with lee in virginia-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



period　of　the　struggle　all　the　boats　must　have　been　collected　and

either　sunk　or　carried　away　by　one　of　the　parties　to　prevent　the

other　crossing　the　river。



Hitherto　they　had　carefully　avoided　all　the　farmhouses　that

appeared　to　be　inhabited；　but　Vincent　now　determined　to　approach

one　of　them　and　endeavor　to　gain　some　information　as　to　the

distance　from　the　next　bridge；　and　whether　it　was　guarded　by

troops；　and　to　find　out　if　possible　the　position　in　which　the

Northern　forces　in　Tennessee　were　at　present　posted…all　of　which

points　he　was　at　present　ignorant　of。　　He　passed　two　or　three　large

farmhouses　without　entering；　for　although　the　greater　part　of　the

male　population　were　away　with　one　or　other　of　the　armies；　he

might　still　find　two　or　three　hands　in　such　buildings。　Besides；　it

was　now　late；　and　whatever　the　politics　of　the　inmates　they　would

be　suspicious　of　such　late　arrivals；　and　would　probably　altogether

refuse　them　admittance。　　Accordingly　another　night　was　spent　in

the　wood。



The　next　morning；　after　walking　a　mile　or　two；　they　saw　a　house　at

which　Vincent　determined　to　try　their　fortune。　　It　was　small；　but

seemed　to　have　belonged　to　people　above　the　class　of　farmer。　　It

stood　in　a　little　plantation；　and　was　surrounded　by　a　veranda。　　Most

of　the　blinds　were　down；　and　Vincent　judged　that　the　inmates

could　not　be　numerous。



〃You　remain　here；　Dan；　and　I　will　go　and　knock　at　the　door。　　It　is

better　that　we　should　not　be　seen　together。〃　Vincent　accordingly

went　forward　and　knocked　at　the　door。　　An　old　negress　opened　it。



〃We　have　nothing　for　tramps；〃　she　said。　　〃De　house　am　pretty　well

cleared　out　oh　eberyting。〃　　She　was　about　to　shut　the　door　when

Vincent　put　his　foot　forward　and　prevented　it　closing。　　〃Massa

Charles；〃　the　negress　called　out；　〃bring　yo'　shot…gun　quick；　here　am

tief　want　to　break　into　the　house。〃



〃I　am　neither　a　thief　nor　a　tramp；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　I　do　not　want

anything；　except　that　I　should　be　glad　to　buy　a　loaf　of　bread　if　you

have　one　that　you　could　spare。　I　have　lost　my　way；　and　I　want　to

ask　directions。〃



〃Dat　am　pretty　likely　story；〃　the　old　woman　said。　〃Bring　up　dat

shot…gun　quick；　Massa　Charles。〃



〃What　is　it；　Chloe？〃　another　female　voice　asked。



〃Here　am　a　man　pretend　he　hab　lost　his　way　and　wants　to　buy　a

loaf。　　You　stand　back；　Miss　Lucy；　and　let　your　broder　shoot　de

villain　dead。〃



〃I　can　assure　you　that　I　am　not　a　robber；　madam；〃　Vincent　said

through　the　partly　opened　door。　　〃I　am　alone；　and　only　beg　some

information；　which　I　doubt　not　you　can　give　me。〃



〃Open　the　door；　Chloe；〃　the　second　voice　said　inside；　〃that　is　not

the　voice　of　a　robber。〃



The　old　woman　reluctantly　obeyed　the　order　and　opened　the　door；

and　Vincent　saw　in　the　passage　a　young　girl　of　some　sixteen　years

old。　　He　took　off　his　hat。



〃I　am　very　sorry　to　disturb　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　an　entire

stranger　here；　and　am　most　desirous　of　crossing　the　river；　but　can

find　no　boat　with　which　to　do　so。〃



〃Why　did　you　not　cross　by　the　bridge？〃　the　girl　asked。　〃How　did

you　miss　the　straight　road？〃



〃Frankly；　because　there　were　Northern　troops　there；〃　Vincent　said；

〃and　I　wish　to　avoid　them　if　possible。〃



〃You　are　a　Confederate？〃　the　girl　asked；　when　the　old　negress

interrupted　her：



〃Hush！　Miss　Lucy；　don't　you　talk　about　dem　tings；　der　plenty　of

mischief　done　already。　　What　hab　you　to　do　wid　one　side　or　do

oder？〃



The　girl　paid　no　attention　to　her　words；　but　stood　awaiting

Vincent's　answer。　　He　did　not　hesitate。　　There　was　something　in

her　face　that　told　him　that；　friend　or　foe；　she　was　not　likely　to

betray　a　fugitive；　and　he　answered：



〃I　am　a　Confederate　officer；　madam。　　I　have　made　my　escape　from

Elmira　prison；　and　am　trying　to　find　my　way　back　into　our　lines。〃



〃Come　in；　sir；〃　the　girl　said；　holding　out　her　hand。　〃We　are

Secessionists；　heart　and　soul。　　My　father　and　my　brother　are　with

our　troops…that　is；　if　they　are　both　alive。　I　have　little　to　offer　you；

for　the　Yankee　bands　have　been　here　several　times；　have　driven　off

our　cattle；　emptied　our　barns；　and　oven　robbed　our　hen…nests；　and

taken　everything　in　the　house　they　thought　worth　carrying　away。　

But　whatever　there　is；　sir；　you　are　heartily　welcome　to。　　I　had　a

paper　yesterday…it　is　not　often　I　get　one…and　I　saw　there　that　three

of　our　officers　had　escaped　from　Elmira。　Are　you　one　of　them？〃



〃Yes；　madam。　　I　am　Lieutenant　Wingfield。〃



〃Ah！　then　you　are　in　the　cavalry。　　You　have　fought　under　Stuart；〃

the　girl　said。　　〃The　paper　said　so。　　Oh；　how　I　wish　we　had　Stuart

and　Stonewall　Jackson　on　this　side！　we　should　soon　drive　the

Yankees　out　of　Tennessee。〃



〃They　would　try　to；　anyhow；〃　Vincent　said；　smiling；　〃and　if　it　were

possible　they　would　assuredly　do　it。　　I　was　in　Ashley's　horse　with

the　Stonewall　division　through　the　first　campaign　in　the

Shenandoah　Valley　and　up　to　Bull　Run；　and　after　that　under　Stuart。　

But　is　not　your　brother　here？　　Your　servant　called　to　him。〃



〃There　is　no　one　here　but　ourselves；〃　the　girl　replied。　〃That　was　a

fiction　of　Chloe's；　and　it　has　succeeded　sometimes　when　we　have

had　rough　visitors。　　And　now　what　can　I　do　for　you；　sir？　　You　said

you　wanted　to　buy　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　therefore；　I　suppose；　you

are　hungry。　　Chloe；　put　the　bacon　and　bread　on　the　table；　and　make

some　coffee。　　I　am　afraid　that　is　all　we　can　do；　sir；　but　such　as　it　is

you　are　heartily　welcome　to　it。〃



〃I　thank　you　greatly；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃and　will；　if　you　will　allow

me；　take　half　my　breakfast　out　to　my　boy　who　is　waiting　over

there。〃



〃Why　did　you　not　bring　him　in？〃　the　girl　asked。　　〃Of　course　he　will

be　welcome　too。〃



〃I　did　not　bring　him　in　before　because　two　men　in　these　days　are

likely　to　alarm　a　lonely　household；　and　I　would　rather　not　bring

him　in　now；　because；　if　by　any　possibility　the　searchers；　who　are

no　doubt　after　me；　should　call　and　ask　you　whether　two　men；　one　a

white　and　the　other　a　negro；　had　been　here；　vou　could　answer　no。〃



〃But　they　cannot　be　troubling　much　about　prisoners；〃　the　girl　said。　

〃Why；　in　the　fighting　here　and　in　Missouri　they　have　taken　many

thousands　of　prisoners；　and　you　have　taken　still　more　of　them　in

Virginia；　surely　they　cannot　trouble　themselves　much　about　one

getting　away。〃



〃I　am　not　afraid　of　a　search　of　that　kind；　Vincent　said；　〃but；

unfortunately；　on　my　way　down　I　had　a　row　in　the　train　with　a

ruffian　named　Mullens；　who　is；　I　understand；　connected　with　one

of　these　bands　of　brigands；　and　I　feel　sure　that　he　will　hunt　me

down　if　he　can。〃



The　girl　turned　pale。



〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃I　saw　that　in　the　paper　too；　but　it　said　that　it　was　a

minister。　　And　it　was　you　who　heat　that　man　and　threw　his　revolver

out　of　the　window？　Oh；　then；　you　are　in　danger　indeed；　sir。　　He　is

one　of　the　worst　ruffians　in　the　State；　and　is　the　leader　of　the　party

who　stripped　this　house　and　threatened　to　burn　it　to　the　ground。

Luckily　I　was　not　at　home；　having　gone　away　to　spend　the　night

with　a　neighbor。　　His　band　have　committed　murders　all　over　the

country；　hanging　up　defenseless　people　on　pretense　that　they　were

Secessionists。　　They　will　show　you　no　mercy　if　they　catch　you。〃



〃No。　　I　should　not　expect　any　great　mercy　if　I　fell　into　their　hands；

Miss　Lucy。　　I　don't　know　your　other　name。〃



〃My　name　is　Kingston。　　I　ought　to　have　introduced　myself　to　you　at

once。〃



〃Now　you　understand；　Miss　Kingston；　how　anxious　I　am　to　get

across　the　river；　and　that　brings　me　to　the　question　of　the

information　I　want　you　to　give　me。　　How　far　is　it　from　the　next

bridge　on　the　south；　and　are　there　any　Federal　troops　there？〃



〃It　is　about　seven　miles　to　the　hridge　at　William　sport；　we　are　just

halfway　between　that　and　the　railway　bridge　at　Columbus。　　Yes；

there　are　certainly　troops　there…〃



〃Then　I　see　no　way　for　it　but　to　make　a　small　raft　to　carry　us

across；　Miss　Kingston。　　I　am　a　good　swimmer；　but　the　river　is　full

and　of　considerable　width；　still；　I　think　I　can　get　across。　　But　my

boy　cannot　swim　a　stroke。〃



〃I　know　where　there　is　a　boat　hid　in　the　wood　near　the　river；〃　the

girl　said。　　〃It　belongs　to　a　neighbor　of　ours；　and　when　the　Yankees

seized　the　boats　he　had　his　hauled　up　and　hidden　in　the　woods。　　He

was　a　Southerner；　heart　and　soul；　and　thought　that　he　might　be　able

sometimes　to　take　useful　information　across　the　river　to　our

people；　but　a　few　weeks　afterward　his　house　was　attacked　by　one

of　these　bands…it　was　always　said　it　was　that　of　Mullens…and　he

was　killed　defending　it　to　the　last。　　He　killed　several　of　the　band

before　he　fell；　and　they　were　so　enraged　that　after　plundering　it

they　set　it　on　fire　and　fastened　the　door；　and　his　wife　and　two

maid…servants　were　burned　to　death。〃



〃I　wish　instead　of　throwing　his　pistol　out　of　the　window　I　had

blown　his　brains　out　with　it；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　I　would　have　done

so　if　I　had　known　what　sort　of　fellow　he　was。　　However；　as　to　the

boat；　can　you　give　me　instructions　where　to　find　it；　and　is　it　light

enough　for　two　men　to　carry？〃



〃Not　to　carry；　perhaps；　but　to　push　along。　　It　is　a　light　boat　he　had

for　pleasure。　　He　had　a　large　one；　but　that　was　carried　away　with

the　others。　　I　cannot　give　you　directions；　but　I　can　lead　you　to　the

place。〃



〃I　should　not　like　you　to　do　that；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃We　might　he

caught；　and　your　share　in　the　affair　might　be　suspected。〃



〃Oh！　there　is　no　fear　of　that；〃　the　girl　said；　〃besides；　I　am　not　afraid

of　danger。〃



〃I　don't　think　it　is　right；　Miss　Kingston；　for　a　young　lady　like　you　to

be　living　here　alone　with　an　old　servant　in　such　times　as　these。　

You　ought　to　go　into　a　town　until　it's　all　over。〃　



〃I　have　no　one　to　go　to；〃　the　girl　said　stmply。　　〃My　father　bought

this　place　and　moved　here　from　Georgia　only　six　years　ago；　and　all

my　friends　are　in　that　State。　　Except　our　neighbors　round　here　I　do

not　know　a　soul　in　Tennessee。　　Besides；　what　can　I　do　in　a　town？

We　can　manage　here；　because　we　have　a　few　fowls；　and　some　of

our　neighbors　last　spring　plowed　an　acre　or　two　of　ground　and

planted　corn　for　us；　and　I　have　a　little　money　left　for　buying　other

things；　but　it　would　not　last　us　a　month　if　we　went　into　a　town。　

No；　I　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　stay　here　until　you　drive　the

Yankees　back。　　I　will　willingly　take　you　down　to　the　boat　to…night。　

Chloe　can　come　with　us　and　keep　me　company　on　the　way　back。　

Of　course　it　would　not　be　safe　to　cross　in　the　daytime。〃



〃I　thank　you　greatly；　Miss　Kingston；　and　shall　always　remember

your　kindness。　　Now；　when　I　finish　my　meal　I　will　go　out　and　join

my　boy；　and　will　come　for　you　at　eight　o'clock；　it　will　be　quite

dark　then。〃



〃Why　should　you　not　stay　here　till　then；　Mr。　Wingfield？　It　is　very

unlikely　that　any　one　will　come　along。〃



〃It　is　unlikely；　but　it　is　quite　possible；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃and　were　I

caught