with lee in virginia-第42章

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〃You　don't　say！〃　the　farmer　exclaimed。　　〃Well；　I　should　have　gone

out　myself　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Jane　and　the　children。　　But　there　are

such　a　lot　of　them　that　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　run　the　chance

of　leaving　them　all　on　her　hands。　　Still；　I　am　with　them　heart　and

soul。〃



〃Your　wife's　sister　told　me　that　you　were　on　the　right　side；〃

Vincent　said；　〃and　that　I　could　trust　you　altogether。〃



〃Now；　if　you　tell　me　which　road　you　want　to　go；　I　don't　mind　if　I

get　on　my　horse　to…morrow　and　ride　with　you　a　stage；　and　see　you

put　for　the　night。　　I　know　a　heap　of　people；　and　I　am　sure　to　be

acquainted　with　some　one　whichever　road　you　may　go。　　We　are

pretty　near　all　the　right　side　about　here；　though；　as　you　get　further

on；　there　are　lots　of　Northern　men。　　Now；　what　are　your　ideas　as　to

the　roads？〃



Vincent　told　him　the　route　he　intended　to　take。



〃You　ought　to　get　through　there　right　enough；〃　the　farmer　said。　

〃There　are　some　Yankee　troops　moving　about　to　the　west　of　the

river；　but　not　many　of　them；　and　oven　if　you　fell　in　with　them；　with

your　cargo　of　stuff　they　would　not　suspect　you。　　Anyhow；　I　expect

we　can　get　you　passed　down　so　as　always　to　be　among　friends。　　So

you　fought　under　Jackson　and　Stuart；　did　you？　Ah；　they　have　done

well　in　Virginia！　　I　only　wish　we　bad　such　men　here。　　What　made

you　take　those　two　darkies　along　with　you？　I　should　have　thought

you　would　have　got　along　better　by　yourself。〃



〃We　Couldn't　very　well　leave　them；〃　Vincent　said；　〃the　boy　has

been　with　me　all　through　the　wars；　and　is　as　true　as　steel。　　Old

Chloe　was　Lucy's　nurse；　and　would　have　broken　her　heart　had　she

been　left　behind。〃



〃They　are　faithful　creatures　when　they　are　well　treated。　Mighty

few　of　them　have　run　away　all　this　time　from　their　masters；　though

in　the　parts　the　Yankees　hold　there　is　nothing　to　prevent　their

bolting　if　they　have　a　mind　to　it。　I　haven't　got　no　niggers　myself。　　I

tried　them；　but　they　want　more　looking　after　than　they　are　worth；

and　I　can　make　a　shift　with　my　boys　to　help　me；　and　hiring　a　hand

in　busy　times　to　work　the　farm。　　Now；　sir；　what　do　you　think　of　the

look…out？〃



The　subject　of　the　war　fairly　started；　his　host　talked　until　midnight；

long　before　which　hour　Lucy　and　the　farmer's　wife　had　gone　off　to

bed。



〃We　will　start　as　soon　as　it　is　light；〃　the　farmer　said；　as　he　and

Vincent　stretched　themselves　upon　the　heap　of　straw　covered　with

blankets　that　was　to　serve　as　their　bed；　Chloe　having　hours　before

gone　up　to　share　the　bed　of　the　negro　girl　who　assisted　the　farmer's

wife　in　her　management　of　the　house　and　children。



〃It's　best　to　get　through　Camden　before　people　are　about。　　There

are　Yankee　soldiers　at　the　bridge；　but　it　will　be　all　right　you

driving　in；　however　early；　to　sell　your　stuff。　　Going　out　you　ain't

likely　to　meet　with　Yankees；　but　as　it　would　look　queer；　you　taking

your　garden　truck　out　of　the　town；　it's　just　as　well　to　be　on　the　road

before　people　are　about。　　Once　you　get　five　or　six　miles　the　other

side　you　might　be　going　to　the　next　place　to　sell　your　stuff。〃



〃That　is　just　what　I　have　been　thinking；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　I　agree

with　you　the　earlier　we　get　through　Camden　the　better。〃



Accordingly　as　soon　as　daylight　appeared　the　horso　was　put　in　tbe

cart；　the　farmer　mounting　his　own　animal；　and　with　a　hearty

good…by　from　his　wife　the　party　started　away。　　The　Yankee

sentinels　at　each　end　of　the　bridge　were　passed　without　questions；

for　early　as　it　was　the　carts　were　coming　in　with　farm　produce。　　As

yet　the　streets　of　the　town　were　almost　deserted；　and　the　farmer；

who　before　starting　had　tossed　a　tarpaulin　into　the　back　of　the　cart；

said：



〃Now；　pull　that　over　all　that　stuff；　and　then　any　one　that　meets　us

will　think　that　you　are　taking　out　bacon　and　groceries　and　such　like

for　some　store　way　off。〃



This　suggestion　was　carried　out；　and　Camden　was　soon　left

behind。　　A　few　carts　were　met　as　they　drove　along。　The　farmer

knew　some　of　the　drivers　and　pulled　up　to　say　a　few　words　to

them。　　After　a　twenty…mile　drive　they　stopped　at　another　farm；

where　their　friend's　introduction　ensured　them　as　cordial　a

welcome　as　that　upon　the　preceding　evening。　　So　step　by　step　they

journeyed　on；　escorted　in　almost　every　case　by　their　host　of　the

night　before　and　meeting　with　no　interruption。　　Once　they　passed　a

strong　body　of　Federal　cavalry；　but　these　supposing　that　the　party

belonged　to　the　neighborhood　asked　no　questions；　and　at　last；　after

eight　days'　traveling；　they　passed　two　posts　which　marked　the

boundary　between　Tennessee　and　Alabama。



For　the　last　two　days　they　had　been　beyond　the　point　to　which　the

Federal　troops　had　penetrated。　　They　now　felt　that　all　risk　was　at

an　end。　　Another　day's　journey　brought　them　to　a　railwaystation；

and　they　learned　that　the　trains　were　running　as　usual；　although

somewhat　irregular　as　to　the　hours　at　which　they　came　along　or　as

to　the　time　they　took　upon　their　journey。　　The　contents　of　the　cart

had　been　left　at　the　farm　at　which　they　stopped　the　night　before；

and　Vincent　had　now　no　difficulty　in　disposing　of　the　horse　and

cart；　as　he　did　not　stand　out　for　price；　but　took　the　first　offer　made。　

Two　hours　later　a　train　came　along；　and　the　party　were　soon　on

their　way　to　the　east。　After　many　hours'　traveling　they　reached

Rome；　in　Georgia；　and　then　proceeded　by　the　southern　line　a　few

miles　to　Macon；　at　which　place　they　alighted　and　hired　a

conveyance　to　take　them　to　Antioch；　near　which　place　Lucy's

relatives　resided。



The　latter　part　of　the　journey　by　rail　had　been　a　silent　one。　　Lucy

felt　none　of　the　pleasure　that　she　had　expected　at　finding　herself

safely　through　her　dangers　and　upon　the　point　of　joining　relations

who　would　be　delighted　to　see　her；　and　she　sat　looking　blankly　out

of　the　window　at　the　surrounding　country。　　At　last　Vincent；　who

had　been　half　an　hour　without　speaking；　said。



Are　you　sorry　our　journey　is　just　over；　Lucy　？〃



The　girl's　lip　quivered；　but　she　did　not　speak　for　a　moment。　　〃Of

course　it　is　unpleasant　saying　good…by　when　people　have　been

together　for　some　time；〃　she　said　with　an　effort。



〃I　hope　it　will　not　be　good…by　for　long；〃　he　said。　　〃I　shall　he　back

here　as　soon　as　this　horrible　war　is　over。〃



〃What　for？〃　the　girl　asked；　looking　round　in　surprise。　〃You　live　a

long　way　from　here；　and　you　told　me　you　knew　nobody　in　these

parts。〃



I　know　you；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　that　is　quite　enough。　Do　you　not

know　that　I　love　you？〃



The　girl　gave　a　start　of　surprise；　her　cheek　flushed；　but　her　eyes　did

not　drop　as　she　looked　frankly　at　him。



〃No；　Vin；〃　she　said　after　a　pause；　〃I　never　once　thought　you　loved

me；　never　once。　　You　have　not　been　a　bit　like　what　I　thought

people　were　when　they　felt　like　that。〃



〃I　hope　not；　Lucy。　　I　was　your　protector　then；　that　is　to　say　when

you　were　not　mine。　　Your　position　has　been　trying　enough；　and　I

should　have　been　a　blackguard　if　I　had　made　it　more

uncomfortable　than　it　was　by　showing　you　that　I　cared　for　you。　　I

have　tried　my　best　to　be　what　people　thought　me…your　brother；　but

now　that　you　are　just　home　and　among　your　own　people；　I　think　I

may　speak　and　tell　you　how　I　feel　toward　you　and　how　I　have

loved　you　since　the　moment　I　first　saw　you。　　And　you；　Lucy；　do

you　think　you　could　care　for　me？〃



〃Not　more　than　I　do　now；　Vin。　　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart。　　I　have

been　trying　so　hard　to　believe　that　I　didn't；　because　I　thought　you

did　not　care　for　me　that　way。〃



For　some　minutes　no　further　word　was　spoken。　　Vin　cent　was　the

first　to　speak：



〃It　is　horrid　to　have　to　sit　here　in　this　stiff；　unnatural　way；　Lucy；

when　one　is　inclined　to　do　something　outrageous　from　sheer

happiness。　　These　long；　open　cars；　where　people　can　see　from　end

to　end　what　every　one　is　doing；　are　hateful　inventions。　　It　is

perfectly　absurd；　when　one　finds　one's　self　the　happiest　fellow

living；　that　one　is　obliged　to　look　as　demure　and　solemn　as　if　one

was　in　church。〃



〃Then　you　should　have　waited；　sir；〃　the　girl　said。



〃I　meant　to　have　waited；　Lucy；　until　I　got　to　your　home；　but

directly　I　felt　that　there　was　no　longer　any　harm　in　my　speaking；

out　it　came；　but　it's　very　hard　to　have　to　wait　for　hours　perhaps。〃



〃To　wait　for　what？〃　Lucy　asked　demurely。



〃You　must　wait　for　explanations　until　we　are　alone；　Lucy。　　And

now　I　think　the　train　begins　to　slacken；　and　it　is　the　next　station　at

which　we　get　out。〃



〃I　think；　Lucy；〃　Vincent　said；　when　they　approached　the　house　of

her　relatives；　〃you　and　Chloe　had　better　get　out　end　go　in　by

yourselves　and　tell　your　story。　　Dan　and　I　will　go　to　the　inn；　and　I

will　come　round　in　an　hour。　　If　we　were　to　walk　in　together　like

this　it　would　be　next　to　impossible　for　you　to　explain　how　it　all

came　about。〃



〃I　think　that　would　be　the　best　plan。　　My　two　aunts　are　the　kindest

creatures　possible；　but　no　doubt　they　will　be　bewildered　at　seeing

me　so　suddenly。　　I　do　think　it　would　be　best　to　let　me　have　a　talk

with　them　and　tell　them　all　about　it　before　you　appear　upon　the

scene。〃



〃Very　well；　then；　in　an　hour　I　will　come　in。



When　they　arrived　at　the　gate；　therefore；　Vincent　helped　Lucy　and

Chloe　to　alight；　and　then　jumping　into　the　buggy　again　told　the

driver　to　take　him　to　the　inn。



Having　engaged　a　room　and　indulged　in　a　thorough　wash　Vincent

sallied　out　into　the　little　town；　and　was　fortunate　enough　to

succeed　in　purchasing　a　suit　of　tweed　clothes；　which；　although

they　scarcely　fitted　him　as　if　they　had　been　made　for　him；　were

still　an　immense　improvement　upon　the　rough　clothes　in　which　he

had　traveled。　　Returning　to　the　hotel　he　put　on　his　new　purchases；

and　then　walked　to　the　house　of　Lucy's　aunts；　which　was　a　quarter

of　a　mile　outside　the　town。



Lucy　had　walked　up　the　little　path　through　the　garden　in　front　of

the　house；　and　turning　the　handle　of　the　door　had　entered

unannounced　and　walked　straight　into　the　parlor。　　Two　elderly

ladies　rose　with　some　surprise　at　the　entry　of　a　strange　visitor。　　It

was　three　years　since　she　had　paid　her　last　visit　there；　and　for　a

moment　they　did　not　recognize　her。



〃Don't　you　know　me；　aunts？〃



〃Why；　goodness　me！〃　the　eldest　exclaimed；　〃if　it　isn't　our　little

Lucy　grown　into　a　woman！　My　dear　child；　where　have　you　sprung

from？〃　And　the　two　ladies　warmly　embraced　their　niece；　who；　as

soon　as　they　released　her　from　their　arms；　burst　into　a　fit　of　crying；

and　it　was　some　time　before　she　could　answer　the　questions

showered　upon　her。



〃It　is　nothing；　aunts；〃　she　said　at　last；　wiping　her　eyes；　〃but　I　am　so

glad　to　be　with　you　again；　and　I　have　gone　through　so　much；　and　I

am　so　happy；　and　it　is　so　nice　being　with　you　again。　　Here　is　Chloe

waiting　to　speak　to　you；　aunts。　　She　has　come　with　me　all　the

way。〃



The　old　negress；　who　had　been　waiting　in　the　passage；　was　now

calle