CHAPTER XVI CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER

 Christy Passford had not gone out of his uncle's house for any particular purpose; though he saw Percy, and joined him as he left the mansion¹. He had visited Glenfield before, and he had some curiosity to see familiar objects again. It was nearly dark, and he wondered where the major's brother was going at that hour.

 

"Where are you going now, Mr. Percy," he asked, as he approached the agent.

 

"I thought I would go up to the house and see my mother," replied Percy. "Won't you go over with me? It is only a short distance."

 

"No, I think not: I don't care to go a great way from the house."

 

"It isn't above half a mile, and I am coming directly back again."

 

180 "I will not go as far as you are going, but I will take a little stroll as far as the gate. Where is your brother now?"

 

"I suppose he is at the fort. If I thought he were about here, I should not leave the steamer. He has got it into his head that I must join the army, and he will never be satisfied till I am there."

 

"He is certainly very much in earnest, judging by his conduct on board of the Bellevite," added Christy.

 

"He pretends to believe that my not joining the army will be a disgrace to the family; but, if my father don't think so, Lindley need not worry his head about the matter."

 

"Your brother seems to have a very strong will of his own," suggested Christy.

 

"He will send me into the army in spite of my father and mother; and, for that reason, I don't mean to go where he can put his finger on me. Of course, the Bellevite is going into the Confederate navy."

 

Percy looked his companion in the face, as though he had been thinking of something which would benefit his own case.

 

181 "You will have to ask my uncle about that," replied Christy, not willing to say any more than was necessary on this subject.

 

"There can be no doubt of it, and I would rather be in the navy than in the army. I hope your uncle will be able to do something for me."

 

"I don't know whether he can or not. For aught I know, the steamer may be sent to England, or to some other country," replied Christy, as they approached the gate, which was to be the end in that direction of his walk.

 

"At any rate, I mean to stay on board of the Bellevite; and I shall take my chances of getting a position of some kind on board of her."

 

"What kind of a position do you desire?"

 

"I am willing to be one of the lieutenants², or something of that kind," replied Percy with becoming condescension⁴.

 

"One of the lieutenants!" exclaimed Christy. "Of course you know all about handling a ship or a steamer."

 

"I can't say I do. In fact, I never went on the sea till I went to Nassau with my father," replied Percy candidly⁵. "But I can soon learn all about it."

 

182 "A nice lieutenant³ you will make! Why don't you apply for the position of commander of her?"

 

"I am willing to take a subordinate position till I learn something about the business."

 

"That's right! Be humble⁶ at first, and you will be great afterwards."

 

"I should have been willing to go into the army as a captain, or even as a lieutenant; but I couldn't quite stand it to go in as a common soldier, while my brother made a beginning as a major."

 

"I think I will not go any farther, Mr. Percy," said Christy, as he halted near the gate.

 

"Oh, don't leave me now, Mr. Pierson! We are half way to my father's house," Percy objected.

 

"I can't go any farther, for I may be wanted."

 

"You will be safe enough, Mr. Pierson, My mother is at home, and she will be glad to see you."

 

"I think I will not see your mother to-night," added Christy, as he turned, and began to retrace⁷ his steps towards the mansion of his uncle.

 

illustration of quoted scene

Four Men Sprang in Front of Him (Page 183)

 

They had halted in the road near the gate, and on both sides of it was a thick undergrowth of 183 small trees and bushes; and in the shade of this foliage⁸ it had become quite dark. Christy had not taken three steps before four men sprang out of the thicket⁹ in front of him, all of them armed with muskets¹⁰, and wearing a uniform of gray. Two placed themselves in front of Christy; while the other two rushed after Percy, who took to his heels as soon as he saw them.

 

The gate was an impediment to the latter; and before he could get over or through it, the two soldiers had laid violent hands on him. He could offer no effectual resistance, and it was evident that he was frightened out of his wits; for he looked and acted like the ghost of despair itself. The two men immediately tied his hands behind him; and, though they did not use any undue¹¹ harshness, they did their work thoroughly¹².

 

Christy was even more astonished than his companion at this sharp discipline. He did not regard himself as a fit subject for such treatment, and he could not understand why he had been subjected to it. He was not liable to do military duty, and Major Pierson could hardly think of pressing him into the service of the Confederacy. His two captors were as prompt in their action 184 as the two who had taken Percy, and his hands were also tied behind him.

 

"Good-evening, gentlemen," said Christy, as soon as the soldiers had bound him, and then stood in front to take a look at him. "Don't it strike you that you are indulging in rather sharp practice?"

 

"We haven't any thing to do with the practice: all we have to do is to obey orders," replied one of the men.

 

"But I think you have mistaken your orders," suggested the prisoner.

 

"I think not: if we have, we will set things to rights at once," replied the man, who appeared to be the sergeant¹³ in command of the party. "But our business is not so much with you as with the other young fellow."

 

Upon this, Christy was conducted to the gate, where Percy had not yet recovered any of his self-possession. For his own part, he felt that a mistake had been made, which must soon be corrected. He knew nothing of the wide difference of opinion which had suddenly become apparent between his father and his uncle, and he was sure that the latter could soon effect his release.

 

185 "This is an outrage¹⁴!" exclaimed Percy, who perhaps felt that it was necessary for him to say something, now that Christy had come within hearing distance.

 

"Perhaps it is, Mr. Pierson," replied the sergeant. "But that isn't any of my business."

 

"You will be held responsible for it, sir!" protested Percy.

 

"Perhaps I shall; but I shall obey my orders," replied the soldier doggedly¹⁵.

 

"Who gave you your orders?" demanded Percy imperatively¹⁶.

 

"Well, I don't belong to the class in catechism, and I don't answer all the questions that are put to me."

 

"My father will have something to say about this business."

 

"He can say all he likes, but he need not say it to me; for I only obey my orders, and I have nothing to do with giving them."

 

"What are you going to do with me?" asked Percy, when he found he could make nothing of the sergeant.

 

"I don't know what they will do with you; but I reckon they won't shoot you, as they might a 186 fellow whose father was not a man of some consequence," replied the sergeant, as he ordered one of his men to open the gate.

 

"Shoot me!" exclaimed Percy, evidently appalled¹⁷ at the bare possibility of such an event.

 

"I reckon they won't do that," added the soldier.

 

"This is my father's plantation¹⁸, and my mother is in the house," continued Percy.

 

"She can stay there: we shall not meddle¹⁹ with her."

 

"But you are going to take me away from her."

 

"You look like a stout²⁰ young fellow, and you ought to be able to get along for a while without your mother," chuckled²¹ the sergeant. "You belong in the army; and I reckon you will have to go back to it, in spite of your mother."

 

"I don't belong to the army," protested Percy.

 

"Well, they call you a deserter, anyhow."

 

Percy seemed to be overcome by this statement, and Christy thought there was something more of his story than he had told on board of the Bellevite. It was possible, after all, that Major Pierson was not as much of a brute²² as be had appeared to be. But, if his companion was a 187 deserter, he certainly did not come under that head himself, and he could not understand why he had been arrested.

 

"I suppose you don't claim me as a deserter, do you?" asked Christy good-naturedly.

 

"I don't think they do," replied the sergeant, as pleasantly as he had spoken himself.

 

"Then, why do you arrest me?"

 

"My orders were to arrest any person with Mr. Pierson; and that is all I know about your case, and I am very sorry to give you any annoyance²³. Things are a little mixed, and I hope they will soon get them levelled down. If you don't object, we will march."

 

"I suppose you will march all the same, if I do object," added Christy. "I was not aware that it was a crime here to be in the company of that young man."

 

"I reckon I was ordered to arrest you as a matter of precaution; and I dare say they will let you return as soon as we report to the major," said the sergeant, leading his prisoner through the gateway²⁴.

 

The other men took Percy by the arm; and, after they had closed the gate, they followed the road for a considerable distance, and then struck 188 across the fields. Not far ahead, Christy saw many lights; and he concluded that this must be the location of the mansion of Colonel Pierson, the father of Percy, and for some reason best known to himself, the sergeant desired to avoid going very near it.

 

A march of a short distance farther across the field brought them to a road, which they followed till they came to a wagon²⁵ drawn²⁶ by two horses. The animals were hitched²⁷ at the side of the road, and no one seemed to be in charge of the team. But the sergeant halted his party at this point; and, leaving the prisoners in charge of his men, he went to the wagon.

 

"Major Pierson," said he; but no answer came to his question, and he repeated it with no better success.

 

Then he mounted the seat in front of the wagon, and looked over into the body of it. Then he reached over; and a moment later the form of a man was seen to rise from a quantity of hay which filled the body.

 

"Is that you, Spottswood?" demanded the rising form.

 

"Yes, sir, I am here; and I have two prisoners. 189 One of them is your brother, and I don't know who the other is," replied the sergeant.

 

"Are you sure that one of them is my brother?" asked the major.

 

"I am as sure as I can be, for I heard the other fellow call him Percy two or three times before I stepped in front of them."

 

"Don't you know who the other one is?"

 

"I haven't the least idea. I arrested him as you told me, but I did not question him."

 

The major ordered him to put his prisoners into the wagon.

1 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

2 lieutenants   

n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员

参考例句：

• In the army, lieutenants are subordinate to captains. 在陆军中，中尉是上尉的下级。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lieutenants now cap at 1.5 from 1. Recon at 1. 中尉现在由1人口增加的1.5人口。侦查小组成员为1人口。 来自互联网

3 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

4 condescension   

n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人)

参考例句：

• His politeness smacks of condescension. 他的客气带有屈尊俯就的意味。
• Despite its condescension toward the Bennet family, the letter begins to allay Elizabeth's prejudice against Darcy. 尽管这封信对班纳特家的态度很高傲，但它开始消除伊丽莎白对达西的偏见。

5 candidly   

adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地

参考例句：

• He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
• Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

6 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

7 retrace   

v.折回；追溯，探源

参考例句：

• He retraced his steps to the spot where he'd left the case.他折回到他丢下箱子的地方。
• You must retrace your steps.你必须折回原来走过的路。

8 foliage   

n.叶子，树叶，簇叶

参考例句：

• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
• Dark foliage clothes the hills.浓密的树叶覆盖着群山。

9 thicket   

n.灌木丛，树林

参考例句：

• A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。
• We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。

10 muskets   

n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The watch below, all hands to load muskets. 另一组人都来帮着给枪装火药。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• Deep ditch, single drawbridge, massive stone walls, eight at towers, cannon, muskets, fire and smoke. 深深的壕堑，单吊桥，厚重的石壁，八座巨大的塔楼。大炮、毛瑟枪、火焰与烟雾。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

11 undue   

adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的

参考例句：

• Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
• It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。

12 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

13 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

14 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

15 doggedly   

adv.顽强地，固执地

参考例句：

• He was still doggedly pursuing his studies.他仍然顽强地进行着自己的研究。
• He trudged doggedly on until he reached the flat.他顽强地、步履艰难地走着，一直走回了公寓。

16 imperatively   

adv.命令式地

参考例句：

• Drying wet rice rapidly and soaking or rewetting dry rice kernels imperatively results in severe fissuring. 潮湿米粒快速干燥或干燥籽粒浸水、回潮均会产生严重的裂纹。 来自互联网
• Drying wet rice kernels rapidly, Soaking or Rewetting dry rice Kernels imperatively results in severe fissuring. 潮湿米粒的快速干燥，干燥籽粒的浸水或回潮均会带来严重的裂纹。 来自互联网

17 appalled   

v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

19 meddle   

v.干预，干涉，插手

参考例句：

• I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
• Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。

21 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

22 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

23 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

24 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

25 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

26 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

27 hitched   

（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

参考例句：

• They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。
• We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。