A gale2 of chivalrous3 passion and high action, contagious4 and intoxicating5, swept the white race. The moral, mental, and physical earthquake which followed the first assault on one of their daughters revealed the unity6 of the racial life of the people. Within the span of a week they had lived a century.
The spirit of the South “like lightning had at last leaped forth7, half startled at itself, its feet upon the ashes and the rags,” its hands tight-gripped on the throat of tyrant8, thug, and thief.
It was the resistless movement of a race, not of any man or leader of men. The secret weapon with which they struck was the most terrible and efficient in human history—these pale hosts of white-and-scarlet horsemen! They struck shrouded9 in a mantle10 of darkness and terror. They struck where the power of resistance was weakest and the blow least suspected. Discovery or retaliation11 was impossible. Not a single disguise was ever penetrated12. 342 All was planned and ordered as by destiny. The accused was tried by secret tribunal, sentenced without a hearing, executed in the dead of night without warning, mercy, or appeal. The movements of the Klan were like clockwork, without a word, save the whistle of the Night Hawk13, the crack of his revolver, and the hoofbeat of swift horses moving like figures in a dream, and vanishing in mists and shadows.
The old club-footed Puritan, in his mad scheme of vengeance14 and party power, had overlooked the Covenanter, the backbone15 of the South. This man had just begun to fight! His race had defied the Crown of Great Britain a hundred years from the caves and wilds of Scotland and Ireland, taught the English people how to slay16 a king and build a commonwealth17, and, driven into exile into the wilderness18 of America, led our Revolution, peopled the hills of the South, and conquered the West.
As the young German patriots19 of 1812 had organized the great struggle for their liberties under the noses of the garrisons20 of Napoleon, so Ben Cameron had met the leaders of his race in Nashville, Tennessee, within the picket21 lines of thirty-five thousand hostile troops, and in the ruins of an old homestead discussed and adopted the ritual of the Invisible Empire.
Within a few months this Empire overspread a territory larger than modern Europe. In the approaching election it was reaching out its daring white hands to tear the fruits of victory from twenty million victorious22 conquerors24.
The triumph at which they aimed was one of incredible 343 grandeur25. They had risen to snatch power out of defeat and death. Under their clan26 leadership the Southern people had suddenly developed the courage of the lion, the cunning of the fox, and the deathless faith of religious enthusiasts28.
Society was fused in the white heat of one sublime29 thought and beat with the pulse of the single will of the Grand Wizard of the Klan of Memphis.
Women and children had eyes and saw not, ears and heard not. Over four thousand disguises for men and horses were made by the women of the South, and not one secret ever passed their lips!
With magnificent audacity30, infinite patience, and remorseless zeal31, a conquered people were struggling to turn his own weapon against their conqueror23, and beat his brains out with the bludgeon he had placed in the hands of their former slaves.
Behind the tragedy of Reconstruction32 stood the remarkable33 man whose iron will alone had driven these terrible measures through the chaos34 of passion, corruption35, and bewilderment which followed the first assassination36 of an American President. As he leaned on his window in this village of the South and watched in speechless rage the struggle at that negro armoury, he felt for the first time the foundations sinking beneath his feet. As he saw the black cowards surrender in terror, noted37 the indifference38 and cool defiance39 with which those white horsemen rode and shot, he knew that he had collided with the ultimate force which his whole scheme had overlooked. 344
He turned on his big club foot from the window, clinched40 his fist and muttered:
“But I’ll hang that man for this deed if it’s the last act of my life!”
The morning brought dismay to the negro, the carpet-bagger, and the scallawag of Ulster. A peculiar41 freak of weather in the early morning added to their terror. The sun rose clear and bright except for a slight fog that floated from the river valley, increasing the roar of the falls. About nine o’clock a huge black shadow suddenly rushed over Piedmont from the west, and in a moment the town was shrouded in twilight42. The cries of birds were hushed and chickens went to roost as in a total eclipse of the sun. Knots of people gathered on the streets and gazed uneasily at the threatening skies. Hundreds of negroes began to sing and shout and pray, while sensible people feared a cyclone43 or cloud-burst. A furious downpour of rain was swiftly followed by sunshine, and the negroes rose from their knees, shouting with joy to find the end of the world had after all been postponed44.
But that the end of their brief reign45 in a white man’s land had come, but few of them doubted. The events of the night were sufficiently46 eloquent47. The movement of the clouds in sympathy was unnecessary.
Old Stoneman sent for Lynch, and found he had fled to Columbia. He sent for the only lawyer in town whom the Lieutenant-Governor had told him could be trusted.
The lawyer was polite, but his refusal to undertake the prosecution48 of any alleged49 member of the Klan was emphatic50. 345
“I’m a sinful man, sir,” he said with a smile. “Besides, I prefer to live, on general principles.”
“I’ll pay you well,” urged the old man, “and if you secure the conviction of Ben Cameron, the man we believe to be the head of this Klan, I’ll give you ten thousand dollars.”
The lawyer was whittling51 on a piece of pine meditatively52.
“That’s a big lot of money in these hard times. I’d like to own it, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t be good at the bank on the other side. I prefer the green fields of South Carolina to those of Eden. My harp53 isn’t in tune54.”
Stoneman snorted in disgust:
“Will you ask the Mayor to call to see me at once?”
“We ain’t got none,” was the laconic55 answer.
“What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you heard what happened to his Honour last night?”
“No.”
“The Klan called to see him,” went on the lawyer with a quizzical look “at 3 A. M. Rather early for a visit of state. They gave him forty-nine lashes56 on his bare back, and persuaded him that the climate of Piedmont didn’t agree with him. His Honour, Mayor Bizzel, left this morning with his negro wife and brood of mulatto children for his home, the slums of Cleveland, Ohio. We are deprived of his illustrious example, and he may not be a wiser man than when he came, but he’s a much sadder one.”
Stoneman dismissed the even-tempered member of the 346 bar, and wired Lynch to return immediately to Piedmont. He determined57 to conduct the prosecution of Ben Cameron in person. With the aid of the Lieutenant-Governor he succeeded in finding a man who would dare to swear out a warrant against him.
As a preliminary skirmish he was charged with a violation58 of the statutory laws of the United States relating to Reconstruction and arraigned59 before a Commissioner60.
Against Elsie’s agonizing61 protest, old Stoneman appeared at the courthouse to conduct the prosecution.
In the absence of the United States Marshal, the warrant had been placed in the hands of the sheriff, returnable at ten o’clock on the morning fixed62 for the trial. The new sheriff of Ulster was no less a personage than Uncle Aleck, who had resigned his seat in the House to accept the more profitable one of High Sheriff of the County.
There was a long delay in beginning the trial. At 10:30 not a single witness summoned had appeared, nor had the prisoner seen fit to honour the court with his presence.
Old Stoneman sat fumbling63 his hands in nervous, sullen64 rage, while Phil looked on with amusement.
“Send for the sheriff,” he growled65 to the Commissioner.
In a moment Aleck appeared bowing humbly66 and politely to every white man he passed. He bent67 halfway68 to the floor before the Commissioner and said:
“Marse Ben be here in er minute, sah. He’s er eatin’ his breakfus’. I run erlong erhead.”
Stoneman’s face was a thundercloud as he scrambled69 to his feet and glared at Aleck: 347
“Marse Ben? Did you say Marse Ben? Who’s he?”
Aleck bowed low again.
“De young Colonel, sah—Marse Ben Cameron.”
“And you the sheriff of this county trotted70 along in front to make the way smooth for your prisoner?”
“Yessah!”
“Is that the way you escort prisoners before a court?”
“Dem kin’ er prisoners—yessah.”
“Why didn’t you walk beside him?”
Aleck grinned from ear to ear and bowed very low:
“He say sumfin’ to me, sah!”
“And what did he say?”
Aleck shook his head and laughed:
“I hates ter insinuate71 ter de cote, sah!”
“What did he say to you?” thundered Stoneman.
“He say—he say—ef I walk ’longside er him—he knock hell outen me, sah!”
“Indeed.”
“Yessah, en I ‘spec’ he would,” said Aleck insinuatingly72. “La, he’s a gemman, sah, he is! He tell me he come right on. He be here sho’.”
Stoneman whispered to Lynch, turned with a look of contempt to Aleck, and said:
“Mr. Sheriff, you interest me. Will you be kind enough to explain to this court what has happened to you lately to so miraculously73 change your manners?”
Aleck glanced around the room nervously74.
“I seed sumfin’—a vision, sah!”
“A vision? Are you given to visions?”
“Na-sah. Dis yere wuz er sho’ ’nuff vision! I wuz er 348 feelin’ bad all day yistiddy. Soon in de mawnin’, ez I wuz gwine ’long de road, I see a big black bird er settin’ on de fence. He flop75 his wings, look right at me en say, ‘Corpse76! Corpse! Corpse!’”—Aleck’s voice dropped to a whisper—“’en las’ night de Ku Kluxes come ter see me, sah!”
Stoneman lifted his beetling78 brows.
“That’s interesting. We are searching for information on that subject.”
“Yessah! Dey wuz Sperits, ridin’ white hosses wid flowin’ white robes, en big blood-red eyes! De hosses wuz twenty feet high, en some er de Sperits wuz higher dan dis cote-house! Dey wuz all bal’ headed, ’cept right on de top whar dere wuz er straight blaze er fire shot up in de air ten foot high!”
“What did they say to you?”
“Dey say dat ef I didn’t design de sheriff’s office, go back ter farmin’ en behave myself, dey had er job waitin’ fer me in hell, sah. En shos’ you born dey wuz right from dar!”
“Of course!” sneered79 the old Commoner.
“Yessah! Hit’s des lak I tell yer. One ob ’em makes me fetch ’im er drink er water. I carry two bucketsful ter ’im ‘fo’ I git done, en I swar ter God he drink it all right dar ‘fo’ my eyes! He say hit wuz pow’ful dry down below, sah! En den27 I feel sumfin’ bus’ loose inside er me, en I disremember all dat come ter pass! I made er jump fer de ribber bank, en de next I knowed I wuz er pullin’ fur de odder sho’. I’se er pow’ful good swimmer, sah, but I nebber git ercross er creek80 befo’ ez quick ez I got ober de ribber las’ night.” 349
“And you think of going back to farming?”
“I done begin plowin’ dis mornin’, marster!”
“Don’t you call me marster!” yelled the old man. “Are you the sheriff of this county?”
Aleck laughed loudly.
“Na-sah! Dat’s er joke! I ain’t nuttin’ but er plain nigger—I wants peace, judge.”
“Evidently we need a new sheriff.”
“Dat’s what I tell ’em, sah, dis mornin’—en I des flings mysef on de ignance er de cote!”
Phil laughed aloud, and his father’s colourless eyes began to spit cold poison.
“About what time do you think your master, Colonel Cameron, will honour us with his presence?” he asked Aleck.
Again the sheriff bowed.
“He’s er comin’ right now, lak I tole yer—he’s er gemman, sah.”
Ben walked briskly into the room and confronted the Commissioner.
Without apparently81 noticing his presence, Stoneman said:
“In the absence of witnesses we accept the discharge of this warrant, pending82 developments.”
Ben turned on his heel, pressed Phil’s hand as he passed through the crowd, and disappeared.
The old Commoner drove to the telegraph office and sent a message of more than a thousand words to the White House, a copy of which the operator delivered to Ben Cameron within an hour. 350
President Grant next morning issued a proclamation declaring the nine Scotch-Irish hill counties of South Carolina in a state of insurrection, ordered an army corps77 of five thousand men to report there for duty, pending the further necessity of martial83 law and the suspension of the writ84 of Habeas Corpus.
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1
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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unity
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| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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patriots
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| 爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 ) | |
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garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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conquerors
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| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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enthusiasts
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| n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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reconstruction
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| n.重建，再现，复原 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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corruption
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| n.腐败，堕落，贪污 | |
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assassination
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| n.暗杀；暗杀事件 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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clinched
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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cyclone
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| n.旋风，龙卷风 | |
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postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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whittling
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的现在分词 ) | |
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meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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laconic
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| adj.简洁的；精练的 | |
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lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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violation
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| n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯 | |
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arraigned
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| v.告发( arraign的过去式和过去分词 )；控告；传讯；指责 | |
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commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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agonizing
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| adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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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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fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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65
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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71
insinuate
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| vt.含沙射影地说，暗示 | |
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72
insinuatingly
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73
miraculously
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| ad.奇迹般地 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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flop
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| n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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78
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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79
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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81
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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82
pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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