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

more than a mere good-by.
THE CHOLERA OF 1867. 391
How many times, on going out of
that dormitory, the officer said sadly to himself : "
Perhaps tomorrow
all my good soldiers will not be there !
"
And how
many times the soldiers, in seeing the officer go out, pale and
worn, and behind him the orderly with an expression of sad
suspicion on his face, have said among themselves "
:
Perhaps
we shall never see our officer "
again !
When the officer had gone, the quartermaster-sergeant distributed
the letters.
those places
! The
Oh, a letter from home in those days and
fortunate ones who heard their names
called could hardly restrain an expression of joy ;
the others
impatiently tapped
their feet and stretched out their hands.
"Mine." " Give me mine." "You have not given me mine yet."
" Are you not going to give me one ?
" "
Silence, and back
to your place ! " shouted the quartermaster-sergeant. Instantly
all were silent and motionless
as marble, and fancy what selfcontrol
they had to exercise in order to conquer that fever !
The quartermaster-sergeant stood looking at them for a moment
with a frown, then distributed the letters ;
the company
separated in silence, and every one went to bed.
Late at night those who could not sleep heard a sound of
slow steps and subdued voices through the dormitories, and
raising their heads saw the officer of the guard and the sergeant
of the week passing along the rows of beds, stopping before
those that were empty, the one questioning, the other replying,
then both pausing for a moment in going out, quite motionless
in the door-way, as if absorbed in a common thought,
which it was easy to divine. " If any thing happens," the officer
would say in an undertone, "come and tell me instantly."
"Let us hope there will be nothing."
" Let us hope so indeed."