Then, upon this stillness, there suddenly broke a tremendous clangor of sounds. A crimson6 roar came from the distance.
The youth stopped. He was transfixed by this terrific medley7 of all noises. It was as if worlds were being rended. There was the ripping sound of musketry and the breaking crash of the artillery8.
His mind flew in all directions. He conceived the two armies to be at each other panther fashion. He listened for a time. Then he began to run in the direction of the battle. He saw that it was an ironical9 thing for him to be running thus toward that which he had been at such pains to avoid. But he said, in substance, to himself that if the earth and the moon were about to clash, many persons would doubtless plan to get upon the roofs to witness the collision.
As he ran, he became aware that the forest had stopped its music, as if at last becoming capable of hearing the foreign sounds. The trees hushed and stood motionless. Everything seemed to be listening to the crackle and clatter10 and earthshaking thunder. The chorus peaked over the still earth.
It suddenly occurred to the youth that the fight in which he had been was, after all, but perfunctory popping. In the hearing of this present din11 he was doubtful if he had seen real battle scenes. This uproar12 explained a celestial13 battle; it was tumbling hordes14 a-struggle in the air.
Reflecting, he saw a sort of a humor in the point of view of himself and his fellows during the late encounter. They had taken themselves and the enemy very seriously and had imagined that they were deciding the war. Individuals must have supposed that they were cutting the letters of their names deep into everlasting15 tablets of brass16, or enshrining their reputations forever in the hearts of their countrymen, while, as to fact, the affair would appear in printed reports under a meek17 and immaterial title. But he saw that it was good, else, he said, in battle every one would surely run save forlorn hopes and their ilk.
He went rapidly on. He wished to come to the edge of the forest that he might peer out.
As he hastened, there passed through his mind pictures of stupendous conflicts. His accumulated thought upon such subjects was used to form scenes. The noise was as the voice of an eloquent18 being, describing.
Sometimes the brambles formed chains and tried to hold him back. Trees, confronting him, stretched out their arms and forbade him to pass. After its previous hostility19 this new resistance of the forest filled him with a fine bitterness. It seemed that Nature could not be quite ready to kill him.
But he obstinately20 took roundabout ways, and presently he was where he could see long gray walls of vapor21 where lay battle lines. The voices of cannon22 shook him. The musketry sounded in long irregular surges that played havoc23 with his ears. He stood regardant for a moment. His eyes had an awestruck expression. He gawked in the direction of the fight.
Presently he proceeded again on his forward way. The battle was like the grinding of an immense and terrible machine to him. Its complexities25 and powers, its grim processes, fascinated him. He must go close and see it produce corpses26.
He came to a fence and clambered over it. On the far side, the ground was littered with clothes and guns. A newspaper, folded up, lay in the dirt. A dead soldier was stretched with his face hidden in his arm. Farther off there was a group of four or five corpses keeping mournful company. A hot sun had blazed upon this spot.
In this place the youth felt that he was an invader27. This forgotten part of the battle ground was owned by the dead men, and he hurried, in the vague apprehension28 that one of the swollen29 forms would rise and tell him to begone.
He came finally to a road from which he could see in the distance dark and agitated30 bodies of troops, smoke-fringed. In the lane was a blood-stained crowd streaming to the rear. The wounded men were cursing, groaning31, and wailing32. In the air, always, was a mighty33 swell34 of sound that it seemed could sway the earth. With the courageous35 words of the artillery and the spiteful sentences of the musketry mingled36 red cheers. And from this region of noises came the steady current of the maimed.
One of the wounded men had a shoeful of blood. He hopped37 like a schoolboy in a game. He was laughing hysterically38.
One was swearing that he had been shot in the arm through the commanding general's mismanagement of the army. One was marching with an air imitative of some sublime39 drum major. Upon his features was an unholy mixture of merriment and agony. As he marched he sang a bit of doggerel40 in a high and quavering voice:
"Sing a song 'a vic'try,
A pocketful 'a bullets,
Five an' twenty dead men
Baked in a--pie."
Another had the gray seal of death already upon his face. His lips were curled in hard lines and his teeth were clinched42. His hands were bloody43 from where he had pressed them upon his wound. He seemed to be awaiting the moment when he should pitch headlong. He stalked like the specter of a soldier, his eyes burning with the power of a stare into the unknown.
There were some who proceeded sullenly44, full of anger at their wounds, and ready to turn upon anything as an obscure cause.
An officer was carried along by two privates. He was peevish45. "Don't joggle so, Johnson, yeh fool," he cried. "Think m' leg is made of iron? If yeh can't carry me decent, put me down an' let some one else do it."
He bellowed46 at the tottering47 crowd who blocked the quick march of his bearers. "Say, make way there, can't yeh? Make way, dickens take it all."
They sulkily parted and went to the roadsides. As he was carried past they made pert remarks to him. When he raged in reply and threatened them, they told him to be damned.
The shoulder of one of the tramping bearers knocked heavily against the spectral48 soldier who was staring into the unknown.
The youth joined this crowd and marched along with it. The torn bodies expressed the awful machinery49 in which the men had been entangled50.
Orderlies and couriers occasionally broke through the throng51 in the roadway, scattering52 wounded men right and left, galloping53 on followed by howls. The melancholy54 march was continually disturbed by the messengers, and sometimes by bustling55 batteries that came swinging and thumping56 down upon them, the officers shouting orders to clear the way.
There was a tattered57 man, fouled58 with dust, blood and powder stain from hair to shoes, who trudged59 quietly at the youth's side. He was listening with eagerness and much humility60 to the lurid61 descriptions of a bearded sergeant62. His lean features wore an expression of awe24 and admiration63. He was like a listener in a country store to wondrous64 tales told among the sugar barrels. He eyed the story-teller with unspeakable wonder. His mouth was agape in yokel65 fashion.
The sergeant, taking note of this, gave pause to his elaborate history while he administered a sardonic66 comment. "Be keerful, honey, you 'll be a-ketchin' flies," he said.
After a time he began to sidle near to the youth, and in a diffident way try to make him a friend. His voice was gentle as a girl's voice and his eyes were pleading. The youth saw with surprise that the soldier had two wounds, one in the head, bound with a blood-soaked rag, and the other in the arm, making that member dangle68 like a broken bough69.
After they had walked together for some time the tattered man mustered70 sufficient courage to speak. "Was pretty good fight, wa'n't it?" he timidly said. The youth, deep in thought, glanced up at the bloody and grim figure with its lamblike eyes. "What?"
"Was pretty good fight, wa'n't it?"
"Yes," said the youth shortly. He quickened his pace.
But the other hobbled industriously71 after him. There was an air of apology in his manner, but he evidently thought that he needed only to talk for a time, and the youth would perceive that he was a good fellow.
"Was pretty good fight, wa'n't it?" he began in a small voice, and the he achieved the fortitude72 to continue. "Dern me if I ever see fellers fight so. Laws, how they did fight! I knowed th' boys 'd like it when they onct got square at it. Th' boys ain't had no fair chanct up t' now, but this time they showed what they was. I knowed it 'd turn out this way. Yeh can't lick them boys. No, sir! They 're fighters, they be."
He breathed a deep breath of humble73 admiration. He had looked at the youth for encouragement several times. He received none, but gradually he seemed to get absorbed in his subject.
"I was talkin' 'cross pickets74 with a boy from Georgie, onct, an' that boy, he ses, 'Your fellers 'll all run like hell when they onct hearn a gun,' he ses. 'Mebbe they will,' I ses, 'but I don't b'lieve none of it,' I ses; 'an' b'jiminey,' I ses back t' 'um, 'mebbe your fellers 'll all run like hell when they onct hearn a gun,' I ses. He larfed. Well, they didn't run t' day, did they, hey? No, sir! They fit, an' fit, an' fit."
His homely75 face was suffused76 with a light of love for the army which was to him all things beautiful and powerful.
After a time he turned to the youth. "Where yeh hit, ol' boy?" he asked in a brotherly tone.
The youth felt instant panic at this question, although at first its full import was not borne in upon him.
"What?" he asked.
"Where yeh hit?" repeated the tattered man.
"Why," began the youth, "I--I--that is--why--I--"
He turned away suddenly and slid through the crowd. His brow was heavily flushed, and his fingers were picking nervously77 at one of his buttons. He bent78 his head and fastened his eyes studiously upon the button as if it were a little problem.
The tattered man looked after him in astonishment79.
点击收听单词发音
1 hymn | |
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 twilight | |
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 slanted | |
有偏见的; 倾斜的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 lull | |
v.使安静,使入睡,缓和,哄骗;n.暂停,间歇 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 beaks | |
n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 );鹰钩嘴;尖鼻子;掌权者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 crimson | |
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 medley | |
n.混合 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 artillery | |
n.(军)火炮,大炮;炮兵(部队) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 ironical | |
adj.讽刺的,冷嘲的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 clatter | |
v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 uproar | |
n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 celestial | |
adj.天体的;天上的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 everlasting | |
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 brass | |
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 meek | |
adj.温顺的,逆来顺受的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 eloquent | |
adj.雄辩的,口才流利的;明白显示出的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 hostility | |
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 obstinately | |
ad.固执地,顽固地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 vapor | |
n.蒸汽,雾气 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 cannon | |
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 havoc | |
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 complexities | |
复杂性(complexity的名词复数); 复杂的事物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 corpses | |
n.死尸,尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 invader | |
n.侵略者,侵犯者,入侵者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 apprehension | |
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 swollen | |
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 groaning | |
adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 wailing | |
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的现在分词 );沱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 swell | |
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 courageous | |
adj.勇敢的,有胆量的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 mingled | |
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 hopped | |
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 hysterically | |
ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 sublime | |
adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 doggerel | |
n.拙劣的诗,打油诗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 tune | |
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 clinched | |
v.(尤指两人)互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 );解决(争端、交易),达成(协议) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 bloody | |
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 sullenly | |
不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 peevish | |
adj.易怒的,坏脾气的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 bellowed | |
v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的过去式和过去分词 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 tottering | |
adj.蹒跚的,动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 spectral | |
adj.幽灵的,鬼魂的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 machinery | |
n.(总称)机械,机器;机构 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 entangled | |
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 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 scattering | |
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 galloping | |
adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 bustling | |
adj.喧闹的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 thumping | |
adj.重大的,巨大的;重击的;尺码大的;极好的adv.极端地;非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词);狠打;怦怦地跳;全力支持 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 tattered | |
adj.破旧的,衣衫破的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 fouled | |
v.使污秽( foul的过去式和过去分词 );弄脏;击球出界;(通常用废物)弄脏 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 trudged | |
vt.& vi.跋涉,吃力地走(trudge的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 humility | |
n.谦逊,谦恭 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 lurid | |
adj.可怕的;血红的;苍白的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 sergeant | |
n.警官,中士 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 wondrous | |
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 yokel | |
n.乡下人;农夫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 sardonic | |
adj.嘲笑的,冷笑的,讥讽的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 abashed | |
adj.窘迫的,尴尬的v.使羞愧,使局促,使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 dangle | |
v.(使)悬荡,(使)悬垂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 bough | |
n.大树枝,主枝 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 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: |
|
|
71 industriously | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 fortitude | |
n.坚忍不拔;刚毅 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
74 pickets | |
罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
75 homely | |
adj.家常的,简朴的;不漂亮的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
76 suffused | |
v.(指颜色、水气等)弥漫于,布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
77 nervously | |
adv.神情激动地,不安地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
78 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
79 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |