Поющие в терновнике

           AndeverythingMontgomeryhadwasthrownasfastasthesweatingartillerycrewscouldthrowit,slavesfeedingthemawsoftheirweaponslikesmallfranticbirdsahugecuckoo;guncasingsgrewhot,thetimebetweenrecoilandreloadshorterandshorterastheartillerymengotcarriedawayontheirownimpetus.Madmen,maddened,theydancedastereotypedpatternofattendanceontheirfieldpieces.

           Itwasbeautiful,wonderful—thehighpointofanartilleryman’slife,whichhelivedandrelivedinhisdreams,wakingandsleeping,fortherestofhisanti-climacticdays.Andyearnedtohavebackagain,thosefifteenminuteswithMontgomery’sguns.

           Silence.Stilled,absolutesilence,breakinglikewavesondistendedeardrums;unbearablesilence.Fiveminutesbeforeten,exactly.TheNinthgotupandmovedforwardoutofitstrenchesintonoman’sland,fixingbayonets,feelingforammunitionclips,releasingsafetycatches,checkingwaterbottles,ironrations,watches,tinhats,whetherbootlaceswerewelltied,thelocationofthosecarryingthemachineguns.Itwaseasytosee,intheunholyglowoffiresandred-hotsandmeltedintoglass;butthedustpallhungbetweentheEnemyandthem,theyweresafe.Forthemoment.Ontheveryedgeoftheminefieldstheyhalted,waited.

           Tenpip-emma,onthedot.SergeantMalloyputhiswhistletohislipsandblewashrillblastupanddownthecompanylines;thecaptainshoutedhisforwardcommand.Onatwo-milefronttheNinthsteppedoffintotheminefieldsandthegunsbeganagainbehindthem,bellowing.