tales of trail and town-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Forsyth　and　Cassidy；　passed　quietly　out　of　the　lower　gate　and

entered　the　wood。　　An　hour　later　the　colonel　was　summoned　from　the

dinner　table；　and　the　guests　heard　the　quick　rattle　of　a　wagon

turning　out　of　the　road　gatebut　the　colonel　did　not　return。　　An

indefinable　uneasiness　crept　over　the　little　party；　which　reached

its　climax　in　the　summoning　of　the　other　officers；　and　the　sudden

flashing　out　of　news。　　The　reconnoitring　party　had　found　the　dead

bodies　of　Peter　Atherly　and　his　sister　on　the　plains　at　the　edge　of

the　empty　wood。



The　women　were　gathered　in　the　commandant's　quarters；　and　for　the

moment　seemed　to　have　been　forgotten。　　The　officers'　wives　talked

with　professional　sympathy　and　disciplined　quiet；　the　English

ladies　were　equally　sympathetic；　but　collected。　　Lady　Elfrida；

rather　white；　but　patient；　asked　a　few　questions　in　a　voice　whose

contralto　was　rather　deepened。　　One　and　all　wished　to　〃do

something〃anything　〃to　help〃and　one　and　all　rebelled　that　the

colonel　had　begged　them　to　remain　within　doors。　　There　was　an

occasional　quick　step　on　the　veranda；　or　the　clatter　of　a　hoof　on

the　parade；　a　continued　but　subdued　murmur　from　the　whitewashed

barracks；　but　everywhere　a　sense　of　keen　restraint。



When　they　emerged　on　the　veranda　again；　the　whole　aspect　of　the

garrison　seemed　to　have　changed　in　that　brief　time。　　In　the　faint

moonlight　they　could　see　motionless　files　of　troopers　filling　the

parade；　the　officers　in　belted　tunics　and　slouched　hats；but

apparently　not　the　same　men；　the　half　lounging　ease　and　lazy

dandyism　gone；　a　grim　tension　in　all　their　faces；　a　set　abstraction

in　all　their　acts。　　Then　there　was　the　rolling　of　heavy　wheels　in

the　road；　and　the　two　horses　of　the　ambulance　appeared。　　The

sentries　presented　arms；　the　colonel　took　off　his　hat；　the　officers

uncovered；　the　wagon　wheeled　into　the　parade；　the　surgeon　stepped

out。　　He　exchanged　a　single　word　with　the　colonel；　and　lifted　the

curtain　of　the　ambulance。



As　the　colonel　glanced　within；　a　deep　but　embarrassed　voice　fell

upon　his　ear。　　He　turned　quickly。　　It　was　Lord　Reginald；　flushed

and　sympathetic。



〃He　was　a　friend；a　relation　of　ours；　you　know；〃　he　stammered。

〃My　sister　would　liketo　look　at　him　again。〃



〃Not　now；〃　said　the　colonel　in　a　low　voice。　　The　surgeon　added

something　in　a　voice　still　lower；　which　scarcely　reached　the

veranda。



Lord　Reginald　turned　away　with　a　white　face。



〃Fall　back　there！〃　Captain　Fleetwood　rode　up。



〃All　ready；　sir。〃



〃One　moment；　captain；〃　said　the　colonel　quietly。　　〃File　your　first

half　company　before　that　ambulance；　and　bid　the　men　look　in。〃



The　singular　order　was　obeyed。　　The　men　filed　slowly　forward；　each

in　turn　halting　before　the　motionless　wagon　and　its　immobile

freight。　　They　were　men　inured　to　frontier　bloodshed　and　savage

warfare；　some　halted　and　hurried　on；　others　lingered；　others　turned

to　look　again。　　One　man　burst　into　a　short　laugh；　but　when　the

others　turned　indignantly　upon　him；　they　saw　that　in　his　face　that

held　them　in　awe。　　What　they　saw　in　the　ambulance　did　not　transpire；

what　they　felt　was　not　known。　　Strangely　enough；　however；　what　they

repressed　themselves　was　mysteriously　communicated　to　their　horses；

who　snorted　and　quivered　with　eagerness　and　impatience　as　they　rode

back　again。　　The　horse　of　the　trooper　who　had　laughed　almost　leaped

into　the　air。　　Only　Sergeant　Cassidy　was　communicative；　he　took　a

larger　circuit　in　returning　to　his　place；　and　managed　to　lean　over

and　whisper　hoarsely　in　the　ear　of　a　camp　follower　spectator；　〃Tell

the　young　leddy　that　the　torturin'　divvils　couldn't　take　the　smile

off　him！〃



The　little　column　filed　out　of　the　gateway　into　the　road。　　As

Captain　Fleetwood　passed　Colonel　Carter　the　two　men's　eyes　met。

The　colonel　said　quietly；　〃Good　night；　captain。　　Let　us　have　a　good

report　from　you。〃



The　captain　replied　only　with　his　gauntleted　hand　against　the　brim

of　his　slouched　hat；　but　the　next　moment　his　voice　was　heard　strong

and　clear　enough　in　the　road。　　The　little　column　trotted　away　as

evenly　as　on　parade。　　But　those　who　climbed　the　roof　of　the

barracks　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later　saw；　in　the　moonlight；　a　white

cloud　drifting　rapidly　across　the　plain　towards　the　west。　　It　was　a

small　cloud　in　that　bare；　menacing；　cruel；　and　illimitable　waste；

but　in　its　breast　was　crammed　a　thunderbolt。



It　fell　thirty　miles　away；　blasting　and　scattering　a　thousand

warriors　and　their　camp；　giving　and　taking　no　quarter；　vengeful；

exterminating；　and　complete。　　Later　there　were　different　opinions

about　it　and　the　horrible　crime　that　had　provoked　it：　the　opposers

of　Peter's　policy　jubilant　over　the　irony　of　the　assassination　of

the　Apostle　of　Peace；　Peter's　disciples　as　actively　deploring　the

merciless　and　indiscriminating　vengeance　of　the　military；　and　so

the　problem　that　Peter　had　vainly　attempted　to　solve　was　left　an

open　question。　　There　were　those；　too；　who　believed　that　Peter　had

never　sacrificed　himself　and　his　sister　for　the　sake　of　another；

but　had　provoked　and　incensed　the　savages　by　the　blind　arrogance　of

a　reformer。　　There　were　wild　stories　by　scouts　and　interpreters　how

he　had　challenged　his　fate　by　an　Indian　bravado；　how　himself　and

his　sister　had　met　torture　with　an　Indian　stoicism；　and　how　the

Indian　braves　themselves　at　last　in　a　turmoil　of　revulsion　had

dipped　their　arrows　and　lances　in　the　heroic　heart's　blood　of　their

victims；　and　worshiped　their　still　palpitating　flesh。



But　there　was　one　honest　loyal　little　heart　that　carried　back

three　thousand　milesto　England　the　man　as　it　had　known　and　loved

him。　　Lady　Elfrida　Runnybroke　never　married；　neither　did　she　go

into　retirement；　but　lived　her　life　and　fulfilled　her　duties　in　her

usual　clear…eyed　fashion。　　She　was　particularly　kind　to　all

Americans；barring；　I　fear；　a　few　pretty…faced；　finely…frocked

title…hunters；told　stories　of　the　Far　West；　and　had　theories　of　a

people　of　which　they　knew　little；　cared　less；　and　believed　to　be

vulgar。　　But　I　think　she　found　a　new　pleasure　in　the　old　church　at

Ashley　Grange；　and　loved　to　linger　over　the　effigy　of　the　old

Crusader；her　kinsman；　the　swashbuckler　De　Bracy；with　a　vague

but　pretty　belief　that　devotion　and　love　do　not　die　with　brave　men；

but　live　and　flourish　even　in　lands　beyond　the　seas。





TWO　AMERICANS





Perhaps　if　there　was　anything　important　in　the　migration　of　the

Maynard　family　to　Europe　it　rested　solely　upon　the　singular　fact

that　Mr。　Maynard　did　not　go　there　in　the　expectation　of　marrying

his　daughter　to　a　nobleman。　　A　Charleston　merchant；　whose　house

represented　two　honorable　generations；　had；　thirty　years　ago；　a

certain　self…respect　which　did　not　require　extraneous　aid　and

foreign　support；　and　it　is　exceedingly　probable　that　his　intention

of　spending　a　few　years　abroad　had　no　ulterior　motive　than　pleasure

seeking　and　the　observation　of　many　thingsprincipally　of　the

pastwhich　his　own　country　did　not　possess。　　His　future　and　that

of　his　family　lay　in　his　own　land；　yet　with　practical　common　sense

he　adjusted　himself　temporarily　to　his　new　surroundings。　　In　doing

so；　he　had　much　to　learn　of　others；　and　others　had　something　to

learn　of　him；　he　found　that　the　best　people　had　a　high　simplicity

equal　to　his　own；　he　corrected　their　impressions　that　a　Southerner

had　more　or　less　negro　blood　in　his　veins；　and　that；　although　a

slave　owner；　he　did　not　necessarily　represent　an　aristocracy。　　With

a　distinguishing　dialect　of　which　he　was　not　ashamed；　a　frank

familiarity　of　approach　joined　to　an　invincible　courtesy　of　manner；

which　made　even　his　republican　〃Sir〃　equal　to　the　ordinary　address

to　royalty；　he　was　always　respected　and　seldom　misunderstood。　　When

he　wasit　was　unfortunate　for　those　who　misunderstood　him。　　His

type　was　as　distinctive　and　original　as　his　cousin's；　the

Englishman；　whom　it　was　not　the　fashion　then　to　imitate。　　So　that；

whether　in　the　hotel　of　a　capital；　the　Kursaal　of　a　Spa；　or　the

humbler　pension　of　a　Swiss　village；　he　was　always　characteristic。

Less　so　was　his　wife；　who；　with　the　chameleon　quality　of　her

transplanted　countrywomen；　was　already　Parisian　in　dress；　still

less　so　his　daughter；　who　had　by　this　time　absorbed　the

peculiarities　of　her　French；　German；　and　Italian　governesses。　　Yet

neither　had　yet　learned　to　evade　their　nationalityor　apologize

for　it。



Mr。　Maynard　and　his　family　remained　for　three　years　in　Europe；　his

stay　having　been　prolonged　by　political　excitement　in　his　own　State

of　South　Carolina。　　Commerce　is　apt　to　knock　the　insularity　out　of

people；　distance　from　one's　own　distinctive　locality　gives　a　wider

range　to　the　vision；　and　the　retired　merchant　foresaw　ruin　in　his

State's　politics；　and　from　the　viewpoint　of　all　Europe　beheld

instead　of　the　usual　collection　of　individual　Stateshis　whole

country。　　But　the　excitement　increasing；　he　was　finally　impelled　to

return　in　a　faint　hope　of　doing　something　to　allay　it；　taking　his

wife　with　him；　but　leaving　his　daughter　at　school　in　Paris。　　At

about　this　time；　however；　a　single　cannon　shot　fired　at　the

national　flag　on　Fort　Sumter　shook　the　whole　country；　reverberated

even　in　Europe；　sending　some　earnest　hearts　back　to　do　battle　for

State　or　country；　sending　others　less　earnest　into　inglorious

exile；　but；　saddest　of　all！　knocking　over　the　school　bench　of　a

girl　at　the　Paris　pensionnat。　　For　that　shot　had　also　sunk

Maynard's　ships　at　the　Charleston　wharves；　scattered　his　piled

Cotton　bales　awaiting　shipment　at　the　quays；　and　drove　him；　a

ruined　man；　into　the　〃Home　Guard〃　against　his　better　judgment。

Helen　Maynard；　like　a　good　girl；　had　implored　her　father　to　let　her

return　and　share　his　risks。　　But　the　answer　was　〃to　wait〃　until

this　nine　days'　madness　of　an　uprising　was　over。　　That　madness

lasted　six　years；　outlived　Maynard；　whose　gray；　misdoubting　head

bit　the　dust　at　Ball's　Bluff；　outlived