The life of the barracks was young Lieutenant3 J.E.B. Stuart.
Colonel Lee had been transferred from West Point to the command of theSecond United States Cavalry on the Mexican Border at the same time thatStuart's regiment was moved to Kansas.
The rollicking song-loving, banjo-playing Virginian had earlydistinguished himself as an Indian fighter. He had been dangerouslywounded, but recovered with remarkable4 rapidity. His perfect health andhis clean habits stood him in good stead on the day an Indian's bulletcrashed through his breast.
He was a favorite with officers and men. As a cadet he had given promiseof the coming soldier. At the Academy he was noted5 for his strictattendance to every military duty, and his erect6, soldierly bearing. Hewas particularly noted for an almost thankful acceptance of a challengeto fight any cadet who might feel himself aggrieved7. The boys called hima "Bible Class Man." He was never known to swear or drink. They alsocalled him "Beauty Stuart," in good natured boyish teasing.
He was the best-looking cadet of his class, as he was the best-lookingyoung officer of his regiment. His hair was a reddish brown. His eyes adeep steel blue, his voice clear and ringing.
In his voice the soul of the man spoke8 to his fellows. He was alwayssinging--always eager for a frolic of innocent fun. Above all, he wasalways eager for a frolic with a pretty girl. He played both the banjoand the guitar and little he cared for the gathering9 political feudwhich old John Brown and his sons had begun to foment10 on the frontier.
As a Southerner the struggle did not interest him. It was a foregoneconclusion that the country would be settled by Northern immigrants.
They were pouring into the Territory in endless streams. A colony fromNew Haven11, Connecticut, one hundred strong, had just settled sixty milesabove Lawrence on the Kansas River. They knew how to plow12 and planttheir fields and they had modern machinery13 with which to do it. Thefew Southerners who came to Kansas were poorly equipped. Lawrence wascrowded with immigrants from every section of the North. The fields werewhite with their tents. A company from Ohio, one from Connecticut, andone from New Hampshire were camping just outside the town. Daily theirexploring committees went forth14 to look at localities. Daily newcompanies poured in.
Stuart let them pour and asked no questions about their politics. He waskeen on one thing only--the pretty girls that might be among them.
When exploring parties came to Fort Leavenworth, the young Lieutenantinspected them with an eye single to a possible dance for the regiment.
The number of pretty girls was not sufficient to cause excitement amongthe officers as yet. The daughters of the East were not anxious toexplore Kansas at this moment. The Indians were still troublesome attimes.
A rumor15 spread through the barracks that the prettiest girl in Kansashad just arrived at Fort Riley, sixty-eight miles beyond Topeka. ColonelPhillip St. George Cooke of Virginia commanded the Fort and his daughterFlora had ventured all the way from Harper's Ferry to the plains to seeher beloved daddy.
The news thrilled Stuart. He found an excuse to carry a message fromColonel Sumner to Colonel Cooke.
He expected nothing serious, of course. Every daughter of Virginia knewhow to flirt17. She would know that he understood this from the start. Itwould be nip and tuck between the Virginia boy and the Virginia girl.
He had always had such easy sailing in his flirtations he hoped MissFlora would prove a worthy19 antagonist20.
As a matter of course, Colonel Cooke asked the gallant21 young Virginianto stay as his guest.
"What'll Colonel Sumner say, sir?" Stuart laughed.
"Leave Sumner to me.""You'll guarantee immunity22?""Guaranteed.""Thank you, Colonel Cooke, I'll stay."Stuart could hardly wait until the hour of lunch to meet the daughter.
He was impatient to ask where she was. The Colonel guessed his anxietyand hastened to relieve it, or increase it.
"You haven't met my daughter, Lieutenant?" he asked casually23.
"I haven't that honor, Colonel, but this gives me the happyopportunity."He said it with such boyish fun in his ringing voice that Cooke laughedin spite of his desire to maintain the strictest dignity. He halfsuspected that the young officer might meet his match in more ways thanone.
"She'll be in at noon," the Commander remarked. "Off riding with one ofthe boys.""Of course," Stuart sighed.
He began to scent24 a battle and his spirits rose. He went to his room,took his banjo out of its old leather strapped25 case and tuned26 itcarefully. He made up his mind to give the young buck27 out riding withher the fight of his life while there.
He heard the ring of the girl's laughter as she bade her escort goodbyeat the door. He started to go down at once and begin the struggle.
Something in the ring of her young voice stopped him. There was a joyousstrength in it that was disconcerting. A girl who laughed like that hadpoise. She was an individual. He liked, too, the tones of her voicebefore he had seen her.
This struck him as odd. Never in his life before had he liked a girlbefore meeting her just for a tone quality in her voice. This onehaunted him the whole time he was changing his uniform.
He decided28 to shave again. He had shaved the night before very late. Hedidn't like the suggestion of red stubble on his face. It might put himat a disadvantage.
He resented the name of Beauty Stuart and yet down in his man soul heknew that he was vain.
He began to wonder if she were blonde or brunette, short or tall, petiteor full, blue eyes or brown? She must be pretty. Her father was a man ofdelicate and finely marked features--the type of Scotch-Irish gentlemenwho had made the mountains of Virginia famous for pretty women andbrainy men.
He heard her softly playing a piano and wondered how on earth they hadever moved a piano to this far outpost of civilization. The cost wasenormous. But the motive29 of her father in making such a sacrifice toplease her was more important. His love for her must be unusual. Itpiqued his interest and roused again his impulse for a battle royal withanother elusive30 daughter of his native state.
He made up his mind not to wait for the call to lunch. He would walkboldly into the reception room and introduce himself. She knew he wasthere, of course.
At the first sound of his footstep, her hand paused on the keys and sheturned to greet him, rising quickly, and easily.
The vision which greeted Stuart stunned31 him for a moment. A perfectblonde with laughing blue eyes, exactly the color of his own, slimand graceful32, a smile that was sunlight, and a step that was graceincarnate.
And yet her beauty was not the thing that stunned him. He had discountedher good looks from a study of her father's delicate face. It was theglow of a charming personality that disarmed33 him at the first glance.
She extended a slender hand with a smile.
"I'm so glad to meet you, Lieutenant Stuart."He took it awkwardly, and blushed. He mumbled34 when he spoke and wasconscious that his voice was thick.
"And I'm so glad to see you, Miss Flora16."They had each uttered the most banal35 greeting. Yet the way in which thewords were spoken was significant.
Never in his life had he heard a voice so gentle, so tender, soappealing in its sincerity36. All desire to flirt, to match wit against acharming girl vanished. He felt a resistless impulse to protect herfrom any fool who would dare try to start a flirtation18. She was toostraightforward, too earnest, too sincere. She seemed a part of his owninmost thought and life.
It was easy to see that while she was the pet of her father, she wasunspoiled. Stuart caught himself at last staring at her in a dazed,foolish way. He pulled himself together and wondered how long he hadheld her hand.
"Won't you play for me, Miss Flora?" he asked at last.
"If you'll sing," she laughed.
"How do you know I sing?""How do you know I play?""I heard you.""I heard you, too.""Upstairs?""Just before you came down.""I had no idea I was so loud.""Your voice rings. It has carrying power."He started to say: "I hope you like it," and something inside whispered:
"Behave."She took the seat at the piano and touched the keys with an easy,graceful movement. She looked up and smiled. Her eyes blinded him. Theywere so bright and friendly.
"What will you sing?""_Annie Laurie_," he answered promptly37.
Stuart sang with deep tenderness and passion. He outdid himself. And heknew it. He never knew before that he could sing so well.
On the last stanza38 the girl softly joined a low, sweet voice with his.
As the final note died away in Stuart's voice, hers lingered a caress39.
The man's heart leaped at its tenderness.
"Why didn't you join me at first?" he asked.
"Nobody axed me, sir!" she said.
"Well, I ask you now--come on--we'll do it together!""All right," was the jolly answer.
They sang it in duet to the soft accompaniment which she played.
Never had he heard such singing by a slip of a girl. Her voice was rich,full of feeling and caressing40 tenderness. He felt his soul dissolving inits liquid depths.
Throughout the lunch he caught himself staring at her in moments of longsilence. He had for the first time in his life lost his capacity forsilly gaiety.
He roused himself with an effort, and wondered what on earth had comeover him. He was too deeply interested in studying the girl to attemptto analyze41 his own feelings. It never occurred to him to try. He was toobusy watching the tender light in her eyes.
He wondered if she could be engaged to the fellow she went ridingwith? He resented the idea. Of course not. And when he remembered thecare-free ring to her laughter when she said goodbye, he was reassured42.
No girl could laugh a goodbye like that to a man she loved. The tone wastoo poised43 and impersonal44.
He asked her to ride with him that afternoon.
"On one condition," she smiled.
"What?""That you bring your banjo and play for me when I ask you.""How'd you know I had a banjo?""Caught the final twang as you tuned it on my arrival.""I'll bring it if you like.""Please."He hurried to his room, placed the banjo in its case and threw it overhis shoulder. She had promised to be ready in ten minutes and have thehorses at the door.
She was ready in eight minutes, and leaped into the saddle before hecould reach her side. For the life of him he couldn't keep his eye offher exquisite45 figure.
She rode without effort. She had been born in the saddle.
She led him along the military road to the juncture46 of the Smoky Hilland Republican rivers. A lover at the Fort had built a seat against ahuge rock that crowned the hill overlooking the fork of the rivers.
Stuart hitched47 the horses and found the seat. For two hours he playedhis banjo and they sang old songs together.
"I love a banjo--don't you?" she asked enthusiastically.
"It's my favorite music. There's no sorrow in a banjo. You can make itlaugh. You can make it shout. You can make it growl48 and howl and snarland fight. But you can't make a banjo cry. There are no tears in it. Thejoy of living is all a banjo knows. Why should we try to know anythingelse anyhow?""We shouldn't," she answered soberly. "The other things will comewithout invitation sometime."For an hour they talked of the deep things of life. He told of his highambitions of service for his country in the dark days that might come inthe future. Of the kind of soldier the nation would need, and the idealhe had set for his soul of truth and honor, of high thinking and cleanliving in the temptations that come to a soldier's daily life.
And she applauded his ideals. She told him they were big and fine andshe was proud of him as a true son of Old Virginia.
The sun was sinking behind the dim smoky hills toward the West when sherose.
"We must be going!""I had no idea it was so late," he apologized.
It was not until he reached his room at eleven o'clock after three hoursmore of her in the reception room that he faced the issue squarely.
He stood before the mirror and studied his flushed face. A look of deepseriousness had crept into his jolly blue eyes.
"You're a goner, this time, young man!" he whispered. "You're in love."He paused and repeated it softly.
"_In love_--the big thing this time. Sweeping49 all life before it.
Blotting50 out all that's passed and gripping all that lies beyond--Gloryto God!"For hours he lay awake. The world was made anew. The beauty of the newthought filled his soul with gratitude51.
He dared not tell her yet. The stake was too big. He was playing for allthat life held worth having. He couldn't rush a girl of that kind. Ablunder would be fatal. He had a reputation as a flirt. She had heardit, no doubt. He must put his house in order. His word must ring true.
She must believe him.
He made up his mind to return to Fort Leavenworth next day and managesomehow to get transferred to Fort Riley for two weeks.
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收听单词发音
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1
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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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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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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7
aggrieved
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| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
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8
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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foment
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| v.煽动，助长 | |
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haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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12
plow
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| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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17
flirt
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| v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者 | |
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flirtation
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| n.调情，调戏，挑逗 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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25
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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26
tuned
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| adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调 | |
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27
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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elusive
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| adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的 | |
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31
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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banal
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| adj.陈腐的，平庸的 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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stanza
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| n.（诗）节，段 | |
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39
caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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40
caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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41
analyze
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| vt.分析，解析 (=analyse) | |
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42
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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43
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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45
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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46
juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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47
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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48
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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49
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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50
blotting
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| 吸墨水纸 | |
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51
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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