with lee in virginia-第62章

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Ten　minutes　after　passing　the　ship　he　exclaimed　sharply：



〃Row；　Tony；　as　hard　as　you　can；　the　launch　has　just　passed　that

ship；　and　has　changed　her　course。　　I　expect　the　captain　has　called

their　attention　to　us。　　It's　a　race　now。〃



The　boat；　at　the　moment　the　launch　changed　her　course；　was　rather

more　than　halfway　between　the　center　of　the　channel　and　the

shore。　　The　launch　was　in　the　center　of　the　channel；　and

three…quarters　of　a　mile　higher　up。　　She　had　evidently　put　on　steam

as　she　started　to　cut　off　the　boat；　for　there　was　now　a　white　wave　at

her　bow。



〃I　think　we　shall　do　it；　Tony；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃I　don't　suppose　she

can　go　above　eight　miles　an　hour　and　we　are　certainly　going　four；

and　she　has　more　than　twice　as　far　to　travel　as　we　have。〃



Those　on　board　the　launch　were　evidently　conscious　that　they　were

likely　to　lose　the　race；　for　in　a　few　minutes　they　began　to　open　fire

with　their　rifles。



〃Fire　away；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃You　ain't　likely　to　hit　us　a　thousand

yards　off；　and　we　haven't　another　three　hundred　to　row。〃



The　bullets　whistled　overhead；　but　none　of　them　struck　the　water

within　many　yards　of　the　boat；　and　the　launch　was　still　four　or　five

hundred　yards　away　when　the　bow　of　the　boat　touched　the　shore。　

Several　muskets　were　discharged　as　Vincent　and　Tony　leaped　out

and　plunged　into　the　bushes　that　came　down　to　the　water's　edge。　

The　launch　sent　up　a　sharp　series　of　whistles；　and　random　shots

were　for　some　time　fired　into　the　bushes。



〃It　is　lucky　she　didn't　carry　a　small　gun　in　her　bow；〃　Vincent　said；

〃for　though　seven　or　eight　hundred　yards　is　a　long　range　for　a　rifle；

they　might　likely　enough　have　hit　us　if　they　had　had　a　gun。　　Now；

Tony；　we　shall　have　to　be　careful；　for　those　whistles　are　no　doubt

meant　as　an　alarm；　and　although　she　cannot　tell　who　we　are；　she

will　probably　steam　up；　and　if　they　have　any　force　opposite

Burmuda　will　give　them　news　that　two　suspicious　characters　have

landed；　and　they　will　have　parties　out　to　look　for　us。〃



〃Dey　can　look　as　long　as　dey　like；　sah。　　Ef　dose　slave…hunters　can't

find　people　in　de　swamps　what　chance　you　tink　dose　soldiers

have？　None　at　all。　　Dey　haven't　got　no　reward　before　dere　eyes；　and

dey　won't　want　to　be　going　in　ober　dere　shoes　into　de　mud　and

dirting　dere　uniforms。　No　fear　ob　dem；　sah。　　Dey　make　as　much

noise　when　dey　march　in　do　wood　as　a　drove　oh　pigs。　　You　can

hear　dem　a　quarter　ob　a　mile　away。〃



They　tramped　on　through　the　woods　through　which　McClellan's

force　had　so　painfully　made　their　way　during　their　first　advance

against　Richmond。　　From　time　to　time　they　could　hear　noises　in　the

forest…shouts；　and　once　or　twice　the　discharge　of　firearms。



〃Dey　call　dat　hunting；　1　s'pose；〃　Tony　said　scornfully。



They　kept　steadily　on　until　it　began　to　grow　dark　in　the　forest。　

They　were　now　in　the　White　Oak　Swamp　and　not　eight　miles　from

Richmond；　and　they　thought　it　better　to　pause　until　it　became　quite

dark；　for　they　might　be　picked　up　by　any　raiding　party　of　cavalry。　

Vincent　was　in　high　spirits。　　Now；　that　he　had　succeeded　in　his

enterprise；　and　had　escaped　almost　by　a　miracle；　he　was　eager　to

get　back　to　Richmond　and　carry　his　news　down　to　General　Lee。

Tony　was　even　more　anxious　to　push　on。　　At　last；　after　three　years'

absence；　he　was　to　see　his　wife　and　child　again；　and　he　reluctantly

agreed　to　Vincent's　proposal　for　a　halt。



We　sha'n't　stop　very　long；　Tony；　and　I　own　I　am　waiting　quite　as

much　because　I　am　hungry　and　want　to　eat；　and　because　I　am

desperately　tired；　as　from　any　fear　of　the　enemy。　　We　walked

twenty　miles　last　night　from　Union　Grove　to　the　river；　then　I

walked　to　the　boat；　back　to　the　farm　and　then　back　to　the　boat

again…that's　three　more　miles…and　we　have　gone　another　twenty

now。　　I　am　pretty　nearly　dead　beat；　I　can　tell　you。〃



〃I'se　tired　too；　sah；　but　I　feel　I　could　go　on　walking　all　night　if　I

was　to　see　Dinah　in　do　morning。〃



〃Well；　I　couldn't；　Tony；　not　to　see　any　one。　　I　might　be　willing

enough；　but　my　legs　wouldn't　take　me。〃



They　ate　a　hearty　meal；　and　almost　as　soon　as　they　had　finished

Vincent　stood　up　again。



〃Well；　Tony；　I　can　feel　for　your　impatience；　and　so　we　will

struggle　on。　　I　have　just　been　thinking　that　when　I　last　left　my

mother　a　week　since　she　said　she　was　thinking　of　going　out　to　the

Orangery　for　a　month　before　the　leaves　fell；　so　it　is　probable　that

she　may　be　there　now。　　It　is　only　about　the　same　distance　as　it　is　to

Richmond；　so　we　will　go　straight　there。　　I　shall　lose　a　little　time；　of

course；　but　I　can　be　driven　over　to　Richmond；　so　it　won't　be　too

much。　　Besides；　I　can　put　on　a　pair　of　slippers。　　That　will　be　a

comfort；　for　my　feet　feel　as　if　they　were　in　vises。　　A　cup　of　tea

won't　be　a　bad　thing；　too。〃



During　their　walk　through　the　wood　Vincent　had　related　the

circumstances　of　the　carrying　away　of　Dinah　and　of　her　rescue。　

When　he　had　finished　Tony　had　said：



〃Well；　Massa　Wingfield；　I　don't　know　what　to　say　to　you。　　I　tought

I　owed　you　enuff　before；　but　it　war　nothing　to　dis。　　Just　to　tink　dat

you　should　take　all　dat　pains　to　fetch　Dinah　back　for　me。　　I　dunno

how　it　came　to　you　to　do　it。　　It　seems　to　me　like　as　if　you　been　sent

special　from　heben　to　do　dis　poor　nigger　good。　　Words　ain't　no

good；　sah；　but　of　I　could　give　my　life　away　a　hundred　times　for　you

I　would　do　it。〃



It　took　them　nearly　three　hours'　walking　before　they　came　in　sight

of　the　Orangery。



〃There　are　lights　in　the　windows；〃　Vincent　said。　〃Thank　goodness

they　are　there。〃



Vincent　limped　slowly　along　until　he　reached　the　house。



〃You　stay　out　here；　Tony。　　I　will　send　Dinah　out　to　you　directly。　　It

will　be　better　for　her　to　meet　you　here　alone。〃



Vincent　walked　straight　into　the　drawing…room；　where　his　mother

and　Annie　were　sitting。



〃Why；　Vincent！〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　exclaimed；　starting　up；　what　has

happened　to　you？　What　are　you　dressed　up　like　that　for？　Is

anything　the　matter？〃



〃Nothing　is　the　matter；　mother；　except　that　I　am　as　tired　as　a　dog。　

Yes；　my　dress　is　not　quite　fit　for　a　drawing…room；〃　he　laughed；

looking　down　at　the　rough　trousers　splashed　with　mud　to　the　waist；

and　his　flannel　shirt；　for　they　had　not　waited　to　pick　up　their　coats

as　they　left　the　boat；　〃but　nothing　is　the　matter；　I　can　assure　you。　　I

will　tell　you　about　it　directly；　but　first　please　send　for　Dinah　here。〃



Mrs。　Wingfleld　rang　the　bell　on　the　table　beside　her。



〃Tell　Dinah　I　want　to　speak　to　her　at　once；〃　she　said　to　the　girl　that

answered　it。　　Dinah　appeared　in　a　minute。



〃Dinah；〃　Vincent　said；　〃has　your　boy　gone　to　bed？〃



〃Yes；　sah；　been　gone　an　hour　ago。〃



〃Well；　just　go　to　him；　and　put　a　shawl　round　him；　and　go　out

through　the　front　door。　　There　is　some　one　standing　there　you　will

be　glad　to　see。



Dinah　stood　with　open　eyes；　then　her　hands　began　to　tremble。



〃Is　it　Tony；　sah；　for　do　Lord's　sake；　is　it　Tony？〃



Vincent　nodded；　and　with　a　little　scream　of　joy　she　turned　and　ran

straight　to　the　front　door。　　She　could　not　wait　now　even　to　fetch

her　boy；　and　in　another　moment　she　was　clasped　in　her　husband's

arms。



〃Now；　Vincent；　tell　us　all　about　it；〃　his　mother　said。　〃Don't　you　see

we　are　dying　of　curiosity？〃



〃And　I　am　dying　of　fatigue；〃　Vincent　said；　〃which　is　a　much　more

painful　sort　of　death；　and　I　can　think　of　nothing　else　until　I　have

got　these　boots　off。　　Annie；　do　run　and　tell　them　to　bring　me　a　pair

of　slippers　and　a　cup　of　tea；　and　I　shall　want　the　buggy　at　the　door

in　half　an　hour。〃



〃You　are　not　going　away　again　to…night；　Vincent；　surely？〃　his

mother　said　anxiously。　　〃You　do　look　completely　exhausted。〃



〃I　am　exhausted；　mother。　　I　have　walked　seven　or　eight…and…forty

miles；　and　this　cavalry　work　spoils　one　for　walking　altogether。〃



〃Walked　forty…eight　miles；　Vincent！　　What　on　earth　have　you　done

that　for？〃



〃Not　from　choice；　I　can　assure　you；　mother；　but　you　know　the　old

saying；　'Needs　must　when　the　devil　drives；'　and　in　the　present　case

you　must　read　'Yankee'　instead　of　'the　gentleman　in　black。'



〃But　has　Petersburg　fallen？〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　asked　in　alarm。



〃No；　Petersburg　is　safe；　and　is　likely　to　continue　so。　But　you　must

really　be　patient；　mother；　until　I　have　had　some　tea；　then　you　can

hear　the　story　in　full。〃



When　the　servant　came　in　with　the　tea　Vincent　told　her　that　she

was　to　tell　Dinah；　whom　she　would　find　on　the　veranda；　to　bring

her　husband　into　the　kitchen；　and　to　give　him　everything　he

wanted。　　Then；　as　soon　as　he　had　finished　tea；　he　told　his　mother

and　sister　the　adventures　he　had　gone　through。　　Both　were　crying

when　he　had　finished。



〃I　am　proud　of　you；　Vincent；〃　his　mother　said。　　〃It　is　hard　on　us

that　you　should　run　such　risks；　still　I　do　not　blame　you；　my　boy；　for

if　I　had　ten　sons　I　would　give　them　all　for　my　country。〃



Vincent　had　but　just　finished　his　story　when　the　servant　came　in

and　said　that　the　buggy　was　at　the　door。



〃I　will　go　in　my　slippers；　mother；　but　I　will　run　up　and　change　my

other　things。　　It's　lucky　I　have　got　a　spare　suit　here。　　Any　of　our

fellows　who　happened　to　be　going　down　to…night　in　the　train

would　think　that　I　was　mad　were　I　to　go　like　this。〃



It　was　one　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　Vincent　reached

Petersburg。　　He　went　straight　to　his　quarters；　as　it　would　be　no　use

waking　General　Lee　at　that　hour。　　A　light　was　burning　in　his　room；

and　Dan　was　asleep　at　the　table　with　his　head　on　his　arms。　　He

leaped　up　with　a　cry　of　joy　as　his　master　entered。



〃Well；　Dan；　here　I　am　safe　again；〃　Vincent　said　cheerily。　〃I　hope

you　had　not　begun　to　give　me　up。〃



〃I　began　to　be　terribly　frightened；　sir…terribly　frightened。　　I　went　dis

afternoon　and　asked　Captain　Burley　if　he　had　any　news　oh　you。　

He　said　'No；'　and　asked　me　ef　I　knew　where　you　were。　　I　said　'No；

sah；'　that　I　knew　nuffin　about　it　except　that　you　had　gone　on　some

dangerous　job。　　He　said　he　hoped　that　you　would　be　back　soon；

and　certainly；　as　far　as　dey　had　heard；　nuffin　had　happened　to　you。　

Still　I　was　bery　anzious；　and　tought　I　would　sit　up　till　de　last　train

came　in　from　Richmond。　　Den　I　tink　I　dropped　off　to　sleep。〃



〃I　think　you　did；　Dan。　　Well；　I　am　too　tired　to　tell　you　anything

about　it　now；　but　I　have　one　piece　of　news　for　you；　Tony　has　come

back　to　his　wife。〃



〃Dat's　good　news；　sah；　bery　good　news。　　I　had　begun　to　be　afraid

dat　Tony　had　been　shot　or　hung　or　someting。　I　know　Dinah　hab

been　fretting　about　him　though　she　never　said　much；　but　when　I

am　at　home　she　allus　asks　me　all　sorts　of　questions　'bout　him。　　She

bery　glad　woman　now。〃



The　next　morning　Vincent　went　to　General　Lee's　quarters。



〃I　am　heartily　glad　to　see　you　back；〃　the　general　said　warmly　as　he

entered。　　〃I　have　blamed　myself　for　letting　you　go。　　Well；　what

success　have　you　had？〃



〃Here　is　a　rough　plan　of　the　works；　general。　　I