Великий военный синдикат

           Therewerethosewhoassertedthatforaninstanttheyhadheardinthedistanceagrindingcrash;andtherewereotherswhowerequitesurethattheyhadnoticedwhatmightbecalledaflashofdarkness,asifsomethinghad,withalmostunappreciablequickness,passedbetweenthemandthesun.Whentheofficersofthegarrisonmountedthehillbeforethemandsurveyedtheplacewheretheirforthadbeen,therewasnotoneofthemwhohadsufficientcommandofhimselftowriteareportofwhathadhappened.Theygazedatthebare,staringflatnessoftheshornbluff,andtheylookedateachother.Thiswasnotwar.Itwassomethingsupernatural,awful!Theywerenotfrightened;theywereoppressedandappalled.Butthemilitarydisciplineoftheirmindssoonexerteditsforce,andabriefaccountoftheterrificeventwastransmittedtotheauthorities,andSergeantKilseywassentencedtoamonthintheguard-house.Nooneapproachedthevicinityofthebluffwheretheforthadstood,fordangermightnotbeover;buteverypossiblepointofobservationwithinasafedistancewassooncrowdedwithanxiousandterrifiedobservers.Afeelingofawewasnoticeableeverywhere.Ifpeoplecouldhavehadatangibleideaofwhathadoccurred,itwouldhavebeendifferent.Iftheseahadraged,ifavastbodyofwaterhadbeenthrownintotheair,ifadensecloudhadbeensuddenlyejectedfromthesurfaceoftheearth,theymighthaveformedsomeopinionaboutit.