With this awakening5 came a transformation6 of feeling toward the couple. They sympathized with Lieutenant7 Russell, but more than all, they pitied her whose soul was distraught with grief. They had never before seen her in the agony of distress8 and neither could stand it.
“Brush,” whispered Ruggles, “this must stop.”
“Hold!” called Brush in a loud voice, striding commandingly forward with his arm upraised; “I have something to say!”
There was a majesty9 and an impressiveness of mien10 like that of the Hebrew prophet who hushed the tempest. Captain Dawson, without moving body or limb, turned and glared at the intruder; Ruggles kept his position; Nellie Dawson, with arms still clasping the neck of her betrothed11, looked over her shoulder at her old friend; Lieutenant Russell reached up so as to hold the wrists of the girl, while still retaining his grip upon his rifle and fixed12 his eyes upon the tall, gaunt figure that halted between him and Captain Dawson and a little to one side of him.
“Lieutenant Frederic Russell, do you love Nellie Dawson?” was the astounding13 question that fell from the lips of Brush.
“Aye, more than my life,” was the prompt response.
“And you have started for Sacramento with the purpose of making her your wife?”
“That was my resolve with the help of heaven.”
“And, Nellie, you agreed to this?”
“Yes, yes; we shall not be parted in life or death.”
“Such being your feelings,” continued Felix Brush, in the same loud, clear tones, “I pronounce you man and wife, and whom God hath joined together let not man put asunder14!”
It was a thunderclap. No one moved or spoke15 for a full minute. Felix Brush was the only one who seemed to retain command of his senses. Stepping forward, 317 with a strange smile on his seamed countenance16, he extended his hand to the groom17.
“Allow me to congratulate you, lieutenant; and, Nellie, I don’t think you will deny me my fee.”
“O, Mr. Brush, are we really married?” she asked in a faint, wild voice.
“As legally as if it were done by the archbishop of Canterbury and if––”
But he got no further, for her arms were transferred from the neck of her husband to those of the parson, whom she smothered19 with her caresses20.
“Bless your heart! You are the nicest, best, sweetest, loveliest man that ever lived,––excepting Fred and father––”
“And me,” added Wade Ruggles, stepping forward.
The two rugged22 fellows had won the greatest victory that can be achieved by man, for they had conquered themselves. When the great light broke in upon their consciousness, each resolved to let the dead past bury its dead and to face the future like the manly23 heroes they were.
And no braver deed ever was done.
Poor Captain Dawson! For a time he believed he was dreaming. Then, when he grasped the meaning 318 of it all, his Winchester dropped from his nerveless grasp and he staggered and would have fallen, had not Lieutenant Russell leaped forward and caught him in his arms. He helped him to the boulder24 from which Nellie had risen and then he collapsed25 utterly26. The soldier who had faced unmoved the hell blast of battle had fainted for the first time in his life.
Nellie ran to the brook27 a few paces away, and catching28 some of the water in the hollow of her hand darted29 back and flung it into his face.
“There, dear father; it is all right; rouse yourself; O, Mr. Brush, suppose he is dead!” she exclaimed, turning terrifiedly toward him.
“He is as likely to die as you are, and you don’t look just now as if you mean to put on wings and fly away.”
In a few minutes the veteran revived and looked confusedly around him. He seemed unable to comprehend what it all meant and his gaze wandered in a dazed way from one countenance to another without speaking. Nellie was still caressing30 him, while Lieutenant Russell stood back a couple of steps, looking pityingly into the face of the man who had suffered so much.
Felix Brush was the hero of the occasion. Turning to the group, he said:
“Leftenant, you and Nellie and Ruggles and Vose move off for a short distance and leave him with me for a little while.”
Understanding his purpose the three withdrew, and the two men were left alone. The captain instantly roused himself.
“What does all this mean, Brush?”
“It means that you and Ruggles and I have been the three infernalist fools that ever pretended to have sense.”
“How?”
“How? In every way conceivable. Wade and I, as we told you, saw that those two were in love with each other; instead of persuading you to consent, we have helped you to prevent it. I must say, captain, that though Wade and I played the idiot, I think the championship belongs to you.”
“I begin to suspect it.”
“There’s no doubt of it.”
“But, you see, parson, I had never thought of anything like this.”
“Which goes to prove the truth of what I have just said. If you hadn’t been blind you would have seen it.”
“I got the belief into my head that his intentions were not honorable toward Nellie.”
“You never made a greater mistake; Lieutenant Russell is the soul of honor; heaven intended him for the husband of Nellie, and we were flying in the face of Providence31 when we tried to prevent it.”
“I suppose it is all right; but how is it possible for a man to make such a consummate32 ass33 of himself?”
“You have just given a demonstration34 of how it is done, Wade and I adding material help in the demonstration.”
The captain looked to the ground in deep thought. When he raised his eyes there was an odd twinkle in them.
“I say, parson, wasn’t that a rather cheeky performance of yours, when you made them man and wife?”
“The circumstances warranted it. There’s no saying what might have happened, if it had been deferred35 for only a few minutes.”
“True,” replied the veteran thoughtfully; “it begins to look as if the hand of Providence was in it.”
“It is in everything that occurs in this life. It was in your coming to New Constantinople; in the blessed influence of your child upon that barbarous community; in the impulse that led you to bring Lieutenant Russell to us, and now comes the crowning Providence of all in their marriage.”
“Parson, you ain’t such a poor preacher after all.”
“Perhaps I can preach a little, but my practice has been away off, though I hope to get back one of these days to where I was, but––”
He suddenly turned and beckoned36 to his friends to 321 join them. They came smilingly forward, for they suspected what it meant.
Captain Dawson rose to his feet, and, without speaking extended his single arm toward his child. With a glad cry she flew into his embrace and pillowed her head on his breast. No one spoke, but there was not a dry eye among the spectators, while the silent embrace lasted.
Finally the daughter was released and then the captain reached his hand toward his son-in-law, who eagerly stepped forward and grasped it.
“Yes, lieutenant, we have drunk from the same canteen,” he said, “and now let’s all go home.”
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收听单词发音
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1
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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3
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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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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8
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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9
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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12
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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13
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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14
asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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15
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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16
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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17
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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18
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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19
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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20
caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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21
bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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22
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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23
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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24
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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25
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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27
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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28
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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29
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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30
caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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31
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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32
consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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33
ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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34
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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35
deferred
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| adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从 | |
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36
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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