Копи царя Соломона
The Last Stand of the Greys
Hegaveanorder,andthefirstregiment,raisingashout,chargeduptowardstheGreys,whoremainedperfectlystillandsilenttilltheattackingtroopswerewithinfortyyards,andavolleyoftollas,orthrowing-knives,camerattlingamongtheirranks.
Thensuddenlywithaboundandaroar,theysprangforwardwithupliftedspears,andtheregimentmetindeadlystrife. Nextsecondtherollofthemeetingshieldscametoourearslikethesoundofthunder,andtheplainseemedtobealivewithflashesoflightreflectedfromtheshimmeringspears. Toandfroswungthesurgingmassofstruggling,stabbinghumanity,butnotforlong. Suddenlytheattackinglinesbegantogrowthinner,andthenwithaslow,longheavetheGreyspassedoverthem,justasagreatwaveheavesupitsbulkandpassesoverasunkenridge. Itwasdone;thatregimentwascompletelydestroyed,buttheGreyshadbuttwolinesleftnow; athirdoftheirnumberweredead.
Closingupshouldertoshoulder,oncemoretheyhaltedinsilenceandawaitedattack; andIwasrejoicedtocatchsightofSirHenry’syellowbeardashemovedtoandfroarrangingtheranks. Sohewasyetalive!
Meanwhilewemovedontothegroundoftheencounter,whichwascumberedbyaboutfourthousandprostratehumanbeings,dead,dying,andwounded,andliterallystainedredwithblood. Ignosiissuedanorder,whichwasrapidlypasseddowntheranks, totheeffectthatnoneoftheenemy’swoundedweretobekilled,andsofaraswecouldseethiscommandwasscrupulouslycarriedout.
