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SOLDIERSTHREE1SOLDIERSTHREEbyRudyardKiplingSOLDIERSTHREE2'LOVE-O'WOMEN'AlamentabletaleofthingsDonelongago,andilldone.Thehorror,theconfusion,andtheseparationofthemurdererfromhiscomradeswerealloverbeforeIcame.Thereremainedonlyonthebarrack-squarethebloodofmancallingfromtheground.Thehotsunhaddriedittoaduskygold-beater-skinfilm,crackedlozenge-wisebytheheat,andasthewindroseeachlozenge,risingalittle,curledupattheedgesasifitwereadumbtongue.Thenaheaviergustblewallawaydownwindingrainsofdark-coloureddust.Itwastoohottostandinthesunshinebeforebreakfast.Themenwereallinbarrackstalkingthematterover.Aknotofsoldiers'wivesstoodbyoneoftheentrancestothemarriedquarters,whileinsideawomanshriekedandravedwithwickedfilthywords.Aquietandwell-conductedsergeanthadshotdowninbroaddaylightjustafterearlyparadeoneofhisowncorporals,hadthenreturnedtobarracksandsatonacottilltheguardcameforhim.Hewould,therefore,induetimebehandedovertotheHighCourtfortrial.Further,butthishecouldhardlyhaveconsideredinhisschemeofrevenge,hewouldhorriblyupsetmywork;forthereportingofthetrialwouldfallonmewithoutarelief.WhatthattrialwouldbelikeIkneweventoweariness.Therewouldbetheriflecarefullyuncleaned,withthefoulingmarksaboutbreechandmuzzle,tobesworntobyhalfadozensuperfluousprivates;therewouldbeheat,reekingheat,tillthewetpencilslippedsidewaysbetweenthefingers;andthepunkahwouldswishandthepleaderswouldjabberintheverandahs,andhisCommandingOfficerwouldputincertificatesoftheprisoner'smoralcharacter,whilethejurywouldpantandthesummeruniformsofthewitnesseswouldsmellofdyeandsoaps;andsomeabjectbarrack-sweeperwouldlosehisheadincross-examination,andtheyoungbarristerwhoalwaysdefendedsoldiers'casesforthecreditthattheyneverbroughthim,wouldsayanddowonderfulthings,andwouldthenquarrelwithmebecauseIhadnotreportedhimcorrectly.Atthelast,forhesurelywouldnotbehanged,Imightmeettheprisoneragain,rulingblankaccount-formsintheCentralJail,andcheerhimwiththehopeofawardershipintheAndamans.SOLDIERSTHREE3TheIndianPenalCodeanditsinterpretersdonottreatmurder,underanyprovocationwhatever,inaspiritofjest.SergeantRaineswouldbeveryluckyindeedifhegotoffwithsevenyears,Ithought.Hehadsleptthenightuponhiswrongs,andhadkilledhismanattwentyyardsbeforeanytalkwaspossible.ThatmuchIknew.Unless,therefore,thecasewasdoctoredalittle,sevenyearswouldbehisleast;andIfancieditwasexceedinglywellforSergeantRainesthathehadbeenlikedbyhisCompany.Thatsameevening-nodayissolongasthedayofamurder-ImetOrtheriswiththedogs,andheplungeddefiantlyintothemiddleofthematter.I'llbeoneo'thewitnesses,saidhe.IwasintheverandahwhenMackiecamealong.'EcomefromMrs.Raines'squarters.Quigley,Parsons,an'Trot,theywasintheinsideverandah,sotheycouldn't'ave'eardnothing.SergeantRaineswasintheverandahtalkin'tome,an'Mackie'ecomealongacrostthesquarean''esez,'Well,'sez'e,''avetheypushedyour'elmetoffyet,Sergeant?''esez.An'atthatRaines'ecatches'isbreathan''esez,'MyGawd,Ican'tstandthis!'sez'e,an''epicksupmyriflean'shootsMackie.See?Butwhatwereyoudoingwithyourrifleintheouterverandahanhourafterparade?Cleanin''er,saidOrtheris,withthesullenbrassystarethatalwayswentwithhischoicelies.Hemightaswellhavesaidthathewasdancingnaked,foratnotimedidhisrifleneedhandorragonhertwentyminutesafterparade.StilltheHighCourtwouldnotknowhisroutine.Areyougoingtosticktothat-ontheBook?Iasked.Yes.Likeabloomin'leech.Allright,Idon'twanttoknowanymore.OnlyrememberthatQuigley,Parsons,andTrotcouldn'thavebeenwhereyousaywithouthearingsomething;andthere'snearlycertaintobeabarrack-sweeperwhowasknockingaboutthesquareatthetime.Therealwaysis.Twasn'tthesweeper.Itwasthebeastie.'E'sallright.ThenIknewthattherewasgoingtobesomespiriteddoctoring,andIfeltsorryfortheGovernmentAdvocatewhowouldconducttheSOLDIERSTHREE4prosecution.WhenthetrialcameonIpitiedhimmore,forhewasalwaysquicktolosehistemper,andmadeapersonalmatterofeachlostcause.Raines'syoungbarristerhadforonceputasidehisunslakedandWellingpassionforalibisandinsanity,hadforsworngymnasticsandfireworks,andworkedsoberlyforhisclient.Mercifullythehotweatherwasyetyoung,andtherehadbeennoflagrantcasesofbarrack-shootingsuptothetime;andthejurywasagoodone,evenforanIndianjury,whereninemenoutofeverytwelveareaccustomedtoweighingevidence.Ortherisstoodfirmandwasnotshakenbyanycross-examination.Theoneweakpointinhistale-thepresenceofhisrifleintheouterverandah-wentunchallengedbycivilianwisdom,thoughsomeofthewitnessescouldnothelpsmiling.TheGovernmentAdvocatecalledfortherope;contendingthroughoutthatthemurderhadbeenadeliberateone.Timehadpassed,heargued,forthatreflectionwhichcomessonaturallytoamanwhosehonourislost.TherewasalsotheLaw,everreadyandanxioustorightthewrongsofthecommonsoldierif,indeed,wronghadbeendone.Buthedoubtedmuchwhethertherehadbeenanysufficientwrong.Causelesssuspicionover-longbroodeduponhadled,byhistheory,todeliberatecrime.Buthisattemptstominimisethemotivefailed.Themostdisconnectedwitnessknew-hadknownforweeks-thecausesofoffence,andtheprisoner,whonaturallywasthelastofalltoknow,groanedinthedockwhilehelistened.TheonequestionthatthetrialcircledroundwaswhetherRaineshadfiredundersuddenan