Вино из одуванчиков

           Soyouseewhythecolorsrunandblend..."

           "Butyourememberwhichsideofhillsyoufoughton?"Charliedidnotraisehisvoice."Didthesunriseonyourleftorright?DidyoumarchtowardCanadaorMexico?"

           "Seemssomemorningsthesunroseonmygoodrighthand,somemorningsovermyleftshoulder.Wemarchedalldirections.It’smostseventyyearssince.Youforgetsunsandmorningsthatlongpast."

           "Yourememberwinning,don’tyou?Abattlewon,somewhere?"

           "No,"saidtheoldman,deepunder."Idon’trememberanyonewinninganywhereanytime.War’sneverawinningthing,Charlie.Youjustloseallthetime,andtheonewholoseslastasksforterms.AllIrememberisalotoflosingandsadnessandnothinggoodbuttheendofit.Theendofit,Charles,thatwasawinningalltoitself,havingnothingtodowithguns.ButIdon’tsupposethat’sthekindofvictoryyouboysmeanformetotalkon."

           "Antietam,"saidJohnHuff."AskaboutAntietam."

           "Iwasthere."

           Theboys’eyesgrewbright."BullRun,askhimBullRun..."

           "Iwasthere."Softly.

           "WhataboutShiloh?"

           "There’sneverbeenayearinmylifeIhaven’tthought,whatalovelynameandwhatashametoseeitonlyonbattlerecords."

           "Shiloh,then.FortSumter?"

           "Isawthefirstpuffsofpowdersmoke."Adreamingvoice."Somanythingscomeback,oh,somanythings.Tremembersongs.