remember the alamo-第40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！


marquee；　and　among　other　comforts　the　Senora　found　there　the
chocolate　she　had　so　long　craved；　and　some　cigaritos　of　most
delicate　flavor。

In　a　short　time　a　luxurious　meal　was　prepared　by　Antonia；　and
just　as　they　were　sitting　down　to　it；　Luis　and　Lopez　entered
the　tent　together。　　Isabel　had　expected　the　visit　and　prepared
for　it　as　far　as　her　limited　wardrobe　permitted。　　And　her　fine
hair；　and　bright　eyes；　her　perfect　face　and　form；　and　the
charming　innocence　of　her　manners；　adorned　her　as　the　color
and　perfume　of　the　rose　make　the　beauty　of　the　flower。　　She
was　so　lovely　that　she　could　dare　to　banter　Luis　on　the
splendor　of　his　attire。

〃It　is　evident；　mi　madre；　that　Luis　has　found　at　least
the　baggage　of　a　major…general。　　Such　velvet　and　silver
embroidery！　Such　a　silk　sash！　　They　are　fit　at　the
very　least　for　a　sultan　of　the　Turks。〃

He　came　to　her　crowned　with　victory。　　Like　a　hero　he　came；　and
like　a　lover。　　They　had　a　thousand　pretty　things　to　say　to
each　other；　and　a　thousand　blissful　plans　in　prospect。　　Life
to　them　had　never　before　been　so　well　worth　living。

Indeed；　a　wonderful　exaltation　possessed　both　Luis　and　Lopez。　
The　sombre；　handsome　face　of　the　latter　was　transfigured　by
it。　　He　kissed　the　hand　of　the　Senora；　and　then　turned
to　Antonia。　　Her　pallor　and　emaciation　shocked　him。　　He　could
only　murmur；　〃Senorita！〃　　But　she　saw　the　surprise；　the
sorrow；　the　sympathy；　yes；　the　adoring　love　in　his　heart；　and
she　was　thankful　to　him　for　the　reticence　that　relieved　her
from　special　attention。

Doctor　Worth　made　room　for　Lopez　beside　him。　　Luis　sat　by
Isabel；　upon　a　pile　of　splendid　military　saddle…cloths。　　As
she　sipped　her　chocolate；　he　smoked　his　cigarito　in　a　lazy
fashion；　and　gave　himself　up　with　delight　to　that
foolishness　of　love…making　which　is　often　far　wiser　than　the
very　words　of　wisdom。

As　yet　the　ladies　had　not　spoken　of　the　battle。　　It　was　won。　
That　great　fact　had　been　as　much　as　they　could　bear　at　first。　
The　Senora　wanted　to　sleep。　　Isabel　wanted　to　see　Luis。　　Only

Antonia　was　anxious　for　the　details；　and　she　had　been　busy　in
preparing　the　respectable　meal　which　her　mother　had　so　long
craved。　　The　apparent　indifference　was　natural　enough。　　The
assurance　of　good　fortune　is　always　sufficient　for　the　first
stage　of　reaction　from　anxiety。　　When　the　most　urgent　personal
feelings　have　been　satisfied；　then　comes　the　demand　for　detail
and　discussion。　　So　now；　as　they　sat　together；　the　Senora
said：

〃No　one　has　told　me　anything　about　the　battle。　　Were　you
present；　Roberto？〃

〃I　had　that　great　honor；　Maria。　　Lopez　and　Luis　were　with　the
cavalry；　and　Ortiz　also　has　had　some　satisfaction　for　all　his
wrongs。〃

〃Very　good！　　But　I　am　impatient　for　the　story；　so　is　Antonia；
and　as　for　Isabelbah！　the　little　one　is　listening　to　another
story。　　One　must　excuse　her。　　We　expected　the　battle　on　the
twentieth；　but　no！〃

〃The　enemy　were　expecting　it　also；　and　were　in　high　spirits
and　perfect　preparation。　　Houston　thought　it　prudent　to　dash
their　enthusiasm　by　uncertainty　and　waiting。　　But　at　dawn；　on
the　twenty…first；　we　heard　the　three　taps　of　the　drum；　and
seven　hundred　soldiers　sprang　to　their　feet　as　one　man。　
Houston　had　been　watching　all　night。　　He　spoke　to　us　with　a
tongue　of　fire　and　then；　while　we　cooked　and　ate　our
breakfast；　he　lay　down　and　slept。　　The　sun　came　up　without　a
cloud；　and　shone　brightly　on　his　face。　　He　sprang　to　his　feet
and　said　to　Burleson；　as　he　saluted　him：　　‘The　sun　of
Austerlitz　has　risen　again。'

〃Some　one　brought　him　a　piece　of　cornbread　and　broiled　beef。　
He　sat　upon　the　grass　and　ate　itor　rather　upon　the　blue
hyacinths　that　covered　the　grass；　they　are　red　now。　　For　many
weeks　I　had　not　seen　his　countenance　so　bright；　all　traces　of
trouble　and　anxiety　were　gone。　　He　called　Deaf　Smiththe
scout　of　scoutsand　quickly　ordered　him　to　cut　down　the　only
bridge　across　the　bayou。

〃At　nine　o'clock；　General　Cos　joined　Santa　Anna　with　five
hundred　and　forty　men；　and　for　a　moment　I　thought　we　had
made　a　mistake　in　not　attacking　the　enemy　before　his
reinforcements　came　up。　　But　the　knowledge　that　Cos　was
present；　raised　enthusiasm　to　the　highest　pitch。　　Our　troops
remembered　his　parole　at　the　Alamo；　and　the　shameful　manner　in
which　he　had　broken　it；　and　there　was　not　a　man　who　did　not
long　to　kill　him　for　it。

〃About　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　Houston　ordered　the
attack。　　The　seven　hundred　Americans　were　divided　into　three
bodies。　　I　saw　Houston　in　the　very　centre　of　the　line；　and　I
have　a　confused　memory　of　Milard　and　Lamar；　Burleson　and
Sherman　and　Wharton；　in　front　of　their　divisions。〃

〃Were　the　Mexicans　expecting　the　attack；　father？〃

〃They　were　in　perfect　order；　Antonia；　and　when　Sherman　shouted
the　battle…cry：　　‘REMEMBER　THE　ALAMO！　　GOLIAD　AND　THE
ALAMO！'　it　was　taken　up　by　the　whole　seven　hundred；　and　such
a　shout　of　vengeance　mortal　ears　never　heard　before。　　The　air
was　full　of　it；　and　it　appeared　to　be　echoed　and　repeated　by
innumerable　voices。

〃With　this　shout　on　our　lips；　we　advanced　to　within　sixty
paces　of　the　Mexican　lines；　and　then　a　storm　of　bullets　went
flying　over　our　heads。　　One　ball；　however；　shattered　Houston's
ankle；　and　another　struck　his　horse　in　the　breast。　　But　both
man　and　horse　were　of　the　finest　metal；　and　they　pressed　on
regardless　of　their　wounds。　　We　did　not　answer　the　volley
until　we　poured　our　lead　into　their　very　bosoms。　　No　time　for
reloading　then。　　We　clubbed　our　rifles　till　they　broke；　flung
them　away　and　fired　our　pistols　in　the　eyes　of　the　enemy；
then；　nothing　else　remaining；　took　our　bowie…knives　from　our
belts　and　cut　our　way　through　the　walls　of　living　flesh。〃

Lopez　rose　at　the　words。　　It　was　impossible　for　him　to　express
himself　sufficiently　in　an　attitude　of　repose。　　His　eyes
glowed　like　fire；　his　dark　face　was　like　a　flame；　he　threw　up
his　hands　as　he　cried：

〃Nothing　comparable　to　that　charge　with　knives　was　ever　made
on　earth！　　If　I　had　seen　through　the　smoke　and　vapor　the
mighty　shade　of　Bowie　leading　it；　I　should　not　have　been
surprised。〃

〃Perhaps　indeed；　he　did　lead　it；〃　said　the　Senora；　in　a　solemn
voice。　　〃I　saw　yes；　by　all　the　saints　of　God！　　I　saw　a
great　host　with　my　Juan。　　They　stretched　out　vast；　shadowy
armsthey　made　me　FEEL　what　I　can　never　tell。　　But　I　shall
honor　Senor　Houston。　　I　shall　say　to　him　some　day。　　‘Senor；
the　unseen　battalionsthe　mighty　dead　as　well　as　the　mighty
livingwon　the　battle。'　　Roberto；　believe　me；　there　are
things　women　understand　better　than　wise　men。〃

A　little　awe；　a　solemn　silence；　answered　the　earnest　woman。　
Luis　and　Isabel　came　close　to　her；　and　Isabel　took　her　hand。　
Lopez　resumed　the　conversation。　　〃I　know　Colonel　Bowie；〃　he
said。　　〃In　the　last　days　at　San　Antonio　I　was　often　with　him。　
Brave　as　a　lion；　true　to　his　friends；　relentless　to　his　foes；
was　he。　　The　knife　he　made　was　the　expression　of　his　character
in　steel。　　It　is　a　knife　of　extreme　unctionthe　oil　and
wafer　are　all　that　remains　for　the　men　who　feels　its　edge。　
For　my　part；　I　honor　the　Senora's　thought。　　It　is　a　great
satisfaction　to　me　to　hope　that　Bowie；　and　Crockett；　and
Travis；　and　Fannin；　and　all　their　company　were　present　at　San
Jacinto。　　If　the　just　God　permitted　it；　'twas　a　favor　of
supreme　justice。〃

〃But　then　you　are　not　alone　in　the　thought；　Lopez。　　I　heard
General　Sherman　say；　‘Poor　Fannin！　　He　has　been　blamed　for　not
obeying　Houston's　orders。　　I　THINK　HE　OBEYED　THEM　TO…DAY。'　
At　the　moment　I　did　not　comprehend；　but　now　it　is　plain　to　me。　
He　thought　Fannin　had　been　present；　and　perhaps　it　was　this
belief　made　him　so　impetuous　and　invincible。　　He　fought　like
a　spirit；　one　forgot　that　he　was　flesh　and　blood。〃

〃Sherman　is　of　a　grand　stock；〃　said　the　doctor；　descended　from
the　wise　Roger　Sherman；　bred　in　Massachusetts　and　trained　in
all　the　hardy　virtues　of　her　sons。　　It　was　from　his　lips　the
battle…cry　of　‘REMEMBER　THE　ALAMO！'　sprang。〃

〃But　then；　Roberto；　nothing　shall　persuade　me　that　my
countrymen　are　cowards。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　Maria；　they　kept　their　ground　with　great
courage。　　They　were　slain　by　hundreds　just　where　they　stood
when　the　battle　began。　　Twenty…six　officers　and　nearly　seven
hundred　men　were　left　dead　upon　the　field。　　But　the　flight　was
still　more　terrible。　　Into　the　bayou　horses　and　men　rolled
down　together。　　The　deep　black　stream　became　red；　it　was
choked　up　with　their　dead　bodies；　while　the　mire　and　water　of
the　morass　was　literally　bridged　with　the　smothered　mules　and
horses　and　soldiers。〃

〃The　battle　began　at　three　o'clock；　but　we　heard　the　firing
only　for　a　very　short　time；〃　said　Antonia。

〃After　we　reached　their　breastworks　it　lasted　just　eighteen
minutes。　　At　four；　the　whole　Mexican　army　was　dead；　or　flying
in　every　direction；　and　the　pursuit　and　slaughter　continued
until　twilight。　　Truly　an　unseen　power　made　all　our　moves　for
us。　　It　was　a　military　miracle；　for　our　loss　was　only　eight
killed　and　seventeen　wounded。〃

〃I　am　sorry　Houston　is　among　the　wounded。〃

〃His　ankle…bone　is　shattered。　　He　is　suffering　much。　　I　was
with　him　when　he　left　the　field　and　I　was　delighted　with　his
patience　and　dignity。　　The　men　crowded　around　him。　　They
seized　his　bridle；　they　clasped　his　hands。　　‘Have　we　done　well
to…day；　General？　　Are　you　satisfied　with　us？'　they　cried。

〃‘You　have　covered　yourselves　with　glory；'　he　answered。　　‘You
have　written　a　grand　page　in　American　history　this　day；
boys。　　For　it　was　not　for　fame　nor　for　empire　you　fought；　but
for　your　rights　as　freemen；　for　your　homes　and　your　faith。'

〃The　next　moment　he　fell　from　his　horse　and　we　laid　him　down
at　the　foot　of　an　oak　tree。　　He　had　fainted　from　loss　of　blood
and　the　agony　of　his　wound；　combined　with　the　superhuman
exertions　and　anxieties　of　the　past　week。〃

〃But　he　is　better　now？〃

〃Yes；　I　dressed　the　wound　as　well　as　my　appliances　permitted；
but　he　will　not　be　able　to　use　his　foot　for　some　time。　　No　one
slept　that　night。　　Weary　as　the　men　were；　their　excitement　and
happiness　were　too　great　for　the　bonds　of　sleep。　　In　the
morning　the　rich　spoils　of　the　enemy's　camp　were　divided　among
them。　　Houston　refused　any　part　in　them。　　‘My　share　of　the
honor　is　suffic