The Romantic by May Sinclair
page 118 of 208 (56%)
page 118 of 208 (56%)
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palpitating eyes. He lifted his hand as though he would have struck at
Charlotte, but John pushed him back. He was brutalized, made savage and cruel by terror; he had a lust to hurt. "You can't have our stretcher," Charlotte said. She could see they didn't want it. This was the last tram. The serious cases had been sent on first. All these men could walk or hobble along somehow with help. But they were the last in the retreat of the wounded; they were the men who had been nearest to the enemy, and they had known the extremity of fear. "You can't have it. It's wanted for a badly wounded man." "Where is he?" "We don't know. We're looking for him." "Ah, pah! We can't wait till you find him. Do you think we're going to stand here to be taken?--For one man!" They went on through the plantation, stumbling and growling, dragging the wounded out into the road. "If," Charlotte said, "we only knew where he was." John stood there silent; his head was turned towards the far end of the wood, the Lokeren end. The terror of the wood held him. He seemed to be listening; listening, but only half awake. |
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