Chapter 10 The General

 The clouds were darkening, and the shower was evidently not far off. It was a solitary¹ place, and no houses were to be seen near by. But nearly a quarter of a mile back Harry² caught sight of a small house, and jumping over the fence directed his steps toward it. Five minutes brought him to it. It was small, painted red, originally, but the color had mostly been washed away. It was not upon a public road, but there was a narrow lane leading to it from the highway. Probably it was occupied by a poor family, Harry thought. Still it would shelter him from the storm which had even now commenced.

 

He knocked at the door.

 

Immediately it was opened and a face peered out--the face of a man advanced in years. It was thin, wrinkled, and haggard. The thin white hair, uncombed, gave a wild appearance to the owner, who, in a thin, shrill³ voice, demanded, "Who are you?"

 

"My name is Harry Walton."

 

"What do you want?"

 

"Shelter from the storm. It is going to rain."

 

"Come in," said the old man, and opening the door wider, he admitted our hero.

 

Harry found himself in a room very bare of furniture, but there was a log fire in the fireplace, and this looked comfortable and pleasant. He laid down his bundle, and drawing up a chair sat down by it, his host meanwhile watching him closely.

 

"Does he live alone, I wonder?" thought Harry.

 

He saw no other person about, and no traces of a woman's presence. The floor looked as if it had not been swept for a month, and probably it had not.

 

The old man sat down opposite Harry, and stared at him, till our hero felt somewhat embarrassed and uncomfortable.

 

"Why don't he say something?" thought Harry.

 

"He is a very queer old man."

 

After a while his host spoke⁴.

 

"Do you know who I am?" he asked.

 

"No," said Harry, looking at him.

 

"You've heard of me often," pursued the old man.

 

"I didn't know it," answered Harry, beginning to feel curious.

 

"In history," added the other.

 

"In history?"

 

"Yes."

 

Harry began to look at him in increased surprise.

 

"Will you tell me your name, if it is not too much trouble," he asked, politely.

 

"I gained the victory of New Orleans," said the old man.

 

"I thought General Jackson did that," said Harry.

 

"You're right," said the old man, complacently⁵. "I am General Jackson."

 

"But General Jackson is dead."

 

"That's a mistake," said the old man, quietly. "That's what they say in all the books, but it isn't true."

 

This was amusing, but it was also startling. Harry knew now that the old man was crazy, or at least a monomaniac, and, though he seemed harmless enough, it was of course possible that he might be dangerous. He was almost sorry that he had sought shelter here. Better have encountered the storm in its full fury than place himself in the power of a maniac⁶. The rain was now falling in thick drops, and he decided⁷ at any rate to remain a while longer. He knew that it would not be well to dispute the old man, and resolved to humor his delusion⁸.

 

"You were President once, I believe?" he asked.

 

"Yes," said the old man; "and you won't tell anybody, will you?"

 

"No."

 

"I mean to be again," said the old man in a low voice, half in a whisper. "But you mustn't say anything about it. They'd try to kill me, if they knew it."

 

"Who would?"

 

"Mr. Henry Clay, and the rest of them."

 

"Doesn't Henry Clay want you to be President again?"

 

"Of course not. He wants to be President himself. That's why I'm hiding. They don't any of them know where I am. You won't tell, will you?"

 

"No."

 

"You might meet Henry Clay, you know."

 

Harry smiled to himself. It didn't seem very likely that he would ever find himself in such distinguished⁹ company, for Henry Clay was at that time living, and a United States Senator.

 

"What made you come here, General Jackson?" he inquired.

 

The old man brightened, on being called by this name.

 

"Because it was quiet. They can't find me here."

 

"When do you expect to be President again?"

 

"Next year," said the old man. "I've got it all arranged. My friends are to blow up the capitol, and I shall ride into Washington on a white horse. Do you want an office?"

 

"I don't know but I should like one," said Harry, amused.

 

"I'll see what I can do for you," said the old man, seriously. "I can't put you in my Cabinet. That's all arranged. If you would like to be Minister to England or to France, you can go."

 

"I should like to go to France. Benjamin Franklin was Minister to France."

 

"Do you know him?"

 

"No; but I have read his life."

 

"I'll put your name down in my book. What is it?"

 

"Harry Walton."

 

The old man went to the table, on which was a common account book. He took a pen, and, with a serious look, made this entry:

 

"I promise to make Harry Walton Minister to France, as soon as I take my place in the White House.

 

"GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON"

 

"It's all right now," he said.

 

"Thank you, general. You are very kind," said our hero.

 

"Were you ever a soldier?" asked his host.

 

"I never was."

 

"I thought you might have been in the battle of New Orleans. Our men fought splendidly, sir."

 

"I have no doubt of it."

 

"You'll read all about it in history. We fought behind cotton bales. It was glorious!"

 

"General," said Harry, "if you'll excuse me, I'll take out my supper from this bundle."

 

"No, no," said the old man; "you must take supper with me."

 

"I wonder whether he has anything fit to eat," thought Harry. "Thank you," he said aloud. "If you wish it."

 

The old man had arisen, and, taking a teakettle, suspended it over the fire. A monomaniac though he was on the subject of his identity with General Jackson, he knew how to make tea. Presently he took from the cupboard a baker's roll and some cold meat, and when the tea was ready, invited Harry to be seated at the table. Our hero did so willingly. He had lost his apprehensions¹⁰, perceiving that his companion's lunacy was of a very harmless character.

 

"What if mother could see me now!" he thought.

 

Still the rain poured down. It showed no signs of slackening. He saw that it would be necessary to remain where he was through the night.

 

"General, can you accommodate me till morning?" he asked.

 

"Certainly," said the old man. "I shall be glad to have you stay here. Do you go to France to-morrow?"

 

"I have not received my appointment yet."

 

"True, true; but it won't be long. I will write your instructions to-night."

 

"Very well."

 

The supper was plain enough, but it was relished¹¹ by our young traveler, whose long walk had stimulated¹² a naturally good appetite.

 

"Eat heartily¹³, my son," said the old man. "A long journey is before you."

 

After the meal was over, the old man began to write.

 

Harry surmised¹⁴ that it was his instructions. He paid little heed¹⁵, but fixed¹⁶ his eyes upon the fire, listening to the rain that continued to beat against the window panes¹⁷, and began to speculate about the future. Was he to be successful or not? He was not without solicitude¹⁸, but he felt no small measure of hope. At nine o'clock he began to feel drowsy¹⁹, and intimated as much to his host. The old man conducted him to an upper chamber²⁰, where there was a bed upon the floor.

 

"You can sleep there," he said.

 

"Where do you sleep?" asked Harry.

 

"Down below; but I shall not go to bed till late. I must get ready your instructions."

 

"Very well," said Harry. "Good night."

 

"Good night."

 

"I am glad he is not in the room with me," thought Harry. "I don't think there is any danger, but it isn't comfortable to be too near a crazy man." 

1 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

2 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

3 shrill   

adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫

参考例句：

• Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
• The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

4 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 complacently   

adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地

参考例句：

• He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
• "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 maniac   

n.精神癫狂的人；疯子

参考例句：

• Be careful!That man is driving like a maniac!注意！那个人开车像个疯子一样！
• You were acting like a maniac,and you threatened her with a bomb!你像一个疯子，你用炸弹恐吓她！

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 delusion   

n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑

参考例句：

• He is under the delusion that he is Napoleon.他患了妄想症，认为自己是拿破仑。
• I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.我误认为他要娶我。

9 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

10 apprehensions   

疑惧

参考例句：

• He stood in a mixture of desire and apprehensions. 他怀着渴望和恐惧交加的心情伫立着。
• But subsequent cases have removed many of these apprehensions. 然而，随后的案例又消除了许多类似的忧虑。

11 relished   

v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望

参考例句：

• The chaplain relished the privacy and isolation of his verdant surroundings. 牧师十分欣赏他那苍翠的环境所具有的幽雅恬静，与世隔绝的气氛。 来自辞典例句
• Dalleson relished the first portion of the work before him. 达尔生对眼前这工作的前半部分满有兴趣。 来自辞典例句

12 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

13 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

14 surmised   

v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想

参考例句：

• From the looks on their faces, I surmised that they had had an argument. 看他们的脸色，我猜想他们之间发生了争执。
• From his letter I surmised that he was unhappy. 我从他的信中推测他并不快乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

16 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

17 panes   

窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sun caught the panes and flashed back at him. 阳光照到窗玻璃上，又反射到他身上。
• The window-panes are dim with steam. 玻璃窗上蒙上了一层蒸汽。

18 solicitude   

n.焦虑

参考例句：

• Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。
• He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。

19 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

20 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。