungs, and you
know we are very robust." " "
No ! no ! for pity's sake !
she would " "
reply. Then silence " ! I shouted. We shall
have to stay here," she murmured, laughing afresh, and turn^ing
to my sister, and that laugh of hers was so sweet and gentle.
" "
Attention ! march !
My shout was so deafening that my
little soldiers would get into disorder, and rush about here and
there, holding on to their ears, and I behind them to bring
them one by one back to their place ;
then I set them free,
with the understanding that they should all shout together,
"
"
"Hurrah for the war ! But my mother said to me : I will
"
not shout." But you will shout." " " Oh, no." Then take
"
a kiss, you angel !
But from day to day she became more thoughtful. Several
regiments had already started, and from one hour to another we
expected the orders for mine to leave. She knew this. Sometimes,
when I was making a racket, I caught her looking at me
sadly, and I said : " Of what are you thinking
? " " My son,"
she replied sadly,
" I am thinking that we have only a few days