The father planned to make his stand behind these guns if pursued byformidable foes2.
Brown reached the camp of the Rifles near Ottawa Jones' farm atmidnight. The fires still burned brightly. To his surprise he found thatthe news of the murders had traveled faster than the stolen horses.
The camp was demoralized.
John Brown, Jr., had been forced to resign as Captain and H. H. Williamshad been elected in his stead.
The reception which the County was giving his inspired deed stunned3 theleader. He had expected a reign4 of terror. But the terror had seized hisown people. He was compelled to lie and deny his guilt5 except to hisown flesh and blood. Even before his sons he was arraigned6 with fiercecondemnation.
On the outer edge of the panic-stricken camp his sons, Jason and John,Jr., faced him with trembling and horror in their voices.
Jason had denounced the first hint of the plan when the surveyor'sscheme was broached8. John, Jr. had refused to move a step on theexpedition. The two sons confronted their father with determinedquestions. He shifted and evaded9 the issue.
Jason squared himself and demanded:
"Did you kill those men?""I did not," was the sharp answer.
The son held his shifting eye by the glare of the camp fire.
"Did you have _anything_ to do with the killing10 of those men?"To his own he would not lie longer. It wasn't necessary. His reply wasquick and unequivocal.
"I did not do it. But I approved it.""It was the work of a beast.""You cannot speak to me like that, sir!" the old man growled11.
"And why not?""I am your father, sir!""That's why I tell you to your face that you have disgraced every childwho bears your name--now--and for all time. What right had you to putthis curse upon me? The devils in hell would blush to do what you havedone!"The father lifted his hand as if to ward12 a blow and bored his sonthrough with a steady stare.
"God is my judge--not you, sir!"John Brown, Jr., sided with his brother in the attack but with lessviolence. His feebler mind was already trembling on the verge13 ofcollapse.
"It cuts me to the quick," the old man finally answered, "that my ownpeople should not understand that I had to make an example of thesemen--"Jason finally shrieked15 into his ears:
"Who gave you the authority of Almighty16 God to sit in judgment17 upon yourfellow man, condemn7 him without trial and slay18 without mercy?"The father threw up both hands in a gesture of disgust and walked fromthe scene. He spent the night without sleep, wandering through the woodsand fields.
Three days later while Brown and his huntsmen were still hiding in thetimber, the people of his own settlement at Osawatomie held a publicmeeting which was attended by the entire male population. Theyunanimously adopted resolutions condemning19 in the bitterest terms thedeed.
When the old man heard of these resolutions he ground his teeth in rage.
He had thought to sweep the Territory with a Holy War in a Sacred Cause.
He expected the men who hated Slavery to applaud his Blood Offering tothe God of Freedom. Instead they had hastened to array themselves withhis foes.
Something had gone wrong in the execution of his divine vision. Hismind was stunned for the moment. But he was wrestling again with God inprayer, while the avengers were riding to demand an eye for an eye and atooth for a tooth.
When the true history of man is written it will be the record of mindnot the story of the physical acts which follow the mental process.
The dangers of society are psychological, not physical. The crucialmoments of human history are not found in the hours in which armiescharge. They are found in the still small voices that whisper in thesilence of the night to a lone20 watcher by the fireside. They are foundin the words of will that follow hours of silent thought behind lockeddoors or under the stars.
The story of man's progress, his relapses to barbarism, his victories,his failures, his years of savage21 cruelties, his eras of happiness andsorrow, must be written at last in terms of mental states.
John Brown's mind had conceived and executed the series of murders thatshocked even a Western frontier. His mind enacted22 the tragedy daysbefore the actual happening.
And it was the state of mind created by the deed that upset all hiscalculations. The reaction was overwhelming. He was correct in his faiththat a blood feud23 once raised, all appeal to reason and common sense,all appeal to law, order, tradition, religion would be vain babble24. Buthe had failed to gauge25 the moral sense of his own party. They had notyet accepted the theory which he held with such passionate26 conviction.
Brown's moral code was summed up in one passage from the Bible which hequoted and brooded over daily:
"WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION OF SINS."But he had made a mistake in the spot chosen for rousing the Blood Feud.
Men had instantly seen red. They sprang to their arms. They leaped astigers leap on their prey27. But his own people were the prey. He hadmiscalculated the conditions of frontier life, though he had not yetrealized it. His stubborn, restless mind clung to the idea that thestark horror of the crimes which he had committed in the name of Libertywould call at last all men who stood for Freedom.
He held his armed band in camp under the sternest discipline to awaitthis call of the blood.
The Southern avengers who swarmed28 across the Missouri border into theregion of Osawatomie accepted Brown's standards of justice and mercywithout question. A few men of education among them were the onlyrestraining influence.
Through these exciting days the old man would show himself at daylightin different places removed from his camp in the woods. While squadronsof avengers were scouring29 the ravines, the river bottoms and the tangledunderbrush, he was lying quietly on his arms. Sometimes his pursuerscamped within hearing and got their water from the same spring.
With all his indomitable courage he was unable to rally sufficient mento afford protection to his people. He was a fugitive30 from justicewith a price on his head. Yet, armed and surrounded by a small band offaithful followers31, he led a charmed life.
His deed on the Pottawattomie made murder the chief sport of the unhappyTerritory. The life of the frontier was reduced to anarchy32. Outragesbecame so common it was impossible to record them. Murder was a dailyincident. Many of them passed in secret. Many were not revealed for daysand weeks after they had been committed--then, only by the discovery ofthe moldering remains33 of the dead. Two men were found hanging on a treenear Westport. They were ill-fated Free State partisans34 who had fallenby the hand of the avengers. The troops buried them in a grave soshallow that the prairie wolves had half devoured35 them before they wereagain found and re-buried.
The Free Soil men organized guerrilla bands for retaliation36. John E.
Cook, a daring young adventurer, the brother-in-law of Governor Willardof Indiana, early distinguished37 himself in this work. He put himselfat the head of a group of twenty young "Cavalry38 Scouts39" who ranged thecountry, asking no quarter and giving none.
A squadron of avengers invaded Brown's settlement at Osawatomie, sackedand partly destroyed it, and killed his son, Frederick, whose mindhad been in a state of collapse14 since the night of the murders on thePottawattomie.
John Brown rallied a group of sympathizers and fought a pitched battlewith the invaders40 but was defeated with bloody41 losses and compelled toretreat.
He was followed by Deputy United States Marshal, Henry C. Pate42. Brownturned and boldly attacked Pate's camp and another battle ensued. TheDeputy Marshal, wishing to avoid useless bloodshed, sent out a flagof truce43 and asked an interview with the guerrilla commander. Brownanswered promptly44, advanced and sent for Pate.
Pate, trusting the flag of truce, approached the old man.
"I am addressing the Captain in command?" Pate asked.
"You are, sir.""Then let me announce that I am a Deputy United States Marshal.""And why are you fighting us?""I have no desire for bloodshed, sir. I am acting45 under the orders ofthe Marshal of the Territory.""And what does the Marshal demand?""The arrest of the men for whom I have warrants."Pate had never seen John Brown and had no idea that he was talking tothe old man himself.
"I have a proposition to make," he went on.
"I'll have no proposals from you, sir," Brown announced shortly. "Idemand your surrender.""I am an officer of the law. I cannot surrender to armed outlaws46."Brown's metallic47 voice quivered.
"I demand your immediate48 and unconditional49 surrender!""I have the right to retire under a flag of truce and consider yourproposition with my men--"Pate started to go and Brown stood in front of him.
"You're not going.""You will violate a flag of truce?"Brown signaled his men to advance and surround Pate.
"You're not going, sir," he repeated.
"I claim my rights under a flag of truce accepted by you for thisparley. An Indian respects that flag."Brown pointed50 to his men who were standing51 within the sound of theirvoices.
"Order those men to surrender."Pate folded his arms and remained silent.
Brown placed his revolver at the Deputy Marshal's breast and shouted.
"Tell your men to lay down their arms!"Pate refused to speak. There was a moment's deadly silence and theMarshal's posse, to save the life of their Captain, threw down theirguns and the whole party were made prisoners.
The United States Cavalry at Fort Leavenworth were ordered to the sceneto rescue the Deputy Marshal and his men.
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1
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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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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4
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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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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7
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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8
broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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9
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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11
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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12
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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13
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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14
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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15
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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condemning
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| v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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babble
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| v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语 | |
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gauge
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| v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器 | |
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26
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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27
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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28
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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scouring
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| 擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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32
anarchy
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| n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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partisans
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| 游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙 | |
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35
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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36
retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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37
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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38
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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40
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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41
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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42
pate
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| n.头顶；光顶 | |
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43
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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44
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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45
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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46
outlaws
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| 歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯 | |
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47
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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48
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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49
unconditional
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| adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的 | |
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50
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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51
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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