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

28 MILITARY LIFE.
terrified, bathed with perspiration, he rose wearily to a sitting
posture, listened attentively, and held his breath. " Lieutenant
! lieutenant ! the officer of the day," said the voice again.
" Heavens !
quick, my stockings, my stockings ;
where
are those stockings
? Well, no matter. My trowsers . . .
where are they ? Ah, here they are ! ... Quick, my jacket
!
one arm, the other . . . the jacket is on. My sword ! wherein
heaven's name is my sword ? The scarf, now, the scarf !
. . .
Ah,
here it is ! At last. . ."
And dressed thus carelessly, his jacket unbuttoned, without
stockings, cravat, or drawers, he rushed breathless to the door,
opened it,
looked around, and saw . . . the officer of the day,
erect, immovable, and rigid, with his hands crossed on his
breast, and the visor of his cap over his eyes, and his eyes
flashing under his knitted brows like two burning coals.
" "
Have you gone the rounds ?
For a moment the lieutenant hesitates, then says boldly,
" I
have done them."
" I understand," mutters the captain to himself, " you have
done me."
Now I ask you : is it worse to have a dream of this kind, or
to catch an attack of pleurisy, or bark your shins against
some bed in the dark ? I go in for the bruised shins and influenza,
and I fancy the majority of my readers would do the
same.