At half past ten o'clock, though keenly anxious for the first news from the front, he was ready to accompany Mrs. Lincoln to church. The breeze was from the South—a hot, lazy, midsummer heavy air.
The Commander-in-Chief bent8 his giant figure over a war map, spread on his desk, fixed9 the position of each army by colored pins, studied them a moment and quietly walked with his wife to the Presbyterian Church to hear Dr. Gurley preach. He sat in reverent10 silence through the service, his soul hovering11 over the distant hills.
Before midnight the panic stricken Congressmen began to drop into the White House, each with his story of unparalleled disaster. At one o'clock the President stood in the midst of a group of excited, perspiring12 statesmen who had crowded into the executive office, the one cool, shrewd, patient, self-possessed courageous13 man among them. He reviewed their stories quietly and with no sign of excitement, to say nothing of panic.
They marvelled14 at his dull intellect.
He was listening in silence, shaping the big new policy of his administration.
He spent the entire night calmly listening to all these stories, speaking a word of good cheer where it would be of service.
Mr. Seward entered as he had just finished a light breakfast.
The Secretary's hair was disheveled, his black string tie under his ear, and he was taking two pinches of snuff within the time he usually took one.
In thirty minutes the outlines of his message to Congress and his new proclamation were determined15. Mr. Seward left with new courage and a growing sense of reliance on the wisdom, courage and intellectual power of the Chief he had thought to supplant16 without a struggle.
At eight o'clock the man with a grievance17 made his first appearance. His wrath18 was past the boiling point, in spite of the fact that his handsome uniform was still wet from the night's wild ride.
He went straight to the point. He was a volunteer patriot19 of high standing20 in his community. As a citizen of the Republic, wearing its uniform, he represented its dignity and power. He had been grossly insulted by a military martinet21 from West Point and he proposed to test the question whether an American citizen had any rights such men must respect.
The President lifted his calm, deep eyes to the flushed angry face, glanced at the gold marks of his rank, and said:
"What can I do for you, Captain?"
"I've come to ask you, Mr. President," he began with subdued22 intensity23, "whether a volunteer officer of this country, a man of culture and position, is to be treated as a dog or a human being?"
The quiet man at the desk slipped his glasses from his ears, polished them with his handkerchief, readjusted them, and looked up again with kindly24 interest:
"What's the trouble?"
"A discussion arose in our regiment25 on the day we were ordered into battle over the expiration26 of our enlistment27. I held, as a lawyer, sir, that every day of rotten manual labor28 we had faithfully performed for our country should be counted in our three months military service. Our time had expired and I demanded that we be discharged then and there——"
"On the eve of a battle?"
"Certainly, sir—what had that to do with our rights? We could have re?nlisted on the spot. I refused to take orders from the upstart who commanded our brigade."
"And what happened?" the calm voice asked.
"He dared to threaten my life, sir!"
"Who was he?"
"A Colonel in command of our brigade—named Sherman!"
"William Tecumseh Sherman?"
"Yes, sir."
"What did he say to you?"
"Swore that if I moved an inch to leave his command he'd shoot me——"
"He said that to you?"
"Swore he'd shoot me down in my tracks like a dog!"
The President gravely rose, placed a big hand on the young officer's shoulder and in serious, friendly tones said:
"If I were in your place, Captain, I wouldn't trust that man Sherman—I believe he'll do it!"
The astonished volunteer looked up with a puzzled sheepish expression, turned and shot out of the room.
The long figure dropped into a chair and doubled with laughter. He rose and walked to his window, looking out on the trees swaying beneath the storm, still laughing.
"They say that every cloud has its silver lining29!" he laughed again. "I'll remember that fellow Sherman."
Late in the day a report reached him of a beautiful young woman serving refreshments30 without pay to the straggling, broken men.
He turned to Nicolay, his secretary:
"Get my carriage, find her, and bring her to me. I want to see her."
Betty's eyes were still red when she walked into his office.
He sprang to his feet, and with long strides met her. He grasped her hand in both his and pressed it tenderly.
"So it's you!" he whispered.
Betty nodded.
"My little Cabinet comforter——"
"I'm afraid I'll be no good to-day," she faltered31.
"Then I'll cheer you," he cried. "I just wanted to thank the woman who's been standing behind a lemonade counter through this desolate32 day giving her time, her money, and her soul to our discouraged boys——"
"And you are not discouraged?" Betty asked pathetically.
"Not by a long shot, my child! Brush those tears away. Jeffy D.'s the man to be discouraged to-day. This will be a dearly bought victory. Mark my word. For the South it's the glorious end of the war. While they shout, I'll be sawing wood. It needed just this shock and humiliation33 to bring the North to their senses. Watch them buckle34 on their armor now in deadly earnest. The demagogues howled for a battle. They pushed us in and they got it. Some of the Congressmen who yelled the loudest for a march straight into Richmond without a pause even to water the horses got tangled35 up in that stampede from Bull Run. They thought Jeb Stuart's cavalry36 were on them and lost their lunch baskets in the scramble37. They've seen a great light. I'll get all the money I ask Congress for and all the soldiers we need for any length of time. I've asked for four hundred million dollars and five hundred thousand men for three years. I shouldn't be surprised if they voted more. The people will have sense enough to see that this defeat was exactly what they should have expected under such conditions."
His spirit was contagious38. Betty forgot her shame and fear.
"You're wonderful, Mr. President," the girl cried in rapt tones. "Now I know that you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this."
"And so have you, my child," he answered reverently39. "And so has every brave woman who loves this union. That's what I wanted to say to you and thank you for your example."
Betty left the White House with a new sense of loyal inspiration. She walked on air unconscious of the pouring rain. She paused before a throng40 that blocked the sidewalk.
Some of them were bareheaded, the rain drops splashing in their faces, apparently41 unconscious of anything that was happening.
She pushed her way into the crowd. They were looking at the bulletin board of the Daily Republican, reading the first list of the dead and wounded. Her heart suddenly began to pound. John Vaughan had not reported his return. He might be lying stark42 and cold with the rain beating down on his mangled43 body. She read each name in the list of the dead, and drew a sigh of relief. But the last bulletin was not cheering. It promised additional names for a later edition. Besides, the War Department might not be relied on for reports of non-combatants. A newspaper correspondent was not enrolled44 as a soldier. His death might remain unrecorded for days.
On a sudden impulse she started to enter the office and ask if he had returned, stopped, blushed, turned and hurried home with a new fear mingled45 with a strange joy beating in her heart.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
omen
|
|
| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
manifesto
|
|
| n.宣言，声明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
affiliations
|
|
| n.联系( affiliation的名词复数 )；附属机构；亲和性；接纳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
hostility
|
|
| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
sect
|
|
| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
sterling
|
|
| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
inevitable
|
|
| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
reverent
|
|
| adj.恭敬的，虔诚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
hovering
|
|
| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
perspiring
|
|
| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
courageous
|
|
| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
marvelled
|
|
| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
supplant
|
|
| vt.排挤；取代 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
grievance
|
|
| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
wrath
|
|
| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
patriot
|
|
| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
martinet
|
|
| n.要求严格服从纪律的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
intensity
|
|
| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
regiment
|
|
| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
expiration
|
|
| n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
enlistment
|
|
| n.应征入伍，获得，取得 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
labor
|
|
| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
lining
|
|
| n.衬里，衬料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
refreshments
|
|
| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
faltered
|
|
| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
desolate
|
|
| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
humiliation
|
|
| n.羞辱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
buckle
|
|
| n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
tangled
|
|
| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
cavalry
|
|
| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
scramble
|
|
| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
contagious
|
|
| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
reverently
|
|
| adv.虔诚地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
throng
|
|
| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
stark
|
|
| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
mangled
|
|
| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
enrolled
|
|
| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |