The President had pursued with persistence2 the plan of Lincoln for the immediate3 restoration of the union. Would Congress follow the lead of the President or challenge him to mortal combat?
Civil governments had been restored in all the Southern States, with men of the highest ability chosen as governors and lawmakers. Their legislatures had unanimously voted for the Thirteenth Amendment4 of the Constitution abolishing slavery, and elected senators and representatives to Congress. Mr. Seward, the Secretary of State, had declared the new amendment a part of the organic law of the Nation by the vote of these States.
General Grant went to the South to report its condition and boldly declared:
“I am satisfied that the mass of thinking people of the South accept the situation in good faith. Slavery and secession they regard as settled forever by the highest 132 known tribunal, and consider this decision a fortunate one for the whole country.”
Would the Southerners be allowed to enter?
Amid breathless silence the clerk rose to call the roll of members-elect. Every ear was bent5 to hear the name of the first Southern man. Not one was called! The Master had spoken. His clerk knew how to play his part.
The next business of the House was to receive the message of the Chief Magistrate6 of the Nation.
The message came, but not from the White House. It came from the seat of the Great Commoner.
As the first thrill of excitement over the challenge to the President slowly subsided7, Stoneman rose, planted his big club foot in the middle of the aisle8, and delivered to Congress the word of its new master.
It was Ben’s first view of the man of all the world just now of most interest. From his position he could see his full face and figure.
He began speaking in a careless, desultory9 way. His tone was loud yet not declamatory, at first in a grumbling10, grandfatherly, half-humorous, querulous accent that riveted11 every ear instantly. A sort of drollery12 of a contagious13 kind haunted it. Here and there a member tittered in expectation of a flash of wit.
His figure was taller than the average, slightly bent, with a dignity which suggested reserve power and contempt for his audience. One knew instinctively14 that back of the boldest word this man might say there was a bolder unspoken word he had chosen not to speak.
His limbs were long, and their movements slow, yet 133 nervous as from some internal fiery15 force. His hands were big and ugly, and always in ungraceful fumbling16 motion as though a separate soul dwelt within them.
The heaped-up curly profusion17 of his brown wig18 gave a weird19 impression to the spread of his mobile features. His eagle-beaked nose had three distinct lines and angles. His chin was broad and bold, and his brows beetling20 and projecting. His mouth was wide, marked, and grim; when opened, deep and cavernous; when closed, it seemed to snap so tightly that the lower lip protruded21.
Of all his make-up, his eye was the most fascinating, and it held Ben spellbound. It could thrill to the deepest fibre of the soul that looked into it, yet it did not gleam. It could dominate, awe22, and confound, yet it seemed to have no colour or fire. He could easily see it across the vast hall from the galleries, yet it was not large. Two bold, colourless dagger-points of light they seemed. As he grew excited, they darkened as if passing under a cloud.
A sudden sweep of his huge apelike arm in an angular gesture, and the drollery and carelessness of his voice were riven from it as by a bolt of lightning.
He was driving home his message now in brutal23 frankness. Yet in the height of his fiercest invective24 he never seemed to strengthen himself or call on his resources. In its climax25 he was careless, conscious of power, and contemptuous of results, as though as a gambler he had staked and lost all and in the moment of losing suddenly become the master of those who had beaten him.
His speech never once bent to persuade or convince. He meant to brain the opposition26 with a single blow, and 134 he did it. For he suddenly took the breath from his foes27 by shouting in their faces the hidden motive28 of which they were hoping to accuse him!
“Admit these Southern Representatives,” he cried, “and with the Democrats29 elected from the North, within one term they will have a majority in Congress and the Electoral College. The supremacy30 of our party’s life is at stake. The man who dares palter with such a measure is a rebel, a traitor31 to his party and his people.”
A cheer burst from his henchmen, and his foes sat in dazed stupor32 at his audacity33. He moved the appointment of a “Committee on Reconstruction” to whom the entire government of the “conquered provinces of the South” should be committed, and to whom all credentials34 of their pretended representatives should be referred.
He sat down as the Speaker put his motion, declared it carried, and quickly announced the names of this Imperial Committee with the Hon. Austin Stoneman as its chairman.
He then permitted the message of the President of the United States to be read by his clerk.
“Well, upon my soul,” said Ben, taking a deep breath and looking at Elsie, “he’s the whole thing, isn’t he?”
The girl smiled with pride.
“Yes; he is a genius. He was born to command and yet never could resist the cry of a child or the plea of a woman. He hates, but he hates ideas and systems. He makes threats, yet when he meets the man who stands for all he hates he falls in love with his enemy.”
“Then there’s hope for me?” 135
“Yes, but I must be the judge of the time to speak.”
“Well, if he looks at me as he did once to-day, you may have to do the speaking also.”
“You will like him when you know him. He is one of the greatest men in America.”
“At least he’s the father of the greatest girl in the world, which is far more important.”
“I wonder if you know how important?” she asked seriously. “He is the apple of my eye. His bitter words, his cynicism and sarcasm35, are all on the surface—masks that hide a great sensitive spirit. You can’t know with what brooding tenderness I have always loved and worshipped him. I will never marry against his wishes.”
“I hope he and I will always be good friends,” said Ben doubtfully.
“You must,” she replied, eagerly pressing his hand.
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收听单词发音
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1
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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amendment
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| n.改正，修正，改善，修正案 | |
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5
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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7
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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8
aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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9
desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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11
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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12
drollery
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| n.开玩笑，说笑话；滑稽可笑的图画（或故事、小戏等） | |
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13
contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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14
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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15
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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16
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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17
profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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18
wig
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| n.假发 | |
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19
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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20
beetling
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| adj.突出的，悬垂的v.快速移动( beetle的现在分词 ) | |
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21
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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23
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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24
invective
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| n.痛骂，恶意抨击 | |
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25
climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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27
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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28
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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29
democrats
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| n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 ) | |
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30
supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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31
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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32
stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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33
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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34
credentials
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| n.证明，资格，证明书，证件 | |
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35
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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