Every New England boy desires (or did desire a generation ago, before children were born sophisticated, with a large library, and with the word "culture" written on [Pg 151] their brows) to live by hunting, fishing, and war. The military instinct, which is the special mark of barbarism, is strong in him. It arises not alone from his love of fighting, for the boy is naturally as cowardly as the savage, but from his fondness for display,—the same that a corporal or a general feels in decking himself in tinsel and tawdry colors and strutting6 about in view of the female sex. Half the pleasure in going out to murder another man with a gun would be wanting if one did not wear feathers and gold lace and stripes on his pantaloons. The law also takes this view of it, and will not permit men to shoot each other in plain clothes. And the world also makes some curious distinctions in the art of killing7. To kill people with arrows is barbarous; to kill them with smooth-bores and flintlock muskets8 is semi-civilized9; to kill them with breech-loading rifles is civilized. That nation is the most civilized which has the appliances to kill the most of another nation in the shortest time. This is the result of six thousand years of constant civilization. By and by, when the nations [Pg 152] cease to be boys, perhaps they will not want to kill each other at all. Some people think the world is very old; but here is an evidence that it is very young, and, in fact, has scarcely yet begun to be a world. When the volcanoes have done spouting10, and the earthquakes are quaked out, and you can tell what land is going to be solid and keep its level twenty-four hours, and the swamps are filled up, and the deltas11 of the great rivers, like the Mississippi and the Nile, become terra firma, and men stop killing their fellows in order to get their land and other property, then perhaps there will be a world that an angel wouldn't weep over. Now one half the world are employed in getting ready to kill the other half, some of them by marching about in uniform, and the others by hard work to earn money to pay taxes to buy uniforms and guns.
John was not naturally very cruel, and it was probably the love of display quite as much as of fighting that led him into a military life; for he in common with all his comrades had other traits of the savage. [Pg 153] One of them was the same passion for ornament12 that induces the African to wear anklets and bracelets14 of hide and of metal, and to decorate himself with tufts of hair, and to tattoo15 his body. In John's day there was a rage at school among the boys for wearing bracelets woven of the hair of the little girls. Some of them were wonderful specimens16 of braiding and twist. These were not captured in war, but were sentimental17 tokens of friendship given by the young maidens18 themselves. John's own hair was kept so short (as became a warrior) that you couldn't have made a bracelet13 out of it, or anything except a paint-brush; but the little girls were not under military law, and they willingly sacrificed their tresses to decorate the soldiers they esteemed19. As the Indian is honored in proportion to the scalps he can display, the boy at John's school was held in highest respect who could show the most hair trophies21 on his wrist. John himself had a variety that would have pleased a Mohawk, fine and coarse and of all colors. There were the flaxen, the faded straw, the glossy22 black, [Pg 154] the lustrous23 brown, the dirty yellow, the undecided auburn, and the fiery24 red. Perhaps his pulse beat more quickly under the red hair of Cynthia Rudd than on account of all the other wristlets put together; it was a sort of gold-tried-in-the-fire color to John, and burned there with a steady flame. Now that Cynthia had become a Christian25, this band of hair seemed a more sacred if less glowing possession (for all detached hair will fade in time), and if he had known anything about saints he would have imagined that it was a part of the aureole that always goes with a saint. But I am bound to say that, while John had a tender feeling for this red string, his sentiment was not that of the man who becomes entangled26 in the meshes27 of a woman's hair; and he valued rather the number than the quality of these elastic28 wristlets.
John burned with as real a military ardor29 as ever inflamed30 the breast of any slaughterer31 of his fellows. He liked to read of war, of encounters with the Indians, of any kind of wholesale32 killing in glittering uniform, to the noise of the terribly exciting [Pg 155] fife and drum, which maddened the combatants and drowned the cries of the wounded. In his future he saw himself a soldier with plume33 and sword and snug-fitting, decorated clothes,—very different from his somewhat roomy trousers and country-cut roundabout, made by Aunt Ellis, the village tailoress, who cut out clothes, not according to the shape of the boy, but to what he was expected to grow to,—going where glory awaited him. In his observation of pictures, it was the common soldier who was always falling and dying, while the officer stood unharmed in the storm of bullets and waved his sword in a heroic attitude. John determined34 to be an officer.
It is needless to say that he was an ardent35 member of the military company of his village. He had risen from the grade of corporal to that of first lieutenant36; the captain was a boy whose father was captain of the grown militia37 company, and consequently had inherited military aptness and knowledge. The old captain was a flaming son of Mars, whose nose militia war, [Pg 156] general training, and New England rum had painted with the color of glory and disaster. He was one of the gallant38 old soldiers of the peaceful days of our country, splendid in uniform, a martinet39 in drill, terrible in oaths, a glorious object when he marched at the head of his company of flintlock muskets, with the American banner full high advanced, and the clamorous40 drum defying the world. In this he fulfilled his duties of citizen, faithfully teaching his uniformed companions how to march by the left leg, and to get reeling drunk by sundown; otherwise he didn't amount to much in the community; his house was unpainted, his fences were tumbled down, his farm was a waste, his wife wore an old gown to meeting, to which the captain never went; but he was a good trout-fisher, and there was no man in town who spent more time at the country store and made more shrewd observations upon the affairs of his neighbors. Although he had never been in an asylum41 any more than he had been in war, he was almost as perfect a drunkard as he was soldier. He hated the [Pg 157] British, whom he had never seen, as much as he loved rum, from which he was never separated.
The company which his son commanded, wearing his father's belt and sword, was about as effective as the old company, and more orderly. It contained from thirty to fifty boys, according to the pressure of "chores" at home, and it had its great days of parade and its autumn manoeuvres, like the general training. It was an artillery43 company, which gave every boy a chance to wear a sword; and it possessed44 a small mounted cannon45, which was dragged about and limbered and unlimbered and fired, to the imminent46 danger of everybody, especially of the company. In point of marching, with all the legs going together, and twisting itself up and untwisting, breaking into single-file (for Indian fighting) and forming platoons, turning a sharp corner, and getting out of the way of a wagon47, circling the town pump, frightening horses, stopping short in front of the tavern48, with ranks dressed and eyes right and left, it was the equal of any military organization [Pg 158] I ever saw. It could train better than the big company, and I think it did more good in keeping alive the spirit of patriotism49 and desire to fight. Its discipline was strict. If a boy left the ranks to jab a spectator, or make faces at a window, or "go for" a striped snake, he was "hollered" at no end.
It was altogether a very serious business; there was no levity50 about the hot and hard marching, and as boys have no humor nothing ludicrous occurred. John was very proud of his office, and of his ability to keep the rear ranks closed up and ready to execute any manoeuvre42 when the captain "hollered," which he did continually. He carried a real sword, which his grandfather had worn in many a militia campaign on the village green, the rust51 upon which John fancied was Indian blood; he had various red and yellow insignia of military rank sewed upon different parts of his clothes, and though his cocked hat was of pasteboard, it was decorated with gilding52 and bright rosettes, and floated a red feather that made his heart beat with martial53 fury [Pg 159] whenever he looked at it. The effect of this uniform upon the girls was not a matter of conjecture54. I think they really cared nothing about it, but they pretended to think it fine, and they fed the poor boys' vanity,—the weakness by which women govern the world.
The exalted55 happiness of John in this military service I dare say was never equalled in any subsequent occupation. The display of the company in the village filled him with the loftiest heroism56. There was nothing wanting but an enemy to fight, but this could only be had by half the company staining themselves with elderberry juice and going into the woods as Indians, to fight the artillery from behind trees with bows and arrows, or to ambush57 it and tomahawk the gunners. This, however, was made to seem very like real war. Traditions of Indian cruelty were still fresh in Western Massachusetts. Behind John's house in the orchard58 were some old slate59 tombstones, sunken and leaning, which recorded the names of Captain Moses Rice and Phineas Arms, who had been killed by [Pg 160] Indians in the last century while at work in the meadow by the river, and who slept there in the hope of a glorious resurrection. Phineas Arms—martial name—was long since dust; and even the mortal part of the great Captain Moses Rice had been absorbed in the soil, and passed perhaps with the sap up into the old but still blooming apple-trees. It was a quiet place where they lay, but they might have heard—if hear they could—the loud, continuous roar of the Deerfield, and the stirring of the long grass on that sunny slope. There was a tradition that years ago an Indian, probably the last of his race, had been seen moving along the crest60 of the mountain, and gazing down into the lovely valley which had been the favorite home of his tribe, upon the fields where he grew his corn and the sparkling stream whence he drew his fish. John used to fancy at times, as he sat there, that he could see that red spectre gliding61 among the trees on the hill; and if the tombstone suggested to him the trump62 of judgment63, he could not separate it from the war-whoop that had been [Pg 161] the last sound in the ear of Phineas Arms. The Indian always preceded murder by the war-whoop; and this was an advantage that the artillery had in the fight with the elderberry Indians. It was warned in time. If there was no war-whoop, the killing didn't count; the artilleryman got up and killed the Indian. The Indian usually had the worst of it; he not only got killed by the regulars, but he got whipped by the home-guard at night for staining himself and his clothes with the elderberry.
But once a year the company had a superlative parade. This was when the military company from the north part of the town joined the villagers in a general muster64. This was an infantry65 company, and not to be compared with that of the village in point of evolutions. There was a great and natural hatred66 between the north town boys and the centre. I don't know why, but no contiguous African tribes could be more hostile. It was all right for one of either section to "lick" the other if he could, or for half a dozen to "lick" one of the enemy if they caught him alone. The [Pg 162] notion of honor, as of mercy, comes into the boy only when he is pretty well grown; to some, neither ever comes. And yet there was an artificial military courtesy (something like that existing in the feudal67 age, no doubt) which put the meeting of these two rival and mutually detested68 companies on a high plane of behavior. It was beautiful to see the seriousness of this lofty and studied condescension69 on both sides. For the time, everything was under martial law. The village company being the senior, its captain commanded the united battalion70 in the march, and this put John temporarily into the position of captain, with the right to march at the head and "holler;" a responsibility which realized all his hopes of glory.
I suppose there has yet been discovered by man no gratification like that of marching at the head of a column in uniform on parade,—unless perhaps it is marching at their head when they are leaving a field of battle. John experienced all the thrill of this conspicuous71 authority, and I dare say that nothing in his later life has so exalted [Pg 163] him in his own esteem20; certainly nothing has since happened that was so important as the events of that parade day seemed. He satiated himself with all the delights of war.
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1
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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2
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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3
primal
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| adj.原始的；最重要的 | |
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4
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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6
strutting
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| 加固，支撑物 | |
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7
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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8
muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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9
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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10
spouting
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| n.水落管系统v.（指液体）喷出( spout的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
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11
deltas
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| 希腊字母表中第四个字母( delta的名词复数 )； （河口的）三角洲 | |
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12
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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13
bracelet
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| n.手镯，臂镯 | |
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bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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15
tattoo
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| n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于 | |
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16
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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17
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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18
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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19
esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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20
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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21
trophies
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| n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖 | |
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22
glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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23
lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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24
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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25
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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26
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
meshes
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| 网孔( mesh的名词复数 )； 网状物； 陷阱； 困境 | |
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28
elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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29
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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30
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
slaughterer
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| 屠夫，刽子手 | |
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32
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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33
plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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34
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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35
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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36
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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37
militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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38
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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39
martinet
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| n.要求严格服从纪律的人 | |
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40
clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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41
asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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42
manoeuvre
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| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
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43
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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44
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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45
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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46
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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47
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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48
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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49
patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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50
levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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51
rust
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| n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退 | |
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52
gilding
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| n.贴金箔，镀金 | |
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53
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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54
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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55
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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56
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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57
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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58
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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59
slate
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| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
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60
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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61
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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62
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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63
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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64
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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65
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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66
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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67
feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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68
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69
condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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70
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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71
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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