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Updated: May 2, 2025
Yes, the workers had only to show the world that they were a power; that they were not going to be trampled on for ever; that they intended henceforth to have their share of the profits which they had hitherto been putting into the pockets of the rich, although earned by their own toil and sweat. Or Weise would reckon how much was spent in one day's gun-practice.
He could never hear enough about it all. Then Franz came to tell of his reflections during the gun-practice: how through the fence he had seen the infantry battalion tormented with drill for hours at a time; how the dried-up looking major had foamed with fury; and how the poor devil of a private had been struck down bodily and mentally in the middle of it all.
A dull thud shook the atmosphere overhead, and was followed some four seconds later by another and louder reverberation. The two men, startled for a moment, smiled as they collected their thoughts. "That means security, not danger." "Gun-practice. We were warned of it by advertisement in this morning's paper. A 9.4-inch gun, by the sound of it and there goes another! A battle-cruiser at least!
Some, of course, were more fatigued by the work than others. Vogt and Weise were among those who got on best. Both were strong, healthy lads, and, moreover, not stupid; so that the theoretical instruction was as easy to them as the foot-drill, gun-practice, and gymnastics. To be attentive and quick that was the chief thing.
"Not about the kicking, but he is great on the gun-practice, Mr. Pyecroft. He has put all the results into a sort of appendix a table of shots. He says that the figures will speak more eloquently than words." "What? Nothin' about the way the crews flinched an' hopped? Nothin' about the little shells rumblin' out o' the guns so casual?"
It is to be duly notified to the troops that their Whitsuntide leave cancelled for official reasons may be made good, so far as they deserve it, after the gun-practice.... Night-passes may be granted for Whitsun-Day. The news that no leave would be granted for Whitsuntide drew deep curses from many of the recruits.
It was impossible for him, in the gun-practice, to raise the end of the gun-carriage as "Number 3," or as "Number 5" to direct the pole of the carriage; in gymnastics he would hang helplessly on the horizontal bar; and even in the foot-drill it was difficult for him to stand up straight. When Vogt advised him to report himself as ill he refused. "No, I won't go into hospital. Never!"
During the gun-practice Vogt had been several times called over the coals by Senior-lieutenant Brettschneider. The bombardier did his duty in a cheerful spirit, and sometimes let fall half-audible jokes and chaff for his comrades' benefit.
"But just you go to every individual brother-subaltern and say: Is drilling recruits a pleasure to you? Do you get up early, determined to work hard all day and to endeavour to train good soldiers for the king? or, do you on awakening growl that the devil may take the whole dirty pack of recruits?" "Why don't you rather ask with what thoughts they awake during gun-practice and the manœuvres?"
Gropphusen himself would be leaving the garrison for the gun-practice, and she would at least remain there during that time; but she did not go out, and nobody had yet seen her face to face. Reimers was possessed with a restless impatience to meet the woman he loved; he had wasted too much time already to brook delay. Then again he was thrown into dull inaction by an agonising doubt.
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