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all of them。 …For ritualistic reasons having to do ilitary organizations at this bere…&…now it is best to call a man by his family name。） …
…But let's leave the finest squad in the AEF and bring you up to date on my first family and your ancestors。 Just before Uncle Sam sent me on that pleasure cruise； I was given a vacation。 I spent it with the Brian Smith family and lived in their house； as they have 〃adopted〃 me for the rest of this war； me being an 〃orphan。〃
That leave was the happiest time I've had since I was dropped from the Dora。 I took Woodie to an amusement park； primitive but more fun than some sophisticated pleasures of Secundus。 I took him on rides and treated him to games and ？hings that were fun for him； and fun for me because he enjoyed them so…wore him out and he slept all the …way home； lie behaved himself；
… and now we are chums。 I've decided to let him grow up； there may be …hope for him yet。
I had long talks with Gramp； got better acquainted with all the others…especially Mama and Pop。 The latter was unexpected。 I had met Pop for a few minutes at Camp Funston； then he was to e home on leave the day I had to go back； and I didn't expect to see him。 But he got away a few hours early； a bonus an officer can sometimes manage； and we overlapped…and he telephoned to the camp and got me a two…day extension。 Why？ Tamara and Ira~ listen carefully… To attend the wedding of… Miss Nancy Irene Smith &
Mr。 Jonathan Sperling Weatheral
Athene； explain to the twins the historic significance of this union。 List the famous and important people in that line； dear； not the total genealogies。 And Ira and Tamara in our own little family； of course； and Ishtar； and at least five of our children…and I may have missed someone； not having all the genealogical lines in my head。
I was 〃best man〃 …to Jonathan； and Pop 〃gave the bride away；〃 and Brian was an 〃usher〃 and Marie was 〃ringbearer〃 and Carol was 〃maid of honor；〃 and George was charged with keeping Woodie from setting fire to the church while Mama took care of Dickie and Ethel… Athene can explain terms and ritual； I shan't try。 But it not only gave me two more days of leave； much of which I ~ent running errands for Mama （these medieval weddings are plex operations）； but it also gave me
… time with Pop； and now I know him better than I ever did as a son under his roof…and like him very much and heartily approve of him。
Ira； he reminds me of you…brainy； no nonsense； relaxed； tolerant； and warmly friendly。
Bulletin： The bride was pregnant （a proper Howard wedding！…at a time when all brides are assumed to be virgins）…pregnant with （if memory serves） 〃Jonathan Briafl Weatheral。〃 Is that right； Justin； and who is descended from him？ Remind me； Athene。 I've met a lot
… of people over the centuries； I may even have married some descendant of Jonathan Brian at some time。 I
rather b9pe so； Nancy and Jonathan are a fine young couple。 …
I turned 。 〃my〃 landaulet over to them for a six…day honeymoon； then Jonathan was to （did） join the Army… but too late to get into bat。 Nancy's warrior hero just the same； he tried。
Some fiddling sergeant who couldn~t find his arse with both hands wants me to round up my squad and do something about a dugout that someone was careless with。 So…
…All my love from
Corporal Buddy Bo~
Somewhere in France
… Dear Mr。 Johnson；
Please give this a second censoring； some of it will have to be explained to the rest of my adopted family。
I hope that Mrs。 Smith received the thank…you note I mailed from Hoboken （and could read it_writing on my knee while bouncing on the C。 & A。 roadbed does not improve my handwriting）。 In any case I thank her again for the happiest holiday of my life。 And thanks to all of you。 Please tell Woodie that I will no longer spot him a horse。 From here on we play even or he can find another sucker…four out of five is too many。
Now for the rest… Note signature and address。 My rocker did not last to France； then three chevrons dwindled to two。 Can you explain to Mrs。 Smith and to Carol （those two in particular） that being busted does not disgrace a man forever？…and that I am still Carol's own special soldier if she will let me be…and in fact I am far more of a real soldier； I am at last free of being tagged as 〃instructor〃 and am nobat outfit。 I wish I could tell her where 。 。 but if I
… stuck my head up over the parapet； I might see。… some heinies if one of theth didn't see me first。 I'm not goldbricking a hundred miles back。
I hope you aren't ashamed of me。 No； i'm sure you
第82节
are not； you are too old a soldier to care about rank。
I'm in it and that's what counts with you。 I know。 May
I say； sir； that you are and have always been as long as
I've known you ai~ inspiration to me？
1 won't detail the two negative promotions； in the …
Army excuses don't count。 But 1…want you to know that neither resulted from anything~ dishonorable。 The first was in the transport and involved a duty…struck masterat…arms and a poker game in …an area for which I was
…responsible。 The second came while I was instructing… dummy trenches； dummy no…man's land…and a captain told me to dress up that skirmish line and I said； 〃Hell； Captain； are you trying to save bullets for the Kaiser？ Or haven't… you heard of machine guns？〃 …
（I suppo鉫 I shouldn't have sai（〃Hell。〃 In fact I used another expression more mon among soldiers。）
So …later that day I was a corporal； and my transfer took place when I requested it； again that same day。
So here I am and feeling fine。 It is indeed a fact that the closer a man gets to the front； the better his morale is。 I've bee chummy with cooties； and the mud in France is deeper and stickier than in southern Missouri； and I dream about hot bathe and Mrs。 Smith's wonderful guest room for soldiers…but I'm in good health and good spirits； and I send my love to all of you。
…kespectfully yours；
… … …Corporal Ted Bronson
〃Hey down in there！ Corporal Bronson。 Send him out。〃 Lazarus climbed slowly up out the dugout； letting his eye~ adjust to darkness。 〃Yes； Lieutenant？〃
〃Wire…cutting job。 I want you to volunteer。〃
Lazarus said nothing。 …〃Didn't you hear me？〃
〃I heard you； sir。〃
〃Well？〃
〃You asked for a volunteer； sir。〃
〃No； I said I wanted you to volunteer。〃 〃Lieutenant； I volunteered on April sixth … last year。 Thai used up my quota for the duration。〃〃A latrine lawyer； eh？〃
Lazarus again s~id…nothing。
〃Sometimes I tbM you want to live forever。〃 Lazarus …still said nothing。 （You are so right； you seven…
pound bliffy…and so do you； you haven't been over that parapet even once。 God help this platoon when you do。）
〃Very well； since you want it the hard way。 I order you to lead this party。 Find three more volunteers from your squad。 If they