The Red Badge of Courage Page #5

for a minute, you understand.

Just a minute.

After that, I was that ashamed...

that I couldn't get back

in the fight soon enough.

Instead of looking for you fellas,

I just threw in over on the right...

and went to fighting.

There, now, I told you all there is.

I'm glad you did,

because it makes me feel a sight better.

I skedaddled myself yesterday,

when about half the other fellas did.

Only, the Captain caught me

and made me stay.

Reckon I was more scared of him

than I was of the Rebs.

I guess confession's good for a fella, Tom.

What I mean is, it's good for the soul.

Look! They're our fellas.

I'll be doggoned.

I didn't know any of our fellas

was over that way.

Howdy!

Howdy, boys. Seen any Rebs?

We're hunting them.

There was a whole passel of Rebs here

a minute ago.

We chased them off the wall.

Do tell. We heard you fellers

shooting down this way...

but we figured you was shooting at crows.

Crows? We was fighting a battle!

- You hear that?

- What was that?

You darned fools,

the battle was over that hill...

where we was with Whiterside.

Whiterside? Who's Whiterside?

Why, just the best darned general

in the whole Northern Army.

Never heard of him.

- Go to the rear and assemble.

- Fall in!

Right, march!

After all the trouble we went to

getting that wall...

I'd like to set by it a little while.

Is it a fact?

Is the credit for winning this battle...

going to old what's-his-name? Whiterside?

I allow it is.

If I'd have known that,

I wouldn't have charged nohow.

Anyway, the Rebs didn't win.

That's something to be thankful for.

I'm thankful I'm all in one piece.

Me, too. I got holes in my cap,

holes in my pants...

but there ain't no holes in me,

except the ones that was intended.

You know,

it's mighty pretty country around here.

I mean, it would be

if they wasn't fighting battles all over it.

- Sun's going down.

- Days are getting shorter all the time.

Reckon we'll be home for spring planting?

Just listen to them birds.

They don't take no time

to tune up and start singing.

Soon as the shooting stops

and the smoke clears...

they're right back at it.

So it came to pass, that as he trudged...

from the place of blood and wrath...

his soul changed.

He had been to touch the great death...

and found that after all,

it was but the great death.

Scars faded as flowers...

and the youth saw that the world

was a world for him.

He had rid himself

of the red sickness of battle.

The sultry nightmare was in the past.

He turned now, with a lover's thirst...

to images of tranquil skies...

fresh meadows, cool brooks.

An existence of soft and eternal peace.

English

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes