"Thank you," was murmured from the pillow. Then, as Charlotte once more wiped the damp brow, the captive said, with much labor3, "After that--war seems--an awful thing. I suppose it isn't half so much a crime--as it is a--penalty--for the crimes that bring it on. But anyhow--you know--being--" The bugle4 rang out the reveillé.
"Being a soldier," said Charlotte, "you want to die like one?"
"Yes, oh, yes!--the best I can. I'd like to sit half up--and hold my sword--if there's--no objection. I've loved it so! It would almost be like holding--the hand that's far away. Of course, it isn't really necessary, but--it would be more like--dying--for my country."
He would not have it in the scabbard, and when I laid it naked in his hand he kissed the hilt. Charlotte sent Gholson for Ned Ferry. Glancing from the window, I noticed that for some better convenience our scouts5 had left the grove6, and the prisoners had been marched in and huddled7 close to the veranda8-steps, under their heavy marching-guard of Louisianians. One of the blue-coats called up to me softly: "Dying--really?" He turned to his fellows--"Boys, Captain's dying."
Every Northern eye was lifted to the window and I turned away. "Richard!" gently called Charlotte, and I saw the end was at hand; a new anguish9 was on the brow; yet the soldier was asking for a song; "a soldier's song, will you?"
"Why, Captain," she replied, "you know, we don't sing the same words to our soldier-songs that you do--except in the hymns10. Shall I sing 'Am I a soldier of the cross?'"
He did not answer promptly11; but when he did he said "Yes--sing that."
She sang it. As the second stanza12 was begun we heard a responsive swell13 grow softly to fuller and fuller volume beneath the windows; the prisoners were singing. I heard an austere14 voice forbid it, but it rose straight on from strength to strength:
"Sure I must fight if I would win, Increase my courage, Lord.
I'll bear the toil15, endure the pain, Supported by thy word."
The dying man lifted a hand and Charlotte ceased. He had not heard the muffled16 chorus of his followers17 below; or it may be that he had, and that the degree of liberty they seemed to be enjoying prompted him to seek the new favor he now asked. I did not catch his words, but Charlotte heard, and answered tenderly, yet with a thrill of pain so keen she could not conceal18 it even from him.
"Oh! you wouldn't ask a rebel to sing that," she sighed, "would you?"
He made no rejoinder except that his eyes were insistent19. She wiped his temples. "I hate to refuse you."
His gaze was grateful. She spoke20 again: "I suppose I oughtn't to mind it."
Miss Harper came in, and Charlotte, taking her hand without a glance, told the Captain's hard request under her voice. Miss Harper, too, in her turn, gave a start of pain, but when the dying eyes and smile turned pleadingly to her she said, "Why, if you can, Charlotte, dear, but oh! how can you?"
Charlotte addressed the wounded man: "Just a little bit of it, will that do?" and as he eagerly assented21 she added, to Miss Harper, "You know, dear, in its history it's no more theirs than ours."
"No, not so much," said Miss Harper, with a gleam of pride; and thereupon it was my amazement22 to hear Charlotte begin guardedly to sing:
"O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?"
But guardedly as she began, the effect on the huddled crowd below was instant and electrical. They heard almost the first note; looking down anxiously, I saw the wonder and enthusiasm pass from man to man. They heard the first two lines in awed23, ecstatic silence; but at the third, warily24, first one, then three, then a dozen, then a score, bereft25 of arms, standard, and leader, little counting ever again to see freedom, flag, or home, they raised their voices, by the dawn's early light, in their song of songs.
Our main body were out in the highway, just facing into column, and the effect on them I could not see. The prisoners' guards, though instantly ablaze26 with indignation, were so taken by surprise that for two or three seconds, with carbines at a ready, they--and even their sergeant27 in command--only darted28 fierce looks here and there and up at me. The prisoners must have been used to singing in ordered chorus, for one of them strode into their middle, and smiling sturdily at the maddened guard and me, led the song evenly. "No, sir!" he cried, as I made an angry sign for them to desist, "one verse through, if every damned fool of us dies for it--let the Captain hear it boys--sing!
"'The rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air--'"
Charlotte had ceased, in consternation29 not for the conditions without more than for those within. With the first strong swell of the song from below, the dying leader strove to sit upright and to lift his blade, but failed and would have slammed back upon the pillows had not she and Miss Harper saved him. He lay in their arms gasping30 his last, yet clutching his sabre with a quivering hand and listening on with rapt face untroubled by the fiery31 tumult32 of cries that broke into and over the strain.
"Club that man over the head!" cried the sergeant of the guard, and one of his men swung a gun; but the Yankee sprang inside of its sweep, crying, "Sing her through, boys!" grappled his opponent, and hurled33 him back. In the same instant the sergeant called steadily34, "Guard, ready--aim--"
There sounded a clean slap of levelled carbines, yet from the prisoners came the continued song in its closing couplet:
"The star-spangled banner! O, long may it wave!--"
and out of the midst of its swell the oaths and curses and defiant35 laughter of a dozen men crying, with tears in their eyes, "Shoot! shoot! why don't you shoot?"
But the command to fire did not come; suddenly there was a drumming of hoofs36, then their abrupt37 stoppage, and the voice of a vigilant38 commander called, "Attention!"
With a few words to the sergeant, more brief than harsh, and while the indomitable singers pressed on to the very close of the stanza without a sign from him to desist, Ferry bade the subaltern resume his command, and turned toward me at the window. He lifted his sword and spoke in a lowered tone, the sullen39 guard stood to their arms, and every captive looked up for my reply.
"Shall I come?" he inquired; but I shook my head.
"What!--gone?" he asked again, and I nodded. He turned and trotted40 lightly after the departing column. I remember his pensive41 mien42 as he moved down the grove, and how a soft gleam flashed from his sword, above his head, as with the hand that held it he fingered his slender mustache, and how another gleam followed it as he reversed the blade and let it into its sheath. Then my eyes lost him; for Gholson had taken his place under the window and was beckoning43 for my attention.
"Is she coming?" he called up, and Charlotte, at my side, spoke downward:
"I shall be with you in a moment."
While he waited the second lieutenant44 of the Louisianians came, and as guard and prisoners started away she came out upon the veranda steps. Across her knee, as she and Gholson galloped45 off by a road across fields, lay in a wrapping of corn-husks the huge sabre of the dead northerner.
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1
longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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4
bugle
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| n.军号，号角，喇叭；v.吹号，吹号召集 | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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11
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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stanza
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| n.（诗）节，段 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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14
austere
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| adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的 | |
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15
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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16
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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17
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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18
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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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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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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bereft
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| adj.被剥夺的 | |
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26
ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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28
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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29
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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30
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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31
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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32
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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33
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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34
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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35
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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36
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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37
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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38
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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39
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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40
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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41
pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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42
mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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43
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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44
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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45
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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