the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第17章
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faded yellow of their facings shone bravely。 There was a mighty
altercation。
The artillery were assembling as if for a con… ference。
The blue haze of evening was upon the field。 The lines of forest were
long purple shadows。 One cloud lay along the western sky partly
smothering the red。
As the youth left the scene behind him； he heard the guns suddenly
roar out。 He imagined them shaking in black rage。 They belched and
howled like brass devils guarding a gate。 The soft air was filled with the
tremendous remon… strance。 With it came the shattering peal of opposing
infantry。 Turning to look behind him； he could see sheets of orange light
illumine the shadowy distance。 There were subtle and sudden lightnings
in the far air。 At times he thought he could see heaving masses of men。
He hurried on in the dusk。 The day had faded until he could barely
distinguish place for his feet。 The purple darkness was filled with men
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who lectured and jabbered。 Sometimes he could see them gesticulating
against the blue and somber sky。 There seemed to be a great ruck of men
and munitions spread about in the forest and in the fields。
The little narrow roadway now lay lifeless。 There were overturned
wagons like sun…dried bowlders。 The bed of the former torrent was
choked with the bodies of horses and splintered parts of war machines。
It had come to pass that his wound pained him but little。 He was
afraid to move rapidly； how… ever； for a dread of disturbing it。 He held
his head very still and took many precautions against stumbling。 He was
filled with anxiety； and his face was pinched and drawn in anticipation of
the pain of any sudden mistake of his feet in the gloom。
His thoughts； as he walked； fixed intently upon his hurt。 There was a
cool； liquid feeling about it and he imagined blood moving slowly down
under his hair。 His head seemed swollen to a size that made him think
his neck to be inadequate。
The new silence of his wound made much worriment。 The little
blistering voices of pain that had called out from his scalp were； he
thought； definite in their expression of danger。 By them he believed that he
could measure his plight。 But when they remained ominously silent he
became frightened and imagined ter… rible fingers that clutched into his
brain。
Amid it he began to reflect upon various incidents and conditions of
the past。 He be… thought him of certain meals his mother had cooked at
home； in which those dishes of which he was particularly fond had
occupied prominent positions。 He saw the spread table。 The pine walls
of the kitchen were glowing in the warm light from the stove。 Too； he
remembered how he and his companions used to go from the school…
house to the bank of a shaded pool。 He saw his clothes in disorderly
array upon the grass of the bank。 He felt the swash of the fragrant water
upon his body。 The leaves of the overhanging maple rustled with melody
in the wind of youth… ful summer。
He was overcome presently by a dragging weariness。 His head hung
forward and his shoulders were stooped as if he were bearing a great
bundle。 His feet shuffled along the ground。
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He held continuous arguments as to whether he should lie down and
sleep at some near spot； or force himself on until he reached a certain
haven。 He often tried to dismiss the question； but his body persisted in
rebellion and his senses nagged at him like pampered babies。
At last he heard a cheery voice near his shoulder： 〃Yeh seem t' be in a
pretty bad way； boy？〃
The youth did not look up； but he assented with thick tongue。 〃Uh！〃
The owner of the cheery voice took him firmly by the arm。 〃Well；〃
he said； with a round laugh； 〃I'm goin' your way。 Th' hull gang is goin'
your way。 An' I guess I kin give yeh a lift。〃 They began to walk like a
drunken man and his friend。
As they went along； the man questioned the youth and assisted him
with the replies like one manipulating the mind of a child。 Sometimes he
interjected anecdotes。 〃What reg'ment do yeh b'long teh？ Eh？ What's
that？ Th' 304th N' York？ Why； what corps is that in？ Oh； it is？ Why； I
thought they wasn't engaged t'…day they 're 'way over in th' center。 Oh；
they was； eh？ Well； pretty nearly everybody got their share 'a fightin' t'…
day。 By dad； I give myself up fer dead any number 'a times。 There was
shootin' here an' shootin' there； an' hollerin' here an' hollerin' there； in th'
damn' darkness； until I couldn't tell t' save m' soul which side I was on。
Sometimes I thought I was sure 'nough from Ohier； an' other times I could
'a swore I was from th' bitter end of Florida。 It was th' most mixed up
dern thing I ever see。 An' these here hull woods is a reg'lar mess。 It'll
be a miracle if we find our reg'ments t'…night。 Pretty soon； though； we 'll
meet a…plenty of guards an' provost… guards； an' one thing an' another。
Ho！ there they go with an off'cer； I guess。 Look at his hand a…draggin'。
He 's got all th' war he wants； I bet。 He won't be talkin' so big about his
reputation an' all when they go t' sawin' off his leg。 Poor feller！ My
brother 's got whiskers jest like that。 How did yeh git 'way over here；
anyhow？ Your reg'ment is a long way from here； ain't it？ Well； I guess
we can find it。 Yeh know there was a boy killed in my comp'ny t'…day
that I thought th' world an' all of。 Jack was a nice feller。 By ginger； it
hurt like thunder t' see ol' Jack jest git knocked flat。 We was a…standin'
purty peaceable fer a spell； 'though there was men runnin' ev'ry way all
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'round us； an' while we was a…standin' like that； 'long come a big fat feller。
He began t' peck at Jack's elbow； an' he ses： 'Say； where 's th' road t' th'
river？' An' Jack； he never paid no attention； an' th' feller kept on a…
peckin' at his elbow an' sayin'： 'Say； where 's th' road t' th' river？' Jack
was a…lookin' ahead all th' time tryin' t' see th' Johnnies comin' through th'
woods； an' he never paid no attention t' this big fat feller fer a long time；
but at last he turned 'round an' he ses： 'Ah； go t' hell an' find th' road t' th'
river！' An' jest then a shot slapped him bang on th' side th' head。 He
was a sergeant； too。 Them was his last words。 Thunder； I wish we was
sure 'a findin' our reg'ments t'…night。 It 's goin' t' be long huntin'。 But I
guess we kin do it。〃
In the search which followed； the man of the cheery voice seemed to
the youth to possess a wand of a magic kind。 He threaded the mazes of
the tangled forest with a strange fortune。 In encounters with guards and
patrols he displayed the keenness of a detective and the valor of a gamin。
Obstacles fell before him and became of assistance。 The youth； with his
chin still on his breast； stood woodenly by while his companion beat ways
and means out of sullen things。
The forest seemed a vast hive of men buzzing about in frantic circles；
but the cheery man con… ducted the youth without mistakes； until at last he
began to chuckle with glee and self…satisfaction。 〃Ah； there yeh are！ See
that fire？〃
The youth nodded stupidly。
〃Well； there 's where your reg'ment is。 An' now； good…by； ol' boy；
good luck t' yeh。〃
A warm and strong hand clasped the youth's languid fingers for an
instant； and then he heard a cheerful and audacious whistling as the man
strode away。 As he who had so befriended him was thus passing out of
his life； it suddenly oc… curred to the youth that he had not once seen his
face。
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CHAPTER XIII。
THE youth went slowly toward the fire in… dicated by his departed
friend。 As he reeled； he bethought him of the welcome his comrades
would give him。 He had a conviction that he would soon feel in his sore
heart the barbed missiles of ridicule。 He had no strength to in… vent a tale；
he would be a soft target。
He made vague plans to go off into the deeper darkness and hide； but
they were all destroyed by the voices of exhaustion and pain from his
body。 His ailments； clamoring； forced him to seek the place of food and
rest； at whatever cost。
He swung unsteadily toward the fire。 He could see the forms of men
throwing black shadows in the red light； and as he went nearer it became
known to him in some way that the ground was strewn with sleeping men。
Of a sudden he confronted a black and monstrous figure。 A rifle
barrel caught some glinting beams。 〃Halt！ halt！〃 He was dis…
129 mayed for a moment； but he presently thought that he recognized
the nervous voice。 As he stood tottering before the rifle barrel； he called
out： 〃Why； hello； Wilson； youyou here？〃
The rifle was lowered to a position of caution and the loud soldier
came slowly forward。 He peered into the youth's face。 〃That you；
Henry？〃
〃Yes； it'sit's me。〃
〃Well； well； ol' boy；〃 said the other； 〃by ginger； I'm glad t' see yeh！ I
give yeh up fer a goner。 I though
