I was glad, too, that I did not say anything, for at last I saw them
coming back in the clear moonlight--clear-like as day; and then in the
distance they stopped, and in a moment one figure seemed to strike the
other a sharp blow, which sent him staggering back, and I could not then
see who it was that was hit, till they came nearer, and I made out that
it was Captain Dyer; while, if I had any doubts at first, I could have
none as they came nearer and nearer, with Lieutenant Leigh talking in a
big insolent way at Captain Dyer, who was very quiet, holding his
handkerchief to his cheek.
So as to be as near as possible to where they were going to pass, I
walked to the end of my tether, and, as they came up, Lieutenant Leigh
says, in a nasty spiteful whisper: "I should have thought you would have
come into the tent to display the wound received in the lady's cause."
"Leigh," said Captain Dyer, taking down his white handkerchief--and in
the bright moonlight I could see that his cheek was cut, and the
handkerchief all bloody--"Leigh, that was an unmanly blow. You called
me a coward; you struck me; and now you try to poison the wound with
your bitter words. I never lift hand against the man who has taken that
hand in his as my friend, but the day may come when I can prove to you
that you are a liar."
Lieutenant Leigh turned upon him fiercely, as though he would have
struck him again; but Captain Dyer paid no heed to him, only walked
quietly off to his quarters; while, with a sneering, scornful sort of
laugh, the lieutenant went into the colonel's tent; though, if he
expected to see Miss Ross, he was disappointed, for so long as I was on
guard, she did not show that night.
Off again the next morning, and over a hotter and dustier road than
ever; and I must say that I began to wish we were settled down in
barracks once more, for everything seemed to grow more and more crooked,
and people more and more unpleasant. Why, even Mrs Bantem that morning
before starting must show her teeth, and snub Bantem, and then begin
going on about the colonel's wife, and the fine madam, her sister,
having all sorts of luxuries, while poor hardworking soldiers' wives had
to bear all the burden and heat of the day. Then, by way of winding up,
she goes to Harry Lant and Measles, who were, as usual, squabbling about
something, and boxes both their ears, as if they had been bad boys. I
saw them both colour up fierce; but the next minute Harry Lant burst out
laughing, and Measles does the same, and then they two did what I should
think they never did before--they shook hands; but Mrs Bantem had no
sooner turned away with tears in her eyes, because she felt so cross,
than the two chaps fell out again about some stupid thing or another,
and kept on snarling and snapping at each other all along the march.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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