Викрадений
Chapter 20
Allthewhilewehadnowater,onlyrawbrandyforadrink,whichwasworsethannothing;butwekeptthebottleascoolaswecould,buryingitintheearth,andgotsomereliefbybathingourbreastsandtemples.
Thesoldierskeptstirringalldayinthebottomofthevalley,nowchangingguard,nowinpatrollingpartieshuntingamongtherocks.Theselayroundinsogreatanumber,thattolookformenamongthemwaslikelookingforaneedleinabottleofhay;andbeingsohopelessatask,itwasgoneaboutwiththelesscare.Yetwecouldseethesoldierspiketheirbayonetsamongtheheather,whichsentacoldthrillintomyvitals;andtheywouldsometimeshangaboutourrock,sothatwescarcedaredtobreathe.
ItwasinthiswaythatIfirstheardtherightEnglishspeech;onefellowashewentbyactuallyclappinghishanduponthesunnyfaceoftherockonwhichwelay,andpluckingitoffagainwithanoath.“Itellyouit’s‘ot,”sayshe;andIwasamazedattheclippingtonesandtheoddsing-songinwhichhespoke,andnolessatthatstrangetrickofdroppingouttheletter“h.”Tobesure,IhadheardRansome;buthehadtakenhiswaysfromallsortsofpeople,andspokesoimperfectlyatthebest,thatIsetdownthemostofittochildishness.Mysurprisewasallthegreatertohearthatmannerofspeakinginthemouthofagrownman;andindeedIhavenevergrownusedtoit;noryetaltogetherwiththeEnglishgrammar,asperhapsaverycriticaleyemighthereandtherespyouteveninthesememoirs.
