Amabhulokhi namabhilidi

Nayi i-akhawunti yeKhisimusi Truce evela encwadini ebhalwe ngumuntu owayekhona:

AmaBullets namaBillets, kaBruce Bairnsfather nge Project Guttenberg

ISAHLUKO VIII

I-CHRISTMAS EVE - ISIKHULU ESIKHULU-
I-BRITON CUM BOCHE

Ngokushesha ngemuva kokwenziwa okubekwe esahlukweni esedlule sashiya imisele yezinsuku zethu ezijwayelekile kuma-billets. Manje kwase kusondele uSuku lukaKhisimusi, futhi sasazi ukuthi kuzokwehlela esizindeni sethu ukuthi sibuyele emseleni futhi ngomhla zingama-23 kuZibandlela, nokuthi, ngenxa yalokho, sizosebenzisa uKhisimusi wethu lapho. Ngikhumbula ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi ngangibambeke kakhulu enhlanhleni yami ngalokhu, ngoba noma yini eyayisesimweni semikhosi yoSuku lukaKhisimusi ngokusobala yashaywa ekhanda. Manje, nokho, uma ngibheka emuva kukho konke, bengingeke ngiluphuthelwe lolo suku lukaKhisimusi oluyingqayizivele noluyisimanga nganoma yini.

Njengoba ngishilo ngaphambili, saphinda sangena ngo-23. Isimo sezulu manje sase sihle kakhulu futhi sabanda. Ukusa komhlaka-24 kwaletha usuku olumile ngokuphelele, olubandayo noluneqhwa. Umoya kaKhisimusi waqala ukugcwala kithi sonke; sazama ukuhlela izindlela nezindlela zokwenza usuku olulandelayo, uKhisimusi, lwehluke ngandlela thile kwabanye. Izimemo ezisuka kokubiwe ziye komunye ekudleni okuningana ziqale ukusabalala. Ubusuku bukaKhisimusi, ngendlela yesimo sezulu, kwakuyikho konke u-Eva kaKhisimusi okufanele abe yikho.

Ngakhokhiswa ukuthi ngizovela endaweni eyimbiwe cishe ikota yemayela ngakwesokunxele ngalolo suku kusihlwa ukuze ngibe nento ekhethekile ekudleni komsele — hhayi kakhulu isiqhwaga noMaconochie cishe njengenjwayelo. Ibhodlela lewayini elibomvu kanye nemedley yezinto ezifakwe emathinini ezivela ekhaya zithunyelwa lapho zingekho. Usuku belungakhululekanga ngokuphelele ekubhekaneni nezibhamu, futhi ngandlela thile sonke besinomuzwa wokuthi abakwaBoches, nabo, bafuna ukuthula. Kwakunohlobo oluthile lomuzwa ongabonakali, ongaphatheki odlulela ngaphesheya kwexhaphozi elifriziwe phakathi kwale migqa emibili, elalithi “Lolu usuku olwandulela uKhisimusi kithi sobabili—okuthile okufanayo."

Mayelana ne-10 ntambama ngenza ukuphuma kwami ​​kukhishwe ngendlela efanele engakwesokunxele komugqa wethu futhi ngabuyela ekhaya lami. Lapho ngifika emgodini wami ngabathola amaningana amadoda ayemi, futhi bonke bejabule kakhulu. Kwakukhona ukucula okuhle nokukhuluma, amahlaya kanye nama-jibes ku-Eve wethu wamaKhisimusi owaziwayo, njengoba kuqhathaniswa nanoma iyiphi enye yangaphambili, yayinyene emoyeni. Omunye wamadoda ami waphenduka kimi wathi:

“Ungangizwa kahle impela, mnumzane!”

“Uzwa ini?” Ngabuza.

“AmaJalimane laphaya, mnumzane; 'indlebe' em singin 'bese udlala' eqenjini noma kwesinye isikhathi '. ​​”

Ngilalela; -kuhamba ngaphesheya kwensimu, phakathi kwamathunzi amnyama angaphezulu, ngangizwa ukukhononda kwamazwi, futhi ukuvuthwa kwesinye isikhathi kwengoma engacacile kungase ifinyelele emoyeni emoyeni. Ukucula kwakubonakala kunomsindo futhi okungafani kakhulu kwesokudla sethu. Ngangena emgodini wami futhi ngathola umlawuli wamaplanethi.

"Uyezwa ukuthi abakwaBoches bakhahlela lelo rakhethi laphaya?" Ngithe.

“Yebo,” ephendula; “Sekunesikhathi bekhona!”

“Woza,” kusho mina, “masihambe ngomsele siye othangweni olungakwesokudla — lelo iphuzu eliseduze kubo, laphaya.”

Ngakho-ke sakhubeka ngomsele wethu manje onzima, onamakhaza, sakhuphuka saya ebhange elingaphezulu, sahamba sinqamula insimu saya emseleni wethu olandelayo ngakwesokudla. Wonke umuntu ubelalele. Iqembu le-Boche elithuthukisiwe lalidlala uhlobo oluyingozi lwe- "Deutschland, Deutschland, uber Alles," esiphethweni salo, abanye bethu abangochwepheshe bezitho zomlomo baphindisela ngokuhlwanyelwa kwezingoma zesikhathi se-rag kanye nokulingiswa komculo waseJalimane. Kuthe kusenjalo sezwa ukumemeza okudidekile kusuka kolunye uhlangothi. Sonke sama ukuze silalele. Kwabuya ukumemeza futhi. Kwezwakala izwi ebumnyameni ngesiNgisi, linamazwi anamandla aseJalimane, "Woza ngapha!" Kwaqubuka intaba yenjabulo emseleni wethu, kwalandela ukuqhuma okukhulu kwezitho zomlomo nokuhleka. Okwamanje, ethule, omunye wosayitsheni wethu wasiphinda isicelo esithi, “Woza ngapha!”

“Uza uhhafu — ngiza ngohhafu,” kwantanta ebumnyameni.

“Wozani-ke!” Kumemeza usayitsheni. “Ngiza nothango!”

“Ah! kodwa nibabili, ”labuya izwi livela ngaphesheya.

Kodwa-ke, emva kokuhlekwa okumangalisa kanye nokuhlekwa kwe-jocular ezivela zombili izinhlangothi, umphathi wethu wayehamba emgodini ogijima ohlangothini olungakwesokudla kuya emigqeni emibili yamathanga. Washeshe angaboni; kodwa, njengoba sonke sasilalele ukuthula, ngokushesha sasizwa ingxoxo ye-spasmodic eyenzeka lapho ebumnyameni.

Njengamanje, usayitsheni wabuya. Wayephethe izigaxa nogwayi abambalwa baseJalimane ayekade ebanikeze amaMaconochie ambalwa kanye nethini laseCapstan, ayelithathe wahamba nalo. Iseshini yayisiphelile, kepha yayinikeze ukuthintwa okudingekayo ku-Eva wethu kaKhisimusi — okuthile okungumuntu omncane futhi okungajwayelekile.

Ngemuva kwezinyanga zokukhunjulwa kwe-vindictive ne-shelling, lesi siqephu esincane saba njenge-tonic evuselelayo, futhi kunesihlengo esamukelekile kwi-monotony yansuku zonke yokuphikisa. Akuzange kunciphise amandla ethu noma ukuzimisela; kodwa nje faka uphawu lokubamba abantu okuncane emanzini ethu enzondo ebanda futhi enomswakama. Ngosuku olulungile, futhi-uKhisimusi! Kodwa, njengesiqephu esiqaphelayo, lokhu akulutho uma kuqhathaniswa nolwazi lwethu olulandelayo.

Ngakusasa ngoKhisimusi ngavuswa kakhulu ekuseni, futhi kwavela ekukhunjweni kwami ​​emgodini. Kwakuyinto ephelele. Isibhakabhaka esihle, esingenamnyama esibhakabhaka. Umhlabathi unzima futhi umhlophe, uphela emapulini enenkungu encane. Kwakuyizinsuku ezinjalo ezihlala ziboniswa abaculi ngamakhadi kaKhisimusi-usuku oluhle lukaKhisimusi lwamaqiniso.

“Hlanganyela yonke le nzondo, impi nokungaphatheki kahle ngosuku olufana nalolu!” Ngacabanga kimina. Umoya wonke kaKhisimusi wawubonakala ukhona, kangangoba ngikhumbula ngicabanga, “Le nto engachazeki esemoyeni, lo muzwa woxolo nokuthakazelelwa, ngokuqinisekile uzoba nomthelela othile kulesi simo esikhona namuhla!” Futhi ngangingaphazami kakhulu; lokhu kusizungezile, noma kunjalo, futhi bengihlala ngijabule kakhulu ukucabanga ngenhlanhla yami, okokuqala, ngibe semseleni ngoSuku lukaKhisimusi, futhi, okwesibili, ngibe lapho okwenzeka khona isiqephu esincane esiyingqayizivele.

Konke kwakubukeka kumnandi futhi kukhanya ngalolo suku ekuseni — ukungaphatheki kahle kwakubonakala kukuncane, ngandlela thile; babonakala sengathi bazibonakalise emakhazeni ashubisa umnkantsha. Kwakuwuhlobo nje losuku lokuthi kumenyezelwe ukuthula. Bekungaba nomphumela omuhle kangaka. Ngingathanda ukuthi ngizwe ngokuzumayo kukhala inhlabamkhosi enkulu. Wonke umuntu ume futhi athi, “Bekuyini leyo?” I-Siren iyavutha futhi: ukuvela kwesibalo esincane esigijima siwele udaka olufriziwe siphakamisa okuthile. Uyasondela — umfana wocingo ocingweni! Unginika lona. Ngiyivula ngeminwe eqhaqhazelayo: “Yilwa impi, buyela ekhaya. — UGeorge, RI” Cheers! Kepha cha, bekuwusuku oluhle, oluhle, yilokho kuphela.

Ukuhamba ngomsele ngemuva kwesikhashana, sixoxisana ngendaba ejulile yobusuku obandulele, ngokungazelelwe saqaphela ukuthi sibona ubufakazi obukhulu bamaJalimane. Izinduna zazingcolisa futhi zibonisa ngaphezu kwendlela yazo ngokungenangqondo, futhi, njengoba sibukile, lesi simo sasilokhu sisho ngokwengeziwe.

Isibalo esiphelele seBoche ngokuzumayo savela onqenqemeni lomgwaqo, futhi sabheka ngaso uqobo. Lesi sikhalazo saba sesithathelwanayo. Akuzange kuthathe isikhathi eside ukuthi "uBert wethu" abe phezulu esibhakabhakeni (kungokugaya okukodwa okude ukumgcina engekho). Lesi bekuyisibonakaliso sokudalulwa kwe-anatomy eyengeziwe ye-Boche, futhi lokhu kuphendulwe yibo bonke o-Alf's noBill's, kuze kube, ngesikhathi esincane kunalokho okudingekayo ukutshela, uhhafu weshumi nambili wama-belligerents abengaphandle kwemisele yawo futhi babedlulela phambili emhlabeni womuntu.

Ukubona okungajwayelekile, ngempela!

Ngacindezela futhi ngapha nangapha, futhi ngahamba ngaphesheya kwendawo ukuze ngibheke. Ngifake ijaji le-khaki elidaka futhi ngigqoke isigqoko sezimvu ne-Balaclava i-helmet, ngajoyina isixuku ngendlela engamakhilomitha angama-50 ukuya emathafeni aseJalimane.

Konke kwazizwa kunesidingo esikhulu: nansi kwakuyizidakamizwa zokudla, ezikhethile ukuqala le-fracas engapheli yaseYurophu, futhi ngokwenza kanjalo sasisile sonke esiphundeni esifanayo esidakeni njengabo ngokwabo.

Lokhu kwakungokokuqala ngami ukubona kubo endaweni eseduze. Lapha kwakuyi-amasosha langempela, asebenzayo ebutho laseJalimane. Kwakungekho i-athomu inzondo nganoma yiluphi usuku ngalolo suku; futhi, ngakithi, hhayi okwesikhashana kwakuyintando yokulwa futhi intando yokubashaya ikhululekile. Kwakunjengemikhawulo emkhatsini wezingqungquthela kumdlalo webhokisi lobungane. Umehluko wohlobo oluphakathi kwamadoda nabanawo luphawuliwe kakhulu. Kwakungekho ukungafani nomoya wamaqembu amabili. Amadoda ethu, ekhanda lazo ezingcolile, e-muddy, enezinhlobonhlobo zabo ezihlotshisiwe zezingubo ze-woolen, ama-mufflers nezigqoko ezihlasiwe, beyiqoqo elikhanyayo, elivulekile, elihlekayo ngokumelene nesimo esibucayi nesimo se-stolid samaHuns imifino yabo eluhlaza-oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, izibopho eziphezulu, nezigqoko zengulube.

Umphumela omfushane engingayinikeza ngombono engangiwunakho kwakuwukuthi amadoda ethu, aphezulu, avuliwe, avulekile nakakhulu, futhi ayethandekayo, ayebhekene nale mikhiqizo ephelile, engenakucabangela yokulumba okuphambene njengeqoqo lezinkinga ezingenakuphikisana kodwa ezihlekisayo ezaziphethe amakhanda Uthole ukuze ekugcineni uphunyezwe.

“Bheka laphaya, Bill,” uBert wethu angasho, njengoba akhomba ilungu elithile leqembu elifuna ukwazi kakhulu.

Ngangihambahamba phakathi kwabo bonke, futhi ngangena emibonweni eminingi ngangokunokwenzeka. Ababili noma abathathu bama-Boches babonakala benesithakazelo kimi, futhi ngemuva kokuba bengizungezile kanye noma kabili benelukuluku lokuthukuthela eligxishwe ebusweni babo, oyedwa weza wathi "Offizier?" Nganqekuzisa ikhanda lami, okusho ukuthi “Yebo” ezilimini eziningi, futhi, ngaphandle kwalokho, angikwazi ukukhuluma isiJalimane.

Lawa mademoni, ngibona, bonke babefuna ukuba nobungane; kodwa akekho noyedwa wabo owayenomqondo ovulekile, obala wamadoda ethu. Kodwa-ke, wonke umuntu wayekhuluma futhi ehleka, nokuzingela umkhumbuzo.

Ngabona iphoyisa laseJalimane, uhlobo oluthile lommeli okufanele ngicabange, futhi ngingumqoqo omncane, ngamtshela ukuthi ngithatha ezinye izinkinobho zakhe.

Sesibili satshela izinto omunye nomunye ongaqondanga, futhi savuma ukwenza ushintsho. Ngikhiphe izintambo zami zezintambo futhi, nginezinkinobho ezimbalwa, ngisuse izinkinobho zakhe ezimbalwa ngifake ephaketheni lami. Ngabe sengimnika ezimbili zami ngokushintshanisa.

Nakuba lokhu kwakuqhubeka nokubhaliwe kwe-ejaculations emanzini okuvela kumunye wabadlali abathintekayo, wangitshela ukuthi omunye umqondo wenzeke komunye umuntu.

Ngokungazelelwe, omunye weBoches waphindela emuva emgodini wakhe futhi manje wabuye wavela ngekhamera enkulu. Ngifake eqenjini elixutshwe ngezithombe eziningana, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi ngangifisa sengathi ngilungiselele ilungiselelo lokuthola ikhophi. Akungabazeki ukuthi ukuhlela izithombe kulezi zithombe kubhekene namanye ama-Hunter, okubonisa ngokucacile futhi ngokucacile ukubonga abaxhasi ukuthi iqembu lamaNgisi eliphikisayo lizinikela ngokungavumelani ngosuku lweKhisimusi kuDescherschers abanesibindi.

Kancane kancane umhlangano waqala ukuhlakazeka; uhlobo lokuzizwa ukuthi iziphathimandla zombili zombili azizange zithandeke kakhulu ngalokhu kuhlanganiswa kubonakala sengathi kuhamba phambili kulo mhlangano. Sasihlukana, kodwa kwakukhona ukuqonda okucacile nobungane ukuthi uSuku LwaKhisimusi lingasala ukugcina ukuthula. Ukugcina engikubonile ngale ndaba encane kwakuwumbono womunye wabagibeli bamashini bami, owayengumculi wezinwele ezimnandi empilweni yomphakathi, ukusika izinwele ezingavamile ze-Boche, owabeke ngobuso ngesibindi ngenkathi e-othomathikhi ama-clippers aphuma emuva entanyeni yakhe.