Three Soldiers Read Online Free

were sweeping up the leaves in the street between the rows of barracks.
    “You fellers are slow as molasses. … Inspection in twenty-five minutes,” he kept saying.
    The soldiers raked on doggedly, paying no attention.
    “You don’t give a damn. If we don’t pass inspection, I get hell—not you. Please queeck. Here, you, pick up all those goddam cigarette butts.”
    Andrews made a grimace and began collecting the little grey sordid ends of burnt-out cigarettes. As he leant over he found himself looking into the dark-brown eyes of the soldier who was working beside him. The eyes were contracted with anger and there was a flush under the tan of the boyish face.
    “Ah didn’t git in this here army to be ordered around by a goddam wop,” he muttered.
    “Doesn’t matter much who you’re ordered around by, you’re ordered around just the same,” said Andrews.
    “Where d’ye come from, buddy?”
    “Oh, I come from New York. My folks are from Virginia,” said Andrews.
    “Indiana’s ma state. The tornado country. … Git to work; here’s that bastard wop comin’ around the buildin’.”
    “Don’t pick ’em up that-a-way; sweep ’em up,” shouted the corporal.
    Andrews and the Indiana boy went round with a broom and a shovel collecting chewed-out quids of tobacco and cigar butts and stained bits of paper.
    “What’s your name? Mahn’s Chrisfield. Folks all call me Chris.”
    “Mine’s Andrews, John Andrews.”
    “Ma dad uster have a hired man named Andy. Took sick an’ died last summer. How long d’ye reckon it’ll be before us-guys git overseas?”
    “God, I don’t know.”
    “Ah want to see that country over there.”
    “You do?”
    “Don’t you?”
    “You bet I do.”
    “All right, what you fellers stand here for? Go an’ dump them garbage cans. Lively!” shouted the corporal waddling about importantly on his bandy legs. He kept looking down the row of barracks, muttering to himself, “Goddam. … Time fur inspectin’ now, goddam. Won’t never pass this time.”
    His face froze suddenly into obsequious immobility. He brought his hand up to the brim of his hat. A group of officers strode past him into the nearest building.
    John Andrews, coming back from emptying the garbage pails, went in the back door of his barracks.
    “Attention!” came the cry from the other end. He made his neck and arms as rigid as possible.
    Through the silent barracks came the hard clank of the heels of the officers inspecting.
    A sallow face with hollow eyes and heavy square jaw came close to Andrews’s eyes. He stared straight before him noting the few reddish hairs on the officer’s Adam’s apple and the new insignia on either side of his collar.
    “Sergeant, who is this man?” came a voice from the sallow face.
    “Don’t know, sir; a new recruit, sir. Corporal Valori, who is this man?”
    “The name’s Andrews, sergeant,” said the Italian corporal with an obsequious whine in his voice.
    The officer addressed Andrews directly, speaking fast and loud.
    “How long have you been in the army?”
    “One week, sir.”
    “Don’t you know you have to be clean and shaved and ready for inspection every Saturday morning at nine?”
    “I was cleaning the barracks, sir.”
    “To teach you not to answer back when an officer addresses you. …”
    The officer spaced his words carefully, lingering on them. As he spoke he glanced out of the corner of his eye at his superior and noticed the major was frowning. His tone changed ever so slightly. “If this ever occurs again you may be sure that disciplinary action will be taken. … Attention there!” At the other end of the barracks a man had moved. Again, amid absolute silence, could be heard the clanking of the officers’ heels as the inspection continued.
     
    “Now, fellows, all together,” cried the “Y” man who stood with his arms stretched wide in front of the movie screen. The piano started jingling and the roomful of crowded soldiers