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！
d 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 major L of C and is liable to bombing and gas attack from the enemy。
'Intention。 I intend to arrive at location B。
'Method。 Train will arrive at destination at approximately 2315 hours 。 。 。' and so on。
The sting came at the end under the heading； 'Administration'。 'C' pany； less one platoon； was to unload the train on arrival at the siding where three three…tonners would be available for moving all stores to a battalion dump in the new camp； work to continue until pleted； the remaining platoon was to find a guard on the dump and perimeter sentries for the camp area。
'Any questions？'
'Can we have an issue of cocoa for the working party？'
'No。 Any more questions？'
When I told the sergeant…major of these orders he said： 'Poor old 〃C〃 pany struck unlucky again'； and I knew this to be a reproach for my having antagonized the manding officer。
I told the platoon manders。
'I say；' said Hooper； 'it makes it awfully awkward with the chaps。 They'll be fairly browned off。 He always seems to pick on us for the dirty work。'
'You'll do guard。'
'Okeydoke。 But I say； how am I to find the perimeter in the dark？'
Shortly after blackout we were disturbed by an orderly making his way lugubriously down the length of the train with a rattle。 One of the more sophisticated sergeants called out 'Deuxieme service。'
'We are being sprayed with liquid mustard…gas；' I said。 'See that the windows are shut。' I then wrote a neat little situation report to say that there were no casualties and nothing had been contaminated； that men had been detailed to decontaminate the outside of the coach before detraining。 This seemed to satisfy the manding officer； for we heard no more from him。 After dark we all slept。
At last； very late； we came to our siding。 It was part of our training in security and active service conditions that we should eschew stations and platforms。 The drop from the running board to the cinder track made for disorder and breakages in the darkness。
'Fall in on the road below the embankment。 〃C〃 pany seems to be taking their time as usual； Captain Ryder。'
'Yes； sir。 We're having a little； difficulty。 with the bleach。'
'Bleach？'
'For decontaminating the outside of the coaches； sir。'
'Oh very conscientious； I'm sure。 Skip it and get a move on。'
By now my half…awake and sulky men were clattering into shape on the road。 Soon Hooper's platoon had marched off into the darkness； I found the lorries organized lines of men to ass the stores from hand to hand down the steep bank； and； presently； as they found themselves doing something with an apparent purpose in it； they got more cheerful。 I handled stores with them for the first half hour； then broke off to meet the pany second…in…mand who came down with the first returning truck。
'It's not a bad camp；' he reported； 'big private house with two or three lakes。 Looks as if we might get some duck if we're lucky。 Village with one pub and a post office。 No town within miles。 I've managed to get a hut between the two of us。'
By four in the morning th