Звездный десант
Chapter 8
Ifithastobedone,aman—arealman—shootshisowndoghimself;hedoesn’thireaproxywhomaybungleit.
TheregimentalrecordssaidthatDillingerwasours,sotakingcareofhimwasourduty.
Thateveningwemarchedtotheparadegroundsatslowmarch,sixtybeatstotheminute(hardtokeepstep,whenyou’reusedtoahundredandforty),whilethebandplayed"DirgefortheUnmourned."ThenDillingerwasmarchedout,dressedinM.I.fulldressjustaswewere,andthebandplayed"DannyDeever"whiletheystrippedoffeverytraceofinsignia,evenbuttonsandcap,leavinghiminamaroonandlightbluesuitthatwasnolongerauniform.Thedrumsheldasustainedrollanditwasallover.
WepassedinreviewandonhomeatafasttrotIdon’tthinkanybodyfaintedandIdon’tthinkanybodyquitegotsick,eventhoughmostofusdidn’teatmuchdinnerthatnightandI’veneverheardthemesstentsoquiet.But,grislyasitwas(itwasthefirsttimeIhadseendeath,firsttimeformostofus),itwasnottheshockthatTedHendrick’sfloggingwas—Imean,youcouldn’tputyourselfinDillinger’splace;youdidn’thaveanyfeelingof:"Itcouldhavebeenme."Notcountingthetechnicalmatterofdesertion,Dillingerhadcommittedatleastfourcapitalcrimes;ifhisvictimhadlived,hestillwouldhavedancedDannyDeeverforanyoneoftheotherthree—kidnapping,demandofransom,criminalneglect,etc.
Ihadnosympathyforhimandstillhaven’t.Thatoldsawabout"Tounderstandallistoforgiveall"isalotoftripe.
