Thus spoke1 the cadet adjutant as he approached the lieutenant2 in command, and a moment later, at the word, the battalion3 swung around and marched across the campus. It was the evening dress parade of perhaps the best drilled body of troops in the country, and West Point was out in holiday attire4 to see it.
Seated on the benches beneath the trees on the western edge of the parade ground was a crowd of spectators—visitors at the post and nearly the whole plebe class besides. For this was Saturday afternoon holiday, and the "beasts" had turned out in a body to witness the performance of what they were all hoping some day to be.
It was a "mighty5 fine" performance, and one that made those same beasts open their eyes with amazement6. Spotless and glittering in their uniforms were the cadets, and they went through all manner of difficult evolutions in perfect unison7, marching with lines as straight and even[Pg 86] as the eye could wish. It is a pretty sight, a mass of gray in a setting of deep green—the trees that encircle the spot, and it made the poor homesick "beasts" take a little interest in life once more.
Among these "beasts" were Mark and Texas. They sat under the trees a little apart from the crowd and watched the scene with interest. Mark had seen dress parades before; Texas had not, and he stared with open eyes and mouth, giving vent8 to an exclamation9 of amazement and delight at intervals10.
"Look a' yere, Mark," he cried, "d'you think we'll ever be able do that a' way. Honest, now? I think I'll stay!"
"Even after you get through fightin?" laughed Mark.
"I don't think I want to fight any more," growled11 Texas, looking glum13. "Since you an' me fit, somehow fightin' ain't so much fun."
"What's the fun o' fightin' ef you git licked?" he added, after a moment's thought.
"I never tried it," said the other, laughing. "But I suppose you'll be real meek14 now and let them haze15 you."
"Yaas!" drawled Texas, grinning. "Yes, I will! Them ole cadets git after me, now, by jingo, I'll go out[Pg 87] there an' yank some of 'em out that parade an' lick them all t'once. But say! look at that chap on a horse."
"That chap's the commandant," said Mark, "and he's going to review the parade for a change."
"I wish I was in it," exclaimed Texas, "an' I wish I knew all that rigamarole they're doin' now"—that "rigamarole" being the manual-at-arms. "I jest believe if I had somebody to teach me 'cept that 'ere yellin' tomcat of a Cadet Spencer I'd learn in a jiffy, dog on his boots!"
"There he is now," said Mark, "in the second line there. And there on the outside with his chevrons16 is Corporal Jasper, 'the committee.' They look very different when they're in line."
"Nothin' 'd make that red-headed, freckle-faced coyote of a drill-master look different," growled Texas. "I jes' wish he was bigger'n me so's I could git up a scrap17 with him. Jest think o' that little martinet18 a yellin' at me an' tellin' me I didn't have any sense. To-day, for instance, d'you remember, he was tryin' to show Indian how to march an' move his legs, an' Indian got twisted up into a knot; an' durnation, jist because I laughed, why he rared round an' bucked19 fo' an hour! What's the harm in laughing, anyhow?"
[Pg 88]And Texas glared so savagely20 at his tormentor21 as the line swept by just then that Mark concluded there was no harm and laughed.
"You're getting to be very stupid company, Texas," said he. "You never do anything but growl12 at the cadets. I wish I had some diversion."
And Mark turned away in mock disgust and glanced down the archway of trees.
"Here she comes," he said, after a moment's pause. "That's she walking up the path with a cadet and another girl."
Texas turned as Mark spoke, and looked in the direction of his nod.
"So that's Mary Adams!" he exclaimed. "Well! well! That's the girl you dodged22 barracks for, and risked your commission, and missed the fight, and got called a coward, and sent to Coventry, and lots else. I swear!"
"That's the one," said Mark, smiling.
"I liked her right well myself," admitted the other. "That is after I saw her with that brother of hers. She certainly is a good sister to him. But the cadets say she's[Pg 89] something of a flirt24, and Wicks Merritt advised me to leave her alone, so I guess I shall."
"Sunday school teacher!" said Texas, laughing. "We'll have to call you Parson, instead of Stanard. But I guess you're right. That's not a very beautiful looking cadet she's with."
The three were passing then, and Mark arose.
Texas watched his friend approach the group; he could not hear what was said, however, and so he turned away to watch the parade. By doing it he missed an interesting scene.
Mary Adams welcomed Mark with a look of gratitude26 and admiration27 that Mark could not fail to notice. She had not forgotten the magnitude of the service he had done for her. And then she turned to her two companions.
"Miss Webb," she said, "let me present Mr. Mallory."
The other girl bowed, and Mary Adams turned to the cadet.
"Mr. Murray, Mr. Mallory," said she.
[Pg 90]And then came the thunderclap. Mark put out his hand; the cadet quietly put his behind his back.
"The cadets of this academy, Miss Adams," said he, "do not speak to Mr. Mallory. Mr. Mallory is a coward!"
It was a trying moment; Mark felt the blood surge to his head, his fingers twitched28 and his lip quivered. He longed to spring at the fellow's throat and fling him to the ground.
It was a natural impulse. Texas would have done it. But Mark controlled himself by the effort of his life. He clinched29 his hands behind him and bit his tongue, and when he spoke he was calm and emotionless.
"Miss Adams," he said, "Mr. Murray and I will settle that later."
The two girls stared in amazement, "Mr. Murray" gazed into space, and Mark turned without another word and strode over to where his friend was sitting.
"Texas!" he muttered, gripping him by the shoulder. "Texas, there's going to be a fight."
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收听单词发音
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1
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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2
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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3
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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4
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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5
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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6
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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7
unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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8
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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9
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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10
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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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
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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13
glum
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| adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的 | |
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14
meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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15
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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16
chevrons
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| n.（警察或士兵所佩带以示衔级的）∧形或∨形标志( chevron的名词复数 ) | |
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17
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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18
martinet
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| n.要求严格服从纪律的人 | |
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19
bucked
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| adj.快v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的过去式和过去分词 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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20
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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21
tormentor
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| n. 使苦痛之人, 使苦恼之物, 侧幕 =tormenter | |
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22
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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23
stunning
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| adj.极好的；使人晕倒的 | |
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24
flirt
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| v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者 | |
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25
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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26
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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27
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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28
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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29
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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30
whoop
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| n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息 | |
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