有声英语少儿童话故事 顽童故事 斯莱特山的雪堡 第4章

Beforethe action commenced, a meeting was arranged between the rival commanders, whodrew up and signed certain rules and regulations respecting the conduct of thebattle. As it was impossible for the North-Enders to occupy the fortpermanently, it was stipulated that the South-Enders should assault it only onWednesday and Saturday afternoons between the hours of two and six. For them totake possession of the place at any other time was not to constitute a capture,but on the contrary was to be considered a dishonorable and cowardly act.

TheNorth-Enders, on the other hand, agreed to give up the fort whenever ten of thestorming party succeeded in obtaining at one time a footing on the parapet, andwere able to hold the same for the space of two minutes. Both sides were toabstain from putting pebbles into their snow-balls, nor was it permissible touse frozen ammunition. A snow-ball soaked in water and left out to cool was aprojectile which in previous years had been resorted to with disastrousresults.

Thesepreliminaries settled, the commanders retired to their respective corps. Theinterview had taken place on the hillside between the opposing lines.