The ladies, God bless them, were always free to pass the guard on the city side of that small camp and earthwork, where with the ladies' guns "the ladies' man" had worn the grass off all the plain and the zest3 of novelty out of all his nicknamers, daily hammering--he and his only less merciful lieutenants--at their everlasting4 drill.
Such ladies! Why shouldn't they pass? Was it not safe for the cause and just as safe for them? Was not every maid and matron of them in the "Ladies' Society of the Confederate Army"--whereof Miss Callender was a secretary and Miss Valcour one of the treasurers5? And had not the fellows there, owing to an influence or two in the camp itself and another or two just outside it, all become, in a strong, fine sense and high degree, ladies' men? It was good for them spiritually, and good for their field artillery6 evolutions, to be watched by maidenly7 and matronly eyes. Quite as good was it, too, for their occasional heavy-gun practice with two or three huge, new-cast, big-breeched "hell-hounds," as Charlie and others called them, whose tapering8 black snouts lay out on the parapet's superior slope, fondled by the soft Gulf9 winds that came up the river, and snuffing them for the taint10 of the enemy.
One afternoon when field-gun manoeuvres were at a close, Kincaid spoke11 from the saddle. Facing him stood his entire command, "in order in the line," their six shining pieces and dark caissons and their twice six six-horse teams stretching back in six statuesque rows; each of the three lieutenants--Bartleson, Villeneuve, Tracy--in the front line, midway between his two guns, the artificers just six yards out on the left, and guidon and buglers just six on the right. At the commander's back was the levee. Only now it had been empty of spectators, and he was seizing this advantage.
"Soldiers!" It was his first attempt since the flag presentation, and it looked as though he would falter12, but he hardened his brow: "Some days ago you were told not to expect marching orders for a week. Well the week's up and we're told to wait another. Now that makes me every bit as mad as it makes you! I feel as restless as any man in this battery, and I told the commanding general to-day that you're the worst discontented lot I've yet seen, and that I was proud of you for it. That's all I said to him. But! if there's a man here who doesn't yet know the difference between a soldierly discontent and unsoldierly grumbling13 I want him to GO! Kincaid's Battery is not for him. Let him transfer to infantry14 or cavalry15. Oh, I know it's only that you want to be in the very first fight, and that's all right! But what we can't get we don't grumble16 for in Kincaid's Battery!"
He paused. With his inspired eyes on the splendid array, visions of its awful destiny only exalted17 him. Yet signs which he dared not heed18 lest he be confounded told him that every eye so fixed19 on his was aware of some droll20 distraction21. He must speak on.
"My boys! as sure as this war begins it's going to last. There'll be lots of killing22 and dying, and I warn you now, your share'll be a double one. So, then, no indecent haste. Artillery can't fight every day. Cavalry can--in its small way, but you may have to wait months and months to get into a regular hell on earth. All the same you'll get there!--soon enough--times enough. Don't you know why, when we have to be recruited--to fill up the shot holes--they'll go by the cavalry to the infantry, and pick the best men there, and promote them to your ranks? It's because of how you've got to fight when your turn comes; like devils, to hold up, for all you may know, the butt23 end of the whole day's bloody24 business. That's why--and because of how you may have to wait, un-com-plain-ing, in rotting idleness for the next tea party."
Again he ceased. What was the matter? There sat his matchless hundred, still and straight as stone Egyptians, welcoming his every word; yet some influence not his was having effect and, strangest of all, was enhancing his.
"One more word," he said. "You're sick of the drill-ground. Well, the man that's spoiling for a fight and yet has no belly25 for drill--he--oh, he belongs to the cavalry by birth! We love these guns. We're mighty26 dogg--we're extremely proud of them. Through thick and thin, through fire and carnage and agony, remembering where we got them, we propose to keep them; and some proud day, when the trouble's all over, say two years hence, and those of us who are spared come home, we propose to come with these same guns unstained by the touch of a foe's hand, a virgin27 battery still. Well, only two things can win that: infernal fighting and perpetual toil28. So, as you love honor and your country's cause, wait. Wait in self-respectful patience. Wait and work, and you shall be at the front--the foremost front!--the very first day and hour my best licks can get you there. That's all."
Bartleson advanced from the line: "By section!" he called, "right wheel--"
"Section," repeated each chief of section, "right wheel--"
"March!" commanded Bartleson.
"March," echoed the chiefs, and the battery broke into column. "Forward! Guide right!" chanted Bartleson, and all moved off save Kincaid.
He turned his horse, and lo! on the grassy29 crest30 of the earthwork, pictured out against the eastern pink and blue, their summer gauzes filled with the light of the declining sun, were half a dozen smiling ladies attended by two or three officers of cavalry, and among them Flora31, Constance, and Miranda.
Anna? Only when he had dismounted did his eager eye find her, where she had climbed and seated herself on a siege gun and was letting a cavalier show her how hard it would be for a hostile ship, even a swift steamer, to pass, up-stream, this crater32 of destruction, and ergo how impossible for a fleet--every ship a terror to its fellows the moment it was hurt--to run the gauntlet of Forts Jackson and St. Philip on a far worse stretch of raging current some eighty miles farther down the river.
Not for disbelief of the demonstration33, but because of a general laugh around a tilt34 of words between Kincaid and the cavalry fellows, Anna lighted down and faced about, to find him, for the third time in five days, at close range. With much form he drew nearer, a bright assurance in his eyes, a sort of boyish yes, for a moment, but the next moment gone as it met in hers a womanly no.
"You little artist," thought Flora.
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1
delta
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| n.（流的）角洲 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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3
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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treasurers
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| （团体等的）司库，财务主管( treasurer的名词复数 ) | |
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6
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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7
maidenly
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| adj. 像处女的, 谨慎的, 稳静的 | |
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8
tapering
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| adj.尖端细的 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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10
taint
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| n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染 | |
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11
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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12
falter
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| vi.(嗓音)颤抖，结巴地说；犹豫；蹒跚 | |
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13
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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14
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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15
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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16
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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17
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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18
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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19
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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20
droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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21
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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22
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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23
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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24
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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25
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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26
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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27
virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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28
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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29
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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30
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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31
flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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32
crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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33
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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34
tilt
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| v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜 | |
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