WHEN the boys came to breakfast the next morning, they found Maria with the hollyhock effulgence2 of garb3 of the day before changed to the usual prim4 simplicity5 of her housedress. This meant admiration6 striking Shorty still dumber. He was in that state of mind when every change in the young woman's appearance seemed a marvelous transformation8 and made her more captivating than before. He had thought her queenly dazzling in her highly-colored "go-to-meeting" plumage of the day before. She was now simply overpowering in her plain, close-fitting calico, that outlined her superb bust9 and curves, with her hair combed smoothly10 back from her bright, animated11 face. Shorty devoured12 her with his eyes—that is, when she was not looking in his direction. He would rather watch her than eat his breakfast, but when her glance turned toward him he would drop his eyes to his plate. This became plain to everybody, even Maria, but did not prevent her beginning to tease.
"What's the matter with you? Where's your appetite?" asked she. "You're clean off your feed. You must be in love. Nothin' else'd make a man go back on these slapjacks that Cousin Marthy made with her own hands, and she kin7 beat the County on slapjacks. Mebbe you're thinkin' o' your Bad Ax girl and her widower13. Perk14 up. He may fall offen a saw-log and git drowned, and you git her yit. Never kin tell. Life's mighty15 uncertain, especially around saw-mills. When I marry a man he's got to give bonds not to have anything to do, in no way or shape, with saw-mills. I don't want to be a widder, or take care o' half a man for the rest o' my days. You've got a chance to git your girl yit. Mebbe she'll git tired o' him after he's bin16 run through the mill two or three times, and there's more o' him in the graveyard17 than there is walkin' to church with her. Cheer up."
Shorty tried to disprove the charge as to the subject of his thoughts by falling to furiously and with such precipitation that he spilt his coffee, upset the molasses-jug, and then collapsed18 in dismay at his clumsiness.
Maria did not go free herself. The other girls had not been blind to Shorty's condition of mind, and rather suspected that Maria was not wholly indifferent to him. When she came into the kitchen for another supply. Cousin Susie, younger sister of Martha, remarked:
"Maria, I've a notion to take your advice, and set my cap for Corpril Shorty. Do you know, I think he's very good lookin'. He's a little rough and clumsy, but a girl could take that out o' him. I believe I'll begin right away. You stay in here and bake and I'll wait on the table."
"Don't be a little goose, Susie," said Maria severely19. "You're too young yit to think about beaux. You hain't got used to long dresses yit. You go practice on boys in roundabouts awhile. This is a full-grown man and a soldier. He hain't got no time to waste on schoolgirls."
"Ha, how you talk, Miss Jealousy," responded Susie. "How scared you are lest I cut you out. I've a great mind to do it, just to show you I kin. I'd like awfully20 to have a sweetheart down at the front, just to crow over the rest o' the girls. Here, you take the turner and let me carry that plate in."
"I'll do nothin' o' the kind," said Maria, decisively. "You look out for your cakes there. They're burnin' while you're gossipin'. That's my brother and his friend, and I hain't got but a short time to be with 'em. I may never see 'em agin, and I want to do all I kin for 'em while they're with me."
"Too bad about your brother," laughed Susie. "How lovin' and attentive21 all at once. I remember how you used to wig22 him without mercy at school, and try to make him go off and take me home, instid o' taggin' along after you, when that big-eyed school teacher that sung tenor'd be makin' sheep's eyes at you in school, and wantin' to walk home with you in the evenin'. I remember your slappin' Si for tellin' the folks at home about the teacher and you takin' long walks at noon out to the honeysuckle patch. I've a great mind to go in and tell it all to Si right before that feller. Then your cake'll all be dough23. Don't git too uppish with me, young lady. Gi' me that plate and let me take it in."
The cakes on the griddles burned while Maria watched through the door what she mentally described as the "arts and manuvers o' that sassy little piece." She was gratified to see that Shorty's eyes kept glancing at the door for her own reappearance. She carried in the next plate of cakes herself, and though they were a little scorched24, Shorty ate them with more zest25 than any of their predecessors26.
Si announced, as he shoved back from the table:
"Well, we've got to go right off. We must ketch that accommodation and git back to Bean Blossom Crick. I want to say good-by to the folks, and then strike out for Jeffersonville. I've reported that I'm able for dooty agin, and there's orders at home for me and Shorty to go to Jeffersonville and git a gang o' recruits that's bin gethered there, and bring 'em to the rijimint."
Shorty had been in hopes that Si would dally27 for a day or so in these pleasant pastures, but then he reflected that where Annabel was was likely to be much more attractive to Si than where she was not.
"No need o' my goin' back with you," he ventured to suggest, speaking for the first time. "I might take the train goin' East, and git things in shape at Jeffersonville by the time you come."
Then his face grew hot with the thought that everyone saw through his transparent28 scheme to get an hour or two more with Maria.
"No," said Si, decisively. "You'll go back with me. Father and mother and 'Mandy are all anxious to see you, and they'll never forgive me if I don't bring you back with me. Le's start."
If, at parting. Shorty had mustered29 up courage enough to look Maria squarely in the eyes, he might have read something there to encourage him, but no deeply-smitten man ever can do this. There is where the "light o' loves" have the great advantage. He could only grip her hand convulsively for an instant, and then turn and follow Si.
At the Deacon's home Shorty found the same quiet, warm welcome, with too much tact30 on the part of anyone except little Sammy Woggles to make any comment on the circumstances of his disappearance31. Sammy was clearly of the opinion that Si had run down Shorty and brought him back, and this had the beneficial effect of dampening Sammy's runaway32 schemes. He was also incensed33 at Shorty's perfidy34 in not sending him the rebel gun, and thought that his being brought back was righteous retribution.
"Served you right, you black-hearted promise-breaker," he hissed35 at Shorty when they found themselves momentarily alone. "I writ36 you that letter, and it nearly killed me—brung me down with the measles37, and you never sent me that gun. But I'll foller yer trail till you do."
"Don't be a little fool, Sammy. You stay right here. You've got the best home in the world here. If you do I'll send you your gun inside of a month, with some real rebel catridges and a bayonet that's killed a man, and a catridge-box with a belt that you kin carry your ammunition38 in—that is, if you'll write me another letter, all about Maria."
"I won't write you a word about Maria," said the youth, seeing his advantage, "onless you promise to send me a whole lot o' catridges—a hatful. Powder and lead costs a heap o' money. And so do caps."
I'll Send You a Catridge and Cap for Every Word You Write About Maria. 213
"You shall have 'em. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll send you a catridge and cap for every word you write about Maria."
"It's a go," said the delighted boy. "I'm goin' to learn someway to write without bitin' my tongue, an' I'll write you as many words every day as I want catridges to shoot off, so that I'll have enough for the next Fourth o' July, and kill all old Pete Walker's snappin' dogs besides."
The boys were to leave on the midnight train. The bigger part of Si's leave-taking seemed to be outside of his family, for he quit the house immediately after supper and did not leave Annabel's side until he had just barely time to get back home, take leave of his weeping mother and help store in the spring wagon39 more than he and Shorty could carry of the good things she had provided for them.
"What's this?" said Si to Shorty the next day at Jeffersonville, when they had reported to the Provost-Marshal, and had mustered before them the squad of recruits that they were to conduct to their regiment40. "Have they bin roundin' up some country school-houses, and enlisted41 all the boys that was in the fourth reader and Ray's arithmetic?"
"Seems like it," said Shorty, looking down the line of bright, beardless, callow faces. "Some o' them don't look as if they'd got as fur as the fourth reader. Ain't old enough to spell words o' more than two syllables42. What do they want with so many drummer-boys?"
"We aint no drummer-boys," said a bright-faced five-footer, who overhead the question. "Nary drum for us. We haint got no ear for music. We're regular soldiers, we are, and don't you forget it."
"But you ain't nigh 18," said Si, looking him over, pleased with the boy's spirit.
"You bet I'm over 18," answered the boy. "I told the Mustering43 Officer I was, and stuck to it in spite of him. There, you can see for yourself that I am," and he turned up his foot so as to show a large 18 marked on the sole of his shoe. "There, if that don't make me over 18, I'd like to know what does," he added triumphantly44, to the chorus of laughter from his companions.
In the entire squad of 65 there were not more than half a dozen bearded men. The rest were boys, all clearly under their majority, and many seeming not over 15. There were tall, lathy boys, with tallowy faces; there were short, stocky boys, with big legs and arms and fat faces as red as ripe apples, and there were boys neither very fat nor very lean, but active and sprightly45 as cats. They were in the majority. Long and short, fat and lean, they were all bubbling over with animal spirits and activity, and eager to get where they could see "real war."
"Say, mister," said the irrepressible five-footer, who had first spoken to Si; "we've bin awful anxious for you to come and take us to our regiment. We want to begin to be real soldiers."
"Well, my boy," said Si, with as much paternalism as if he had been a grandfather, "you must begin right now, by actin' like a real soldier. First, you mustn't call me mister. Mustn't call nobody mister in the army. My name's Sergeant47 Klegg. This other man is Corporal Elliott, You must always call us by those names, When you speak to either of us you must take the position of a soldier—stand up straight, put your heels together, turn your toes out, and salute48, this way."
"Is this right?" asked the boy, carefully imitating Si.
"Yes, that's purty near right—very good for first attempt. Now, when I speak to you, you salute and answer me. What is your name?"
"Henry Joslyn, sir."
"Well, Henry, you are now Private Joslyn, of the 200th Injianny Volunteer Infantry49. I can't tell what company you'll belong to till we git to the rigimint, but I'll try to have you in Co. Q, my company."
"But when are we going to get our guns and knapsacks and things, and start for the regiment?" persisted the eager boy, and the others joined in the impatient inquiry50.
"You won't git your guns and accourterments till you git to the rigimint. As soon's I kin go over this roll and identify each one o' you, I'll see what the orders is for starting."
"There goes some men for the ferry now. Why can't we go with them?" persisted the boy.
"Private Joslyn," said Si, with some official sternness, "the first thing a soldier's got to learn is to keep quiet and wait for orders. You understand?"
"'Pears to me that there's a lot o' first things to learn," grumbled51 the boy to the others, "and it's nothin' but wait, wait forever. The army'll go off and leave us if we don't get down there purty soon."
"Don't worry, my boy, about the army goin' off and leavin' you," said Shorty in a kindly52 way. "It'll wait. It kin be depended on for that. Besides, it's got to wait for me and Sargint Klegg."
"That's so. Didn't think o' that," chorused the boys, to whose eyes the two veterans seemed as important as Gens. Grant or Thomas.
"That's purty light material for serious bizniss, I'm afeared," said Shorty to Si, as they stood a little apart for a moment and surveyed the coltish53 boys, frisking around in their new blouses and pantaloons, which fitted about like the traditional shirt on a bean-pole.
"I think they're just splendid," said Si, enthusiastically. "They'll fill in the holes o' the old rigimint in great shape. They're as tough as little wildcats; they'll obey orders and go wherever you send 'em, and four out o' every five o' them kin knock over a crow at a hundred yards with a squirrel rifle. But, Shorty," he added with a sudden assumption of paternal46 dignity, "me and you's got to be fathers to them. We've got a great responsibility for them. We must do the very best we kin by 'em."
"That's so," said Shorty, catching54 at once the fatherly feeling. "I'll punch the head off en the first sneezer that I ketch tryin' to impose on 'em."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
squad
|
|
| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
effulgence
|
|
| n.光辉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
garb
|
|
| n.服装，装束 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
prim
|
|
| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
simplicity
|
|
| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
kin
|
|
| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
transformation
|
|
| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
bust
|
|
| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
smoothly
|
|
| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
animated
|
|
| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
devoured
|
|
| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
widower
|
|
| n.鳏夫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
perk
|
|
| n.额外津贴；赏钱；小费； | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
bin
|
|
| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
graveyard
|
|
| n.坟场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
collapsed
|
|
| adj.倒塌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
severely
|
|
| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
awfully
|
|
| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
attentive
|
|
| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
wig
|
|
| n.假发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
dough
|
|
| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
scorched
|
|
| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
zest
|
|
| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
predecessors
|
|
| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
dally
|
|
| v.荒废(时日)，调情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
transparent
|
|
| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
mustered
|
|
| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
tact
|
|
| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
disappearance
|
|
| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
runaway
|
|
| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
incensed
|
|
| 盛怒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
perfidy
|
|
| n.背信弃义，不忠贞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
hissed
|
|
| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
writ
|
|
| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
measles
|
|
| n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
ammunition
|
|
| n.军火，弹药 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
wagon
|
|
| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
regiment
|
|
| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
enlisted
|
|
| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
syllables
|
|
| n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
mustering
|
|
| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的现在分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
triumphantly
|
|
| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
sprightly
|
|
| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
paternal
|
|
| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
sergeant
|
|
| n.警官，中士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
salute
|
|
| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
infantry
|
|
| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
inquiry
|
|
| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
grumbled
|
|
| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
coltish
|
|
| adj.似小马的；不受拘束的；活泼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |