The Red Badge of Courage Page #3

and we got the best end of it.

How we'll thump them.

You're going to do great things, I suppose.

Great things?

I don't know.

My grandpappy fought with Washington.

It's in my blood, I reckon.

How do you know you won't run

when the time comes?

Run? Me?

Well, plenty of good-enough men...

thought they'd do great things

before the fight...

but when the time come, they skedaddled.

That's all true, I suppose.

But I'll do my share of the fighting.

The man that bets on my running

is going to lose his money, that's all.

You ain't the bravest man in the world,

are you?

No, I ain't. I didn't say

I was the bravest man in the world, either.

I said I was going to do

my share of the fighting.

And I am, too.

Who are you, anyhow?

You talk like you was Napoleon Bonaparte.

You needn't get mad about it.

All right, young man.

Get back in the ranks. No lagging behind.

Forward march!

Forward march!

Form a line here!

Form a line here!

Everybody in the line by fours. March!

I don't hold to laying down

and shooting from behind a hill.

Wouldn't feel a bit proud doing it.

- Going to do my fighting standing up.

- Go ahead. Fight any way you please.

What kind of a battle is this,

where fellers lay down to fight?

I'll fight standing up,

or I ain't going to fight at all.

You want to get shot,

that's your business.

I ain't going to lay down before I'm shot,

and that's all there is to it.

Form your company and move on! Fall in!

Right face!

Turn left, march!

Why are they marching us out of here?

I can't stand this much longer.

I don't see any point to it.

Me neither.

I'd like to know what's going on.

We're being reconnoitered around

the center, to keep the Rebs from nearing.

Envelope them or something.

I'd rather do anything

than tramping around...

doing no good to anybody

and just wearing your legs out.

So would I. It ain't right.

If anyone with sense was running...

Shut up, you darn little cuss!

You little fool!

You ain't had that coat and pants on

for six months.

Yet you talk

as if you was George Washington.

On the double!

Captain, the Rebs

are on that hill over there.

We'll to try to push them off.

Maybe we will, maybe not.

Take your positions on that road there,

and hold it whatever happens.

Fix bayonets!

Here come our lancers.

I thought

you were going to do your fighting...

Do your fighting standing up.

Shut your dadburn mouth.

Henry, listen.

Something tells me

it's my first and last battle.

I'm a gone goose. I just know it.

I want you to send this to my folks. They

gave it to me last year when I turned 21.

Looks like we're getting a good licking.

Go back! You cowards!

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