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

THE SON OF THE REGIMENT. 69
cited, and the expression of the faces more animated ;
then
they repeat the cries
and hurrahs which had ceased for a short
time, and the soldiers begin to get into disorder again, until
on arriving at the gate the greater portion of the crowd stop.
There, again, you can imagine a confusion
and shouting that
is indescribable ; an embracing and kissing ;
a loosening of
the arms from one in order to
throw themselves into the arms
of another ;
and so on, hurriedly exchanging good wishes, salutations,
and benedictions. Finally, the regiment was outside
of the gate and ranged in marching order,
two files to the
right and two files to the left of the road. For a short time
the soldiers turned now and then toward the gate, where the
crowd, still stationary, went on waving handkerchiefs and uttering
cries of farewell ;
but little
.
by little, as it
grew dark,
the crowd could no longer be seen, the cries ceased, the soldiers
began marching in order, and the officers, who at first
had been walking in groups, fell into their proper places.
We had been on the march for many hours ;
before arriving
at Padua we were tired and had already begun to move
slowly and in disorder ; yet on coming out of the city we
marched as if we had just then started from the camp after a
long rest. The soldiers walked erect, separate, and quickly ;
the lines were closed up, and a chit-chat was heard on every
side.
There were so many things to be said.
III.
Now that night had fallen the lanterns were lighted. The
appearance of the light brought me to myself, and showed me
that we had not even left Padua ;
then looking here and there
with dilated eyes, as we do when we wake in the room of a