with lee in virginia-第43章

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way。〃



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

called　in。



〃Why；　Chloe；　you　look　no　older　than　when　you　went　away　from

here　six　years　ago；〃　Miss　Kingston　said。　　〃But　how　ever　did　you

both　get　through　the　lines？　　We　have　been　terribly　anxious　ahout

you。　　Your　brother　was　here　only　a　fortnight　ago；　and　he　and　your

father　were　in　a　great　way　about　you；　and　reproached　themselves

bitterly　that　they　did　not　send　you　to　us　before　the　troubles　began；

which　certainly　would　have　been　a　wiser　step；　as　I　told　them。　　Of

course　your　brother　said　that　when　they　left　you　to　join　the　army

they　had　no　idea　that　matters　were　going　so　far；　or　that　the

Yankees　would　drive　us　out　of　Tennessee；　or　they　would　never

have　dreamed　of　leaving　you　alone。　　However；　here　you　are；　so

now　tell　me　all　about　it。〃



Lucy　told　the　story　of　the　various　visits　of　the　Federal

bushwhackers　to　the　house；　and　how　they　had　narrowly　escaped

death　for　refusing　to　betray　the　Confederate　officer　who　had　come

to　the　house　for　food。　　Her　recital　was　frequently　interrupted　by

exclamations　of　indignation　and　pity　from　her　aunts。



〃Well；　aunts；　after　that；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　see　it　was　impossible

for　me　to　stop　there　any　longer。　　No　doubt　they　came　back　again　a

few　hours　afterward　and　burned　the　house；　and　had　I　been　found

there　I　should　have　been　sure　to　be　burned　in　it；　so　Chloe　agreed

with　me　that　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　try　and　get　through　the

lines　and　come　to　you。　　There　was　no　way　of　my　getting　my　living

at　Nashville　except　by　going　out　as　a　help；　and　there　might　have

been　some　difficulties　about　that。〃



〃Quite　right；　my　dear。　　It　was　clearly　the　best　thing　for　you　to　come

to　us…indeed；　the　only　thing。　　But　how　in　the　world　did　you　two

manage　to　travel　alone　all　that　distance　and　get　through　the　Federal

lines？〃



〃You　see；　we　were　not　alone；　aunts；〃　Lucy　said；　〃the　Confederate

officer　and　his　servant　were　coming　through；　and　of　course　they

took　care　of　us。　　We　could　never　have　got　through　alone；　and　as

Chloe　was　with　me　we　got　on　very　nicely；　hut　we　have　been　a　long

time　getting　through；　for　in　that　fight；　where　he　saved　my　life　and

killed　five　of　the　band；　he　had　his　shoulder　broken　by　a　pistol

bullet；　and　we　had　to　stop　in　a　farmhouse　near　Mount　Pleasant；

and　he　was　very　ill　for　some　time；　but　the　doctor　who　attended　him

was　a　true　Southerner；　and　so　we　were　quite　safe　till　he　was　able　to

move　again。〃



〃And　who　is　this　officer；　Lucy？〃　Miss　Kingston　asked　rather

anxiously。



〃He　is　a　Virginian　gentleman；　auntie。　　His　mother　has　large　estates

near　Richmond。　　He　was　in　the　cavalry　with　Stuart；　and　was　made

prisoner　while　he　was　lying　wounded　and　insensible；　at　Antietam；

and　I　think；　auntie；　that　that…〃　and　she　hesitated…〃　some　day　we　are

going　to　be　married。〃



Oh；　that's　it；　is　it？〃　the　old　lady　said　kindly。　　〃Well；　I　can't　say

anything　about　that　until　I　see　him；　Lucy。　Now　tell　us　the　whole

story；　and　then　we　shall　be　better　able　to　judge　about　it。　　I　don't

think；　my　dear；　that　while　you　were　traveling　under　his　protection

he　ought　to　have　talked　to　you　about　such　things。〃



〃He　didn't；　auntie；　not　until　we　were　half　a　mile　from　the　station

here。　　I　never　thought　he　cared　for　me　the　least　bit；　he　was　just　like

a　brother　to　me…just　like　what　Jack　would　have　been　if　he　had　been

bringing　me　here。〃



〃That's　right；　my　dear；　I　am　glad　to　hear　it。　　Now；　let　us　hear　all

about　it。〃



Lucy　told　the　whole　story　of　her　escape　and　her　adventures；　and

when　she　had　finished　her　aunts　nodded　to　each　other。



〃That's　all　very　satisfactory；　Lucy。　　It　was　a　difficult　position　to　be

placed　in；　though　I　don't　see　how　it　was　to　be　avoided；　and　the

young　man　really　seems　to　have　hehaved　very　well。　　Don't　you

think　so；　Ada？〃　The　younger　Miss　Kingston　agreed；　and　both　were

prepared　to　receive　Vincent　with　cordiality　when　he　appeared



The　hour　had　been　considerably　exceeded　when　Vincent　came　to

the　door。　　He　felt　it　rather　an　awkward　moment　when　he　was

ushered　into　the　presence　of　Lucy's　aunts；　who　could　scarcely

restrain　an　exclamation　of　surprise　at　his　youth；　for　although　Lucy

had　said　nothing　about　his　age；　they　expected　to　meet　an　older

man；　the　impression　being　gained　from　the　recital　of　his　bravery　in

attacking　singlehanded　twelve　men；　and　by　the　manner　in　which　he

had　piloted　the　party　through　their　dangers。



We　are　very　glad　to　see　you…my　sister　Ada　and　myself；〃　Miss

Kingston　said；　shaking　hands　cordially　with　their　visitor。　　〃Lucy

has　been　telling　us　all　about　you；　but　we　certainly　expected　from

what　you　had　gone　through　that　you　were　older。〃



〃I　am　two　or　three　years　older　than　she　is；　Miss　Kingston；　and　I

have　gone　through　so　much　in　the　last　three　years　that　I　feel　older

than　I　am。　　She　has　told　you；　I　hope；　that　she　has　been　good　enough

to　promise　to　be　my　wife　some　day？〃



〃Yes；　she　has　told　us　that；　Mr。　Wingfield；　and　although　we　don't

know　you　personally；　we　feel　sure…my　sister　Ada　and　I…from　what

she　has　told　us　of　your　behavior　while　you　have　been　together　that

you　are　an　honorable　gentleman；　and　we　hope　and　believe　that　you

will　make　her　happy。〃



〃I　will　do　my　best　to　do　so；〃　Vincent　said　earnestly。　〃As　to　my

circumstances；　I　shall　in　another　year　come　into　possession　of

estates　sufficient　to　keep　her　in　every　comfort。〃



〃I　have　no　doubt　that　that　is　all　satisfactory；　Mr。　Wingfield；　and

that　her　father　will　give　his　hearty　approval　when　he　hears　all　the

circumstances　of　the　case。　　Now；　if　you　will　go　into　the　next　room；

Mr。　Wingfield；　I　will　call　her　down〃…for　Lucy　bad　run　upstairs

when　she　heard　Vincent　knock。



〃I　dare　say　you　will　like　a　quiet　talk　together；〃　she　added　smiling；

〃for　she　tells　me　you　have　never　been　alone　together　since　you

started。〃



Lucy　required　several　calls　before　she　came　down。　A　new　shyness

such　as　she　had　never　before　felt　bad　seized　her；　and　it　was　with

flushed　cheeks　and　timid　steps　that　she　at　last　came　downstairs；

and　it　needed　an　encouraging…〃　Go　in；　you　silly　child；　your　lover

will　not　eat　you；〃　before　she　turned　the　handle　and　went　into　the

room　where　Vincent　was　expecting　her。



Vincent　had　telegraphed　from　the　first　station　at　which　he　arrived

within　the　limits　of　the　Confederacy　to　his　mother；　announcing　his

safe　arrival　there；　and　asking　her　to　send　money　to　him　at　Antioch。　

Her　letter　in　reply　reached　him　three　days　after　his　arrival。　　It

contained　notes　for　the　amount　he　wrote　for；　and　while　expressing

her　own　and　his　sisters'　delight　at　hearing　he　had　safely　reached　the

limits　of　the　Confederacy；　she　expressed　not　a　little　surprise　at　the

out…of…the…way　place　to　which　he　had　requested　the　money　to　be

sent。



〃We　have　been　examining　the　maps；　my　dear　boy；〃　she　said；　〃and

find　that　it　is　seventy　or　eighty　miles　out　of　your　direct　course；　and

we　have　puzzled　ourselves　in　vain　as　to　why　you　should　have　made

your　way　there。　　The　girls　guess　that　you　have　gone　there　to　deliver

in　person　some　message　from　one　of　your　late　fellow…prisoners　to

his　family。　　I　am　not　good　at　guessing；　and　am　content　to　wait　until

you　return　home。　　We　hope　that　you　will　leave　as　soon　as　you　get

the　remittance。　　We　shall　count　the　hours　until　we　see　you。　　Of

course　we　learned　from　a　Yankee　paper　smuggled　through　the

lines　that　you　had　escaped　from　prison；　and　have　been　terribly

anxious　about　you　ever　since。　　We　are　longing　to　hear　your

adventures。〃



A　few　hours　after　the　receipt　of　this　letter　Vincent　was　on　his　way

home。　　It　was　a　long　journey。　　The　distance　was　considerable；　and

the　train　service　greatly　disordered　and　unpunctual。　　When　within　a

few　hours　of　Richmond　he　telegraphed；　giving　the　approximate

time　at　which　he　might　be　expected　to　arrive。　　The　train；　however；

did　not　reach　Richmond　until　some　hours　later。　　The　carriage　was

waiting　at　the　station；　and　the　negro　coachman　shouted　with

pleasure　at　the　sight　of　his　young　master。



〃Missis　and　the　young　ladies　come；　sah；　but　de　station…master　he

say　do　train　no　arrive　for　a　long　time；　so　dey　wait　for　you　at　de

town　house；　sah。〃



Dan　jumped　up　beside　the　coachman　and　Vincent　leaped　into　the

carriage；　and　a　few　minutes　later　he　was　locked　in　the　arms　of　his

mother　and　sisters。



〃You　grow　bigger　and　bigger；　Vincent；〃　his　mother　said　after　the

first　greeting　was　over。　　〃I　　thought　you　must　have　done　when　you

went　away　last；　but　you　are　two　or　three　inches　taller　and　ever　so

much　wider。〃



〃I　think　I　have　nearly　done　now；　mother…anyhow　as　to　height。　　I　am

about　six　feet　one。〃



〃You　are　a　dreadful　trouble　to　us；　Vincent；〃　Annie　said。　　〃We　have

awful　anxiety　whenever　we　hear　of　a　battle　being　fought；　and　it

was　almost　a　relief　to　us　when　we　heard　that　you　were　in　a　Yankee

prison。　　We　thought　at　least　you　were　out　of　danger　for　some　time；

but　since　the　news　came　of　your　escape　it　has　been　worse　than

ever；　and　as　week　passed　after　week　without　our　hearing　any'　thing

of　you　we　began　to　fear　that　something　terrible　had　happened　to

you。〃



〃Nothing　terrible　has　happened　at　all；　Annie。　　The　only　mishap　I

had　was　getting　a　pistol　bullet　in　my　shoulder　which　laid　me　up　for

about　six　weeks。　　There　was　nothing　very　dreadful　about　it；〃　he

continued；　as　exclamations　of　alarm　and　pity　broke　from　his

mother　and　sister。　　〃I　was　well　looked　after　and　nursed。　　And　now　I

will　tell　you　my　most　important　piece　of　news；　and　then　I　will　give

you　a　full　account　of　my　adventures　from　the　time　when　Dan　got

me　out　of　prison；　for　it　is　entirely　to　him　that　I　owe　my　liberty。〃



〃Well；　what　is　the　piece　of　news？〃　Annie　asked。



〃Guess！〃　Vincent　replied　smiling。



〃You　have　got　promoted？〃　his　mother　said。　　He　shook　his　head。



〃Is　it　about　a　lady？〃　Annie　asked。



Vincent　smiled。



〃Oh；　Vincent；　you　are　not　engaged　to　be　married！　That　would　be

too　ridiculous！〃　　Vincent　laughed　and　nodded。



〃Annie　is　right；　mother；　I　am　engaged　to　be　married。〃　Mrs。

Wingfield　looked　grave；　Rosie　laughed；　and　Annie　threw　her　arms

round　his　neck　and　kissed　him。



〃You　dear；　silly　old　boy：〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　glad；　though　it　seems　so

ridiculous。　　Who　is　she；　and　what　is　she　like？〃



〃We　needn't　ask　where　she　lives；〃　Rosie　said。　　〃Of　course　it　is　in

Antioch；　though　bow　in　the　world　you　managed　it　all　in　the　two　or

three　days　you　were　there　I　can't　make　out。〃



Mrs。　Wingfield's　brow　cleared。　　〃At　any　rate；　in　that　case；　Vincent；

she　is　a　Southerner。　　I　was　afraid　at　first　it　was　some　Yankee

woman　who　had　perhaps　sheltered　you　on　your　way。〃



〃Is　she　older　than　you；　Vincent？　Annie　asked　suddenly。　〃I　shouldn't

like　her　to　be　older　than　you　are。〃



〃She　is　between　sixteen　and　seventeen；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃and　she

is　a　Southern　girl；　mother；　and　I　am　sure　you　will　love　her；　for　she

saved　my　life　at　the　risk　of　her　own；　besi