第2章

ATTHEWAROFFICE，LONDON

（AffixingtheListsofKilledandWounded:December，1899）

I

LastyearIcalledthisworldofgain—givingsThedarkestthinkable，andquestionedsadlyIfmyownlandcouldheaveitspulselessgladly，SochargeditseemedwithcircumstancewhencespringsThetragedyofthings。

II

YetatthatcensuredtimenoheartwasrentOrfeatureblanchedofparent，wife，ordaughterByhourlyblazonedsheetsoflistedslaughter;

DeathwaitedNature\'swont;PeacesmiledunshentFromIndtoOccident。

ACHRISTMASGHOST—STORY

SouthoftheLine，inlandfromfarDurban，Amoulderingsoldierlies—yourcountryman。

Awryanddoubleduparehisgraybones，AndonthebreezehispuzzledphantommoansNightlytoclearCanopus:\"IwouldknowBywhomandwhentheAll—Earth—gladdeningLawOfPeace，broughtinbythatManCrucified，Wasruledtobeinept，andsetaside？

AndwhatoflogicoroftruthappearsIntacking\'AnnoDomini\'totheyears？

Neartwenty—hundredlivenedthushavehied，ButtarriesyettheCauseforwhichHedied。\"

Christmas—eve，1899。

THEDEADDRUMMER

I

TheythrowinDrummerHodge，torestUncoffined—justasfound:

Hislandmarkisakopje—crestThatbreakstheveldtaround;

AndforeignconstellationswestEachnightabovehismound。

II

YoungHodgetheDrummerneverknew

FreshfromhisWessexhome

ThemeaningofthebroadKaroo，TheBush，thedustyloam，AndwhyuprosetonightlyviewStrangestarsamidthegloam。

III

YetportionofthatunknownplainWillHodgeforeverbe;

HishomelyNorthernbreastandbrainGrowupaSoutherntree。

Andstrange—eyedconstellationsreignHisstarseternally。

AWIFEINLONDON

（December，1899）

I—THETRAGEDY

ShesitsinthetawnyvapourThattheCitylaneshaveuprolled，BehindwhosewebbyfoldonfoldLikeawaningtaperThestreet—lampglimmerscold。

Amessenger\'sknockcrackssmartly，FlashednewsisinherhandOfmeaningitdazestounderstandThoughshapedsoshortly:

He—hasfallen—inthefarSouthLand

II—THEIRONY

\'Tisthemorrow;thefoghangsthicker，Thepostmannearsandgoes:

AletterisbroughtwhoselinesdiscloseBythefirelightflickerHishand，whomthewormnowknows:

Fresh—firm—pennedinhighestfeather

Page—fullofhishopedreturn，Andofhome—plannedjauntsbybrakeandburnInthesummerweather，Andofnewlovethattheywouldlearn。

THESOULSOFTHESLAIN

I

ThethicklidsofNightcloseduponmeAloneattheBillOftheIslebytheRace{1}

Many—caverned，bald，wrinkledofface

AndwithdarknessandsilencethespiritwasonmeTobroodandbestill。

II

Nowindfannedtheflatsoftheocean，Orpromontorysides，Ortheoozebythestrand，Orthebent—beardedslopeoftheland，WhosebasetookitsrestamideverlongmotionOfcriss—crossingtides。

III

SoonfromoutoftheSouthwardseemednearingAwhirr，asofwingsWavedbymighty—vannedflies，Orbynight—mothsofmeasurelesssize，Andinsoftnessandsmoothnesswell—nighbeyondhearingOfcorporalthings。

IV

Andtheyboretothebluff，andalighted

Adim—discernedtrainOfspriteswithoutmould，Framelesssoulsnonemighttouchormighthold

Ontheledgebytheturretedlantern，farsightedBymenofthemain。

V

AndIheardthemsay\"Home！\"andIknewthemForsoulsofthefelledOntheearth\'snetherbordUnderCapricorn，whitherthey\'dwarred，AndInearedinmyawe，andgaveheedfulnesstothemWithbreathingsinheld。

VI

Then，itseemed，thereapproachedfromthenorthwardAseniorsoul—flameOfthelikefilmyhue:

Andhemetthemandspake:\"Isityou，Omymen？\"Saidthey，\"Aye！WebearhomewardandhearthwardTolisttoourfame！\"

VII

\"I\'veflowntherebeforeyou，\"hesaidthen:

\"Yourhouseholdsarewell;

But—yourkinlingerlessOnyourgloryaridwar—mightinessThanondearerthings。\"—\"Dearer？\"criedthesefromthedeadthen，\"Ofwhatdotheytell？\"

VIII

\"Somemothersmusesadly，andmurmurYourdoingsasboys

RecallthequaintwaysOfyourbabyhood\'sinnocentdays。

Somepraythat，eredying，yourfaithhadgrownfirmer，Andhigheryourjoys。

IX

\"Afatherbroods:\'WouldIhadsethimTosomehumbletrade，Andsoslackedhishighfire，Andhispassionatemartialdesire;

HadtoldhimnostoriestowoohimandwhethimTothisduecrusade！\"

X

\"And，General，howholdoutoursweethearts，Swornloyalasdoves？\"

—\"Manymourn;manythinkItisnotunattractivetoprinkTheminsablesforheroes。SomefickleandfleetheartsHavefoundthemnewloves。\"

XI

\"Andourwives？\"quothanotherresignedly，\"Dwelltheyonourdeeds？\"

—\"Deedsofhome;thatliveyetFreshasnew—deedsoffondnessorfret;

Ancientwordsthatwerekindlyexpressedorunkindly，These，thesehavetheirheeds。\"

XII

—\"Alas！thenitseemsthatourgloryWeighslessintheirthoughtThanouroldhomelyacts，Andthelong—agocommonplacefactsOfourlives—heldbyusasscarcepartofourstory，Andratedasnought！\"

XIII

Thenbitterlysome:\"WasitwisenowToraisethetomb—doorForsuchknowledge？Away！\"

Buttherest:\"Fameweprizedtillto—day;

YetthatheartskeepusgreenforoldkindnessweprizenowAthousandtimesmore！\"

XIV

Thusspeaking，thetroopedapparitionsBegantodisbandAndresolvethemintwo:

ThosewhoserecordwaslovelyandtrueBoretonorthwardforhome:thoseofbittertraditionsAgainlefttheland，XV

And，toweringtoseawardinlegions，TheypausedataspotOverbendingtheRace

Thatengulphing，ghast，sinisterplace

Whitherheadlongtheyplunged，tothefathomlessregionsOfmyriadsforgot。

XVI

AndthespiritsofthosewhowerehomingPassedon，rushingly，LikethePentecostWind;

AndthewhirroftheirwayfaringthinnedAndsurceasedonthesky，andbutleftinthegloamingSea—mutteringsandme。

December1899。