XVII
‘“And only that grumbler, Bob Harris, remarked that we stood one to ten:
‘Ye fool,’ says Mick Grady, ‘just tell ’em they know to compliment men!’
And I sang out your old words: ‘If the opposite side isn’t God’s,
Heigh! after you’ve counted a dozen, the pluckiest lads have the odds.’
Ping-ping flew the enemies’ pepper: the Colonel roared, Forward, and we
Went at them. ’Twas first like a blanket: and then a long plunge in the sea.
XVIII
‘“Well, now about me and the Frenchman: it happened I can’t tell you how:
And, Grandfather, hear, if you love me, and put aside prejudice now”:
He never says “Grandfather”—Tom don’t—save it’s a serious thing.
“Well, there were some pits for the rifles, just dug on our French-leaning wing:
And backwards, and forwards, and backwards we went, and at last I was vexed,
And swore I would never surrender a foot when the Russians charged next.