We had, fortunately, no inclination4 to read. A few books had been saved, only those for which we had little use. A soldier walked in one day with a handsome volume which Jefferson Davis, after inscribing5 his name in it, had presented to the general. The soldier calmly requested the former owner to be kind enough to add to the value of the volume by writing beneath the inscription6 his own autograph, and his request granted, walked off with it under his arm. "He has been at some trouble," said my husband, "and he had as well be happy if I cannot!"
As the various brigades moved away from our neighborhood, a few plain articles of furniture that had been taken from the house were restored to us, but nothing handsome or valuable, no books nor pictures,—just a few chairs and tables. I had furnished an itemized list of all the articles we had lost, with only this result. 274 We had news after a while of our blooded mare7, Lady Jane. A letter enclosing her photograph came from a New England officer:—
"To Mr. Pryor,
"Dear Sir: A very fine mare belonging to you came into my camp near Richmond and is now with me. It would add much to her value if I could get her pedigree. Kindly8 send it at your earliest convenience, and oblige,
"Yours truly,
"— —.
"P.S. The mare is in good health, as you will doubtless be glad to know."
Disposed as my general was to be amiable9, this was a little too much! The pedigree was not sent, but later the amiable owner of Lady Jane sent her photograph. Also his own—on her back.
A great number of tourists soon began to pass our house on their way to visit the localities near us, now become historic. They frequently called upon us, claiming some common acquaintance. We could not but resent this. Their sympathetic attitude offended us, sore and proud as we were.
We were perfectly10 aware that they wished to see us, and not to gain, as they affected11, information about the historic localities on the farm. Still less did they desire ignobly12 to triumph over us. A boy, when he tears off the wings of a fly, is much interested in observing its actions, not that he is cruel—far from it! He is only curious to see how the creature will behave under very disadvantageous circumstances. 275 One day a clergyman called, with a card of introduction from Mrs. Hartsuff, who had, I imagine, small discernment as regards clergymen. This one was a smug little man, sleek13, unctuous14, and trim, with Pecksniffian self-esteem oozing15 out of every pore of his face.
"Well, madam," he commenced, "I trust I find you lying meekly16 under the chastening rod of the Lord. I trust you can say 'it is good I was afflicted17.'"
Having no suitable answer just ready, I received his pious18 exhortation19 in silence. One can always safely do this with a clergyman.
"There are seasons," continued the good man, "when chastisement20 must be meted21 out to the transgressor22; but if borne in the right spirit, the rod may blossom with blessings23 in the end."
A little more of the same nature wrung24 from me the query25, "Are there none on the other side who need the rod?"
"Oh—well, now—my dear lady! You must consider! You were in the wrong in this unhappy contest, or, I should say, this most righteous war."
"V? victis!" I exclaimed. "Our homes were invaded. We are on our own soil!"
My reverend brother grew red in the face. Rising and bowing himself out, he sent me a Parthian arrow:—
"No thief e'er felt the halter draw
With good opinion of the law."
276
Fortunately my general was absent at the moment. Like the Douglas, he had endured much, but—
"Last and worst, to spirit proud
To bear the pity of the crowd"—
this was more than he could endure.
The suggestive odors within doors could never be stifled26 or cleansed27 away. Not before October could I get my consent to eat a morsel28 in the house. I took my meals under the trees, unless driven by the rains to the shelter of the porch. I suffered terribly for want of occupation. I had no household to manage, no garments to mend or make. My little Lucy could not bear the sun, and she sat quietly beside me all day. I could have made a sun-bonnet29 for her, but I had no fabric30, no thimble, needles, thread, or scissors. Finally I discovered in the pocket of one of my Washington coats my silver card-case with Trinity Church on one side and the Capitol at Washington on the other,—objects I had now no right to hold dear. I made Alick drive me in my little farm cart to the sutler's and effected an exchange for a small straw "Shaker" bonnet which I am sure could have been purchased for less than one dollar. Protected with this, the little girl found a play-house under the trees. A good old friend, Mr. Kemp, invited the boys to accompany him upon relic-hunting expeditions to the narrow plain which had divided the opposing lines on that fateful April morning just three months before. Ropes were fastened around extinct shells, and they were hauled in, to stand sentinel at the door. The shells were short 277cylinders, with one pointed31 end like a candle before it is lighted. Numbers of minie balls were dug out of the sand. One day Mr. Kemp brought in a great curiosity—two bullets welded together, having been shot from opposing rifles.
The sultry days were begun and rounded by hours of listless endurance followed by troubled sleep. A bag of army "hard-tack" stood in a corner, so the children were never hungry. Presently they, too, sat around us, too listless to play or talk. A great army of large, light brown Norway rats now overran the farm. They would walk to the corner before our eyes and help themselves to the army ration32. We never moved a finger to drive them away. After a while Alick appeared with an enormous black-and-white cat.
"Dis is jest a lettle mo'n I can stand," said Alick. "De Yankees has stole ev'rything, and dug up de whole face o' de yearth—and de Jews comes all de time and pizens de well, droppin' down chains an' grapplin'-irons to see ef we-all has hid silver—but I ain' obleedged to stan' sassyness fum dese outlandish rats."
Alick had to surrender. The very first night after the arrival of his valiant33 cat there was a scuffle in the room where the crackers34 were kept, a chair was overturned, and a flying cat burst through the hall, pursued by three or four huge rats. The cat took refuge in a tree, and stealthily descending35 at an opportune36 moment, stole away and left the field to the enemy.
Of course there could be but one result from this 278life. Malaria37 had hung over us for weeks, and now one after another of the children lay down upon the "pallets" on the floor, ill with fever. Then I succumbed38 and was violently ill. Our only nurse was my dear general; and not in all the years when he never shirked a duty, nor lost a march, nor rode on his own horse when his men toiled39 on foot or if one failed by the way, nor ever lost one of the battles in which he personally led them,—not in all those trying times was he nobler, grander than in his long and lonely vigils beside his sick family. And most nobly did the aged40 negress, my blessed Aunt Jinny, stand by us. My one fevered vision was of an ebony idol41.
General and Mrs. Hartsuff were terribly afraid of the Southern fevers, but sent us sympathetic messages from the gate. But as soon as I could receive him, Captain Gregory, the commissary general, sought an interview with me. General Hartsuff had sent him to say that it was absolutely necessary for General Pryor to leave Virginia. He had never been pardoned. There were men in power who constantly hinted at punishment and retribution. He had been approached by General Hartsuff and vehemently42 refused to leave his family.
"Where, oh, where could he go?" I pleaded. "He does think sometimes of New Orleans."
"Madam," said Captain Gregory, "there is a future before your husband. New York is the place for him."
"He will never, never consent to go there," I said. 279 "Well, then, we must use a little diplomacy43. Send him by sea to shake off his chills. Mark my words—as soon as he registers in New York, friends will gather around him. Only send him—and speedily. I come from General Hartsuff."
My Theo was listening to this conversation, and when Captain Gregory left, he implored44 me to obey him. Without consulting his father the old horse General Hartsuff had given me was hitched45 to the little cart, and we set forth46 to find some broker47 who would lend us a small sum, receiving my watch and diamond ring as pledges for repayment48.
After several failures we found an obliging banker who lent me, upon my proposed security, three hundred dollars. As I left his office my hand instinctively49 sought my little watch to learn the hour. It was gone!—pledged to send my general to New York. I bought some quinine and ordered my husband's tailor to make without delay a suit of clothes to replace the threadbare uniform of Confederate gray. It was difficult to persuade the wearer to accept the proposition—which was only for the sea voyage in order to break the chills that shook him so relentlessly50 every third day. Nothing was farther from my thought or wishes than a permanent residence in New York.
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1
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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inscribing
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的现在分词 ) | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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7
mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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8
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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ignobly
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| 卑贱地，下流地 | |
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sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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14
unctuous
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| adj.油腔滑调的，大胆的 | |
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oozing
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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19
exhortation
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| n.劝告，规劝 | |
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chastisement
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| n.惩罚 | |
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meted
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| v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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transgressor
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| n.违背者 | |
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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24
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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25
query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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26
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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27
cleansed
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| 弄干净，清洗( cleanse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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29
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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30
fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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ration
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| n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应 | |
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33
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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34
crackers
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| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
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35
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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36
opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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37
malaria
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| n.疟疾 | |
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38
succumbed
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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39
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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40
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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42
vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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43
diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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44
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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46
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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47
broker
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| n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排 | |
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48
repayment
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| n.偿还，偿还款；报酬 | |
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49
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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50
relentlessly
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| adv.不屈不挠地；残酷地；不间断 | |
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