Bullets & Billets

Nayi nkhani ya Khrisimasi ya Truce kuchokera m'buku lolembedwa ndi munthu yemwe analipo:

Bullets & Billets, wolemba Bruce Bairnsfather kudzera Project Guttenberg

MUTU VIII

CHISIMASI YAM'MBUYO YOTSIRIZA -
BRITON CUM BOCHE

Zitangotha ​​zomwe zidachitika m'mutu wapitawu tidasiya mipanda yamasiku athu onse m'mabillets. Linali likuyandikira Tsiku la Khrisimasi, ndipo tinkadziwa kuti zidzafika poti tidzabwerere m'mayendedwe pa 23 Disembala, ndikuti pamapeto pake tidzawononga Khrisimasi yathu kumeneko. Ndimakumbukira kuti panthawiyi ndinali ndi mwayi wambiri chifukwa cha izi, popeza chilichonse pachikondwerero cha Khrisimasi chinali chodziwikiratu. Tsopano, komabe, poyang'ana m'mbuyo pa zonsezi, sindikadaphonya Tsiku lapadera la Khrisimasi lapaderadera pachilichonse.

Monga ndidanenera kale, tidapitanso pa 23. Nyengo tsopano inali yabwino kwambiri komanso yozizira. M'bandakucha wa 24 udabweretsa tsiku lodekha, kuzizira, chisanu. Mzimu wa Khirisimasi unayamba kufalikira tonsefe; tinayesetsa kupanga njira ndi njira zopangira tsiku lotsatira, Khrisimasi, mwanjira ina kwa ena. Maitanidwe ochokera kukakumba wina kupita kwina kwa chakudya chamakudya ambiri anali atayamba kufalikira. Usiku wa Khrisimasi unali, momwe nyengo ilili, zonse zomwe Khrisimasi iyenera kukhala.

Anandilamula kuti ndikawonekere pamalo omwe anakumbidwa pafupifupi kotala la kilomita kumanzere usikuwo kuti ndikakhale ndi chinthu chapadera m'madinala - osazunza kwambiri komanso Maconochie monga mwachizolowezi. Botolo la vinyo wofiira komanso medley yazinthu zam'chitini zochokera kunyumba zimatumizidwa ngati kulibe. Tsikuli linali lopanda ziwombankhanga, ndipo mwanjira ina tonsefe tinkawona kuti a Boches, nawonso amafuna kukhala chete. Panali mtundu wina wa zinthu zosawoneka, zosagwirika zomwe zimadutsa chithaphwi chachisanu pakati pa mizere iwiri ija, chomwe chimati “Ili ndi tsiku la Khrisimasi la tonsefe—Chinachake ofanana. ”

Pafupifupi 10 pm Ndinapangitsa kuchoka kwanga kuchoka kumanzere kwa mzere wathu ndikubwerera kumalo anga. Nditafika pamtunda wanga ndinapeza amuna ambiri atayimirira pafupi, ndipo onse anali okondwa kwambiri. Tinali kuimba nyimbo zabwino ndikukambirana, nthabwala ndi jibes pa nthawi ya Khirisimasi yodziwika bwino, mosiyana ndi ina iliyonse yakale, inali yakuda mlengalenga. Mmodzi mwa amuna anga anatembenukira kwa ine nati:

“Mutha 'kumvetsera' momveka bwino, bwana!”

“Mukumva chiyani?” Ndidafunsa.

“Ajeremani kumeneko, bwana; 'khutu' em singin 'ndikusewera' pagulu kapena somethin '. ”

Ndinamvetsera; -kuthawa kumunda, pakati pa mdima wandiweyani, ndimamva kung'ung'udza kwa mawu, ndipo nyimbo zina zosavuta kumveka zikanakhoza kuyandama pamtunda wa chisanu. Kuimba kunkawoneka ngati kokweza komanso kosiyana kwambiri kumanja kwathu. Ndinafika pofukula ndikupeza mkulu wa asilikali.

"Kodi mukumva a Boches akukankha chikwama kumeneko?" Ndinatero.

"Inde," adayankha; “Akhalapo nthawi yayitali!”

"Bwera," ndinatero, "tiyeni tipite ngalande ija ku mpanda wa kumanja uko ndiye malo oyandikira kwambiri kwa iwo, uko."

Chifukwa chake tidapunthwa m'ngalande yathu yolimba, yozizira kwambiri, ndikukwera mpaka ku banki pamwambapa, tidadutsa mundawo ndikupita ngalande ina kumanja. Aliyense anali kumvetsera. Gulu lokonzekera la Boche linali kusewera mosasamala za "Deutschland, Deutschland, uber Alles," pomaliza pake, ena mwa akatswiri athu am'kamwa mwakubwezera adabwezera ndi zingwe za nyimbo za nthawi ya rag ndikutsanzira nyimbo yaku Germany. Mwadzidzidzi tinamva kufuula kosokonezeka kuchokera mbali inayo. Tonse tinaima kuti timvetsere. Kufuula kunabweranso. Mawu mumdima anafuula mu Chingerezi, ndi mawu achijeremani amphamvu, "Bwera kuno!" Chisangalalo chinagwera m'ngalande yathu, ndikutsatira mwamwano ziwalo mkamwa ndi kuseka. Pakadali pano, modekha, m'modzi mwa ma sajini athu adabwereza kupempha kuti, "Bwera kuno!"

“Iwe wabwera pakati — ine ndabwera theka,” anayandama mumdimawo.

“Bwerani, ndiye!” anafuula sajeni. “Ndikubwera pafupi ndi tchinga!”

“Ah! koma muli awiri, ”linabweranso liwu lija kuchokera mbali inayo.

Komabe, patatha kudandaula kwakukulu ndi chisokonezo chochokera kumbali zonse ziwiri, sitima yathu inkayenda pakhoma lomwe linkayenda pamakona awiri. Iye mwamsanga sanawoneke; koma, monga ife tonse tinamvetsera mwakachetechete, posakhalitsa tinamva kukambirana kwapasmodic kuchitika kunja uko mumdima.

Pakadali pano, sajenti anabwerera. Anali ndi ndudu zingapo zachijeremani ndi ndudu zomwe adasinthana ndi ma Maconochie angapo ndi malata aku Capstan, omwe adapita nawo. Msonkhanowo unali utatha, koma unali utapereka chofunikira chofunikira pa nthawi yathu ya Khrisimasi — china chake munthu pang'ono komanso chosazolowereka.

Pambuyo pa miyezi yokhala ndi zizindikiro zowonongeka ndi zokopa, kachidutswa kakang'ono kameneka kanakhala kowonjezereka, ndi mpumulo wokondweretsa tsiku ndi tsiku la kutsutsana. Izo sizinachepetse chidwi chathu kapena kutsimikiza kwathu; koma ingoyika chizindikiro chapadera cha umunthu mmoyo wathu wa chidani chozizira ndi chinyezi. Pa tsiku loyenerera, nawonso-Khrisimasi Eva! Koma, monga chidziwitso chodziwikiratu, izi sizinali zosiyana ndi zomwe takumana nazo tsiku lotsatira.

Pa mmawa wa Khirisimasi ine ndinadzuka molawirira kwambiri, ndipo ndinatuluka kuchokera kumatumbu anga kupita mu ngalande. Unali tsiku langwiro. Mlengalenga wokongola, opanda mitambo. Nthaka yolimba ndi yoyera, ikuphulika kupita ku nkhuni mu ntchentche yochepa. Anali tsiku lofanana ndi limene likuwonetsedwa ndi ojambula pa makadi a Khirisimasi-Tsiku loyenera la Khirisimasi lopeka.

“Tiyerekezere chidani chonsechi, nkhondo, ndi zovuta patsiku longa ili!” Ndinaganiza ndekha. Mzimu wonse wa Khrisimasi unkawoneka kuti ulipo, kotero ndikukumbukira ndikuganiza, "Chinthu chosafotokozedwachi mlengalenga, kumverera kwa Mtendere ndi Kukoma Mtima, ndithudi chikhala ndi vuto pano lero!" Ndipo sindinali kulakwitsa kwambiri; Zidatizungulira, mulimonse, ndipo ndakhala wokondwa kwambiri kuganizira za mwayi wanga, poyamba, kukhala m'mabande pa Tsiku la Khrisimasi, ndipo, chachiwiri, kukhala komwe kunachitikira gawo laling'ono lapadera.

Chilichonse chimawoneka chosangalala komanso chowala m'mawa uja — zovuta zomwe zimawoneka ngati zochepa, mwanjira ina; Amawoneka kuti adadziwonetsera okha kuzizira kozizira kwambiri. Unali tsiku lamtendere kuti alengeze Mtendere. Zikanakhala zomaliza bwino chonchi. Ndikanakonda ndikadamva mwadzidzidzi kulira kwa sairini yayikulu. Aliyense kuti ayime ndi kuti, “Icho chinali chiani?” Siren ikuwombolanso: kuwonekera kwa kamunthu kakang'ono kothamanga pamatope achisanu akugwedeza kena kake. Akuyandikira-mnyamata wa telegraph wokhala ndi waya! Amandipatsa. Ndikutsegula zala zanga ndikutsegula kuti: "Limbani, bwererani kunyumba. — George, RI" Cheers! Koma ayi, linali tsiku labwino, labwino, ndizo zonse.

Patapita nthawi pang'ono, ndikukambirana nkhani yovuta usiku, tinadzindikira kuti tinali kuona maumboni ambirimbiri a Ajeremani. Mipingo inali kudodometsa ndi kuwonetsa pamtunda wawo mwa njira yopanda nzeru, ndipo, pamene tinayang'ana, chodabwitsa ichi chinayamba kutchulidwa.

Chiwerengero chathunthu cha Boche mwadzidzidzi chidawoneka padoko, ndikudziyang'ana chokha. Kudandaula kumeneku kunafalikira. Sizinatengere nthawi yaitali kuti "Bert Wathu" akhale pamwamba (ndikutaya nthawi yayitali kuti timuleke). Ichi chinali chizindikiritso chofotokozera zambiri za Boche, ndipo izi zidayankhidwa ndi a Alf ndi Bill athu onse, mpaka, munthawi yocheperako kuposa momwe timafotokozera, theka la khumi ndi awiri kapena anayi amtundu uliwonse anali kunja kwa ngalande zawo anali kuyandikana wina ndi mnzake mdziko la anthu ena.

Chisudzo chachilendo, ndithudi!

Ine ndinawombera pamwamba ndi kudutsa pamwamba pathu, ndipo ndinapita kudutsa munda kukayang'ana. Nditavala chikwama cha khaki chakuda ndi kuvala chovala cha nkhosa ndi chisoti cha Balaclava, ndinalowa m'gulu la anthu pafupi ndi theka la ku Germany.

Zonsezi zinkafuna chidwi kwambiri: Awa ndimadontho odyetsa, omwe adasankha kuyambitsa izi zowonongeka za ku Ulaya, ndipo pochita zimenezi adatibweretsa tonse mumatope omwewo monga iwo eni.

Ichi chinali chowonadi changa choyamba pa iwo pafupi. Apa iwo anali-asilikali enieni, othandiza a nkhondo ya Germany. Panalibe atomu ya chidani kumbali zonse tsiku limenelo; ndipo komabe, kumbali yathu, osati kanthawi kochepa chinali chifuniro cholimbana ndi chida chofuna kuwasokoneza. Zinali ngati nthawi yozungulira pakati pa masewera olimbitsa mabokosi. Kusiyanasiyana kwa mtundu pakati pa abambo athu ndi awo kunali chizindikiro kwambiri. Panalibe kusiyana kwa mzimu wa maphwando awiriwo. Amuna athu, omwe amavala zovala zokhala ndi zonyansa, zokhala ndi matope a khaki, ndi zovala zawo zosiyanasiyana zovala zipewa zofiira, zipewa, ndi zipewa, anali osonyezera mtima, ovunduka, osangalatsa komanso otsutsana ndi a Huns. zovala zawo zakuda zofiirira, nsapato zapamwamba, ndi zipewa za nkhumba.

Zotsatira zochepa zedi zomwe ndingathe kupereka kuchokera kwa maganizo omwe ndinali nawo zinali kuti amuna athu, apamwamba, opindika, owona bwino, ndi okondedwa, anali okhudzana ndi zinthu zopanda pake, zopanda kuganiza za kulengedwa kolakwika monga chida chokhumudwitsa koma chokhumudwitsa chimene mitu yawo inali muli kuti potsirizira pake atengeke.

"Tamuonani uyo uko, Bill," Bert wathu anganene, pomwe amamuwuza membala wachipanichi yemwe ali ndi chidwi.

Ndidayenda pakati pawo onse, ndikuyang'ana momwe ndingathere. Awiri kapena atatu a Boches amawoneka kuti ali ndi chidwi ndi ine, ndipo atandizungulira kamodzi kapena kawiri ndi chidwi chodindidwa pankhope zawo, m'modzi adabwera nati "Offizier?" Ndinagwedeza mutu wanga, kutanthauza "Inde" m'zinenero zambiri, ndipo, kuwonjezera apo, sindingathe kuyankhula Chijeremani.

Ziwanda izi, ine ndimakhoza kuziwona, onse ankafuna kuti akhale amzanga; koma palibe aliyense wa iwo amene anali ndi uthunthu weniweni wa amuna athu. Komabe, aliyense anali kuyankhula ndi kuseka, ndi kusaka kukumbukira.

Ndinawona msilikali wa ku Germany, a lieutenant wamtundu wina yemwe ndiyenera kuganiza, ndipo pokhala wosonkhanitsa pang'ono, ndinamuuza kuti ndakatenga mabatani ake.

Ife tonse tinkanenera zinthu wina ndi mzake zomwe sizinamvetsetse, ndipo tinagwirizana kuti tichite zosintha. Ndinatulutsa makina anga a waya ndipo, ndikuwombera pang'ono, ndinachotsa mabatani ake ndikuika mu thumba langa. Kenako ndinamupatsa magawo awiri a ndalama zanga.

Pamene izi zikuchitika phokoso la zozizwitsa zam'mimba zomwe zimachokera kwa mmodzi wa azimayi otchedwa laager-schifters, anandiuza kuti lingaliro lina lachitika kwa wina.

Mwadzidzidzi, m'modzi mwa mabotolowo adabwerera kumtsinje wake ndipo tsopano akupezeka ndi kamera yaikulu. Ndinajambula zithunzi zingapo m'magulu osiyanasiyana, ndipo kuyambira lero ndikulakalaka nditakonza zoti ndipezeko. Zosaoneka kuti zolembedwa zojambula za chithunzichi zikugwiritsidwa ntchito pazinthu zina za Hun, zomwe zikuwonetseratu momveka bwino ndikuwongolera momwe angagwiritsire ntchito Chingerezi mosagwirizana ndi tsiku la Khirisimasi kwa Deutschers olimba mtima.

Pang'ono ndi pang'ono msonkhano unayamba kufalikira; ndikumverera kuti olamulira onse awiri sanali okondwa kwambiri pokhudzana ndi kuyanjana kumeneku. Ife tinasiyanitsa, koma kunali kumvetsetsa ndi kumvetsetsa kwabwino kuti Tsiku la Khirisimasi lidzasiyidwe kuti litsirize mu bata. Chomaliza chomwe ndinachiwona chaching'ono ichi chinali masomphenya a mmodzi wa okwera zida zanga, yemwe anali wovala tsitsi kumalo osakhalitsa m'moyo waumphawi, kudula tsitsi lalitali la Boche, lomwe linali litagwada pansi pang'onopang'ono zidutswa zimachoka kumbuyo kwa khosi lake.