按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'Very good； sir。'
And so； in an atmosphere of chilly embarrassment； Hooper sat in a chair while a few snips were made at the back of his head。 At the beginning of the operation I left the ante…room； and later apologized to Hooper for his reception。 'It's not the sort of thing that usually happens in this regiment；' I said。
'Oh； no hard feelings；' said Hooper。 'I can take a bit of sport。'
Hooper had no illusions about the Army … or rather no special illusions distinguishable from the general； enveloping fog from which he observed the universe。 He had e to it reluctantly； under pulsion； after he had made every feeble effort in his power to obtain deferment。 He accepted it； he said； 'like the measles'。 Hooper was no romantic。 He had not as a child ridden with Rupert's horse or sat among the camp fires at Xanthusside； at the age when my eyes were dry to all save poetry … that stoic； redskin interlude which our schools introduce between the fast…flowing tears of the child and the man … Hooper had wept often； but never for Henry's speech on St Crispin's day； nor for the epitaph at Thermopylae。 The history they taught him had had few battles in it but； instead； a profusion of detail about humane legislation and recent industrial change。 Gallipoli； Balaclava； Quebec； Lepanto； Bannockburn； Roncevales； and Marathon … these； and the Battle in the West where Arthur fell； and a hundred such names whose trumpet…notes； even now in my sere and lawless state； called to me irresistibly across the intervening years with all the clarity and strength of boyhood； sounded in vain to Hooper。
He seldom plained。 Though himself a man to whom one could not confidently entrust the simplest duty； he had an overmastering regard for efficiency and； drawing on his modest mercial experience； he would sometimes say of the ways of the Army in pay and supply and the use of 'man…hours'： 'They couldn't get away with that in business。'
He slept sound while I lay awake fretting。
In the weeks that we were together Hooper became a symbol me of Young England； so that whenever I read some public utterance proclaiming what Youth demanded in the Future and what the world owed to Youth； I would test these general statements by substituting 'Hooper' and seeing if they still seemed as plausible。 Thus in the dark hour before reveille I sometimes pondered： 'Hooper Rallies'； 'Hooper Hostels'； 'International Hooper Cooperation'； and 'the Religion of Hooper'。 He was the acid test of all these alloys。
So far as he had changed at all； he was less soldierly now than when he arrived from his OCTU。 This morning； laden with full equipment； he looked scarcely human。 He came to attention with a kind of shuffling dance…step and spread a wool…gloved palm across his forehead。
'I wan't to speak to Mr Hooper； sergeant…major 。。。 well； where the devil have you been？ I told you to inspect the lines。'
' 'M I late？ Sorry。 Had a rush getting my gear together。'
'That's what you have a servant for。'
'Well； I suppose it is； strictly speaking。 But you know how it is。 He had his own stuff to do。 If you get on the wrong side of these fellows they take it out of you other ways。'
'Well； go and inspect the lines；now。'
'Rightyoh。'
'And for Christ's sake don't say 〃rightyoh〃。'
'Sorry。 I do try to remember。 It just slips out。'
When Hooper left the sergeant…major returned。
'C。O。 just ing up the path； sir；' he said。
I went out to meet him。
There were beads of moisture on the hog…bristles of his little red moustache。
'Well； everything squared up here？'
'Yes； I think so； sir。'
'Think so？ You ought to know。'
His eyes fell on the broken window。 'Has that been entered in the barrack damages？'
'Not yet； sir。'
'Not yet？ I wonder when it would have been； if I hadn't seen it。 '
He was not at ease with me； and much of his bluster rose from timidity； but I thought none the better of it for that。
He led me behind the huts to a wire fence which divided my area from the carrier…platoon's； skipped briskly over； and made for an overgrown ditch and bank which had once been a field boundary on the farm。 Here he began grubbing with his stick like a truffling pig and presently gave a cry of triumph。 He had disclosed one of those deposits of rubbish which are dear to the private soldier's sense of order： the head of a broom； the lid of a stove； a bucket rusted through； a sock； a loaf of bread； lay under the dock and nettle among cigarette packets and empty tins。
'Look at that；' said the manding officer。 'Fine impression that gives to the regiment taking over from us。
'That's bad；' I said。
'It's a disgrace。 See everything there is burned before you leave camp。'
'Very good； sir。 Sergeant…major； send over to the carrier…platoon and tell Captain Brown that the C。O。 wants this ditch cleared up。'
I wondered whether the colonel would take this rebuff； so did he。 He stood a moment irresolutely prodding the muck in the ditch； then he turned on his heel and strode away。
'You shouldn't do it； sir； ' said the sergeant…major； who had been my guide and prop since I joined the pany。 'You shouldn't really。'
'That wasn't our rubbish。'
'Maybe not； sir； but you know how it is。 If you get on the wrong side of senior officers they take it out of you other ways。'
As we marched past the madhouse； two or three elderly inmates gibbered and mouthed politely behind the railings。
'Cheeroh； chum； we'll be seeing you'； 'We shan't be long now'； 'Keep smiling till we meet again'； the men called to them。
I was marching with Hooper at； the head of the leading platoon。
'I say； any idea where we're off to？ '
'None。'
'Do you think it's the real thing？'
'No。'
'Just a flap？'
'Yes。'
'Everyone's been saying we're for it。 I don't know what to think really。 Seems so silly somehow； all this drill and training if we never go into action。'
'I shouldn't worry。 There'll be plenty for everyone in time。'
'Oh； I don't want much you know。 Just enough to say I've been in it。'
A train of antiquated coaches was waiting for us at the siding； an R。T。O。 was in charge； a fatigue party was loading the last of。 the kit…bags from the trucks to the luggage vans。 In half an hour we were ready to start and in an hour we started。
My three platoon manders and myself had a carriage to ourselves。 They ate sandwiches and chocolate； smoked and slept。 None of them had a book。 For the first three or four hours they noted the names of the towns and leaned out of the windows when； as often happened； we stopped between stations。 Later they lost interest。 At midday and again at dark some tepid cocoa was ladled from a container into our mugs。 The train moved slowly south through flat； drab main…line scenery。
The chief incident in the day was the … C。O。's 'order group'。 We assembled in his carriage； at the summons of an orderly； and found him and the adjutant wearing their steel helmets and equipment。 The first thing he said was： 'This is an Order Group。 I expect you to attend properly dressed。 The fact that we happen to be in a train is immaterial。' I thought he was going to send us back but； after glaring at us； he said； 'Sit down。'
'The camp was left in a disgraceful condition'。 Wherever I went I found evidence that officers are not doing their duty。 The state in which a camp is left is the best possible test of the efficiency of regimental officers。 It is on such matters that the reputation of a battalion and its mander rests。 'And' … did he in fact say this or am I finding words for the resentment in his voice and eye？ I think he left it unsaid … 'I do not intend to have my professional reputation promised by the slackness of a few temporary officers。'
We sat with our note…books and pencils waiting to take down the details of our next jobs。 A more sensitive man would have seen that he had failed to be impressive； perhaps he saw； for he added in a petulant schoolmasterish way： 'All I ask is loyal cooperation。'
Then he referred to his notes and read：
'Orders。
'Information。 The battalion is now in transit between location A and location B。 This is a