the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第6章
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his back staring at the sky。 He was dressed in an awkward suit of
yellowish brown。 The youth could see that the soles of his shoes had
been worn to the thinness of writing paper； and from a great rent in one the
dead foot projected piteously。 And it was as if fate had betrayed the
soldier。 In death it exposed to his enemies that poverty which in life he
had perhaps concealed from his friends。
The ranks opened covertly to avoid the corpse。 The invulnerable dead
man forced a way for him… self。 The youth looked keenly at the ashen
face。 The wind raised the tawny beard。 It moved as if a hand were
stroking it。 He vaguely desired to walk around and around the body and
stare； the impulse of the living to try to read in dead eyes the answer to the
Question。
During the march the ardor which the youth had acquired when out of
view of the field rapidly faded to nothing。 His curiosity was quite easily
satisfied。 If an intense scene had caught him with its wild swing as he
came to the top of the bank； he might have gone roaring on。 This
advance upon Nature was too calm。 He had opportunity to reflect。 He
had time in which to wonder about himself and to attempt to probe his
sensa… tions。
Absurd ideas took hold upon him。 He thought that he did not relish
the landscape。 It threatened him。 A coldness swept over his back； and it
is true that his trousers felt to him that they were no fit for his legs at all。
A house standing placidly in distant fields had to him an ominous look。
The shadows of the woods were formidable。 He was certain that in this
vista there lurked fierce…eyed hosts。 The swift thought came to him that
the generals did not know what they were about。 It was all a trap。
Suddenly those close forests would bristle with rifle barrels。 Ironlike
brigades would ap… pear in the rear。 They were all going to be sacrificed。
The generals were stupids。 The enemy would presently swallow the
whole com… mand。 He glared about him； expecting to see the stealthy
approach of his death。
He thought that he must break from the ranks and harangue his
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comrades。 They must not all be killed like pigs； and he was sure it would
come to pass unless they were informed of these dangers。 The generals
were idiots to send them marching into a regular pen。 There was but one
pair of eyes in the corps。 He would step forth and make a speech。
Shrill and passionate words came to his lips。
The line； broken into moving fragments by the ground； went calmly on
through fields and woods。 The youth looked at the men nearest him； and
saw； for the most part； expressions of deep inter… est； as if they were
investigating something that had fascinated them。 One or two stepped
with overvaliant airs as if they were already plunged into war。 Others
walked as upon thin ice。 The greater part of the untested men appeared
quiet and absorbed。 They were going to look at war； the red animalwar；
the blood…swollen god。 And they were deeply engrossed in this march。
As he looked the youth gripped his outcry at his throat。 He saw that
even if the men were tottering with fear they would laugh at his warn… ing。
They would jeer him； and； if practicable； pelt him with missiles。
Admitting that he might be wrong； a frenzied declamation of the kind
would turn him into a worm。
He assumed； then； the demeanor of one who knows that he is doomed
alone to unwritten re… sponsibilities。 He lagged； with tragic glances at the
sky。
He was surprised presently by the young lieu… tenant of his company；
who began heartily to beat him with a sword； calling out in a loud and
insolent voice： 〃Come； young man； get up into ranks there。 No
skulking'll do here。〃 He mend… ed his pace with suitable haste。 And he
hated the lieutenant； who had no appreciation of fine minds。 He was a
mere brute。
After a time the brigade was halted in the cathedral light of a forest。
The busy skirmish… ers were still popping。 Through the aisles of the
wood could be seen the floating smoke from their rifles。 Sometimes it
went up in little balls； white and compact。
During this halt many men in the regiment began erecting tiny hills in
front of them。 They used stones； sticks； earth； and anything they thought
might turn a bullet。 Some built com… paratively large ones； while others
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seemed con… tent with little ones。
This procedure caused a discussion among the men。 Some wished to
fight like duelists； believ… ing it to be correct to stand erect and be； from
their feet to their foreheads； a mark。 They said they scorned the devices
of the cautious。 But the others scoffed in reply； and pointed to the
veterans on the flanks who were digging at the ground like terriers。 In a
short time there was quite a barricade along the regimental fronts。 Directly；
however； they were ordered to with… draw from that place。
This astounded the youth。 He forgot his stewing over the advance
movement。 〃Well； then； what did they march us out here for？〃 he
demanded of the tall soldier。 The latter with calm faith began a heavy
explanation； although he had been compelled to leave a little protection of
stones and dirt to which he had devoted much care and skill。
When the regiment was aligned in another position each man's regard
for his safety caused another line of small intrenchments。 They ate their
noon meal behind a third one。 They were moved from this one also。
They were marched from place to place with apparent aimlessness。
The youth had been taught that a man be… came another thing in a
battle。 He saw his sal… vation in such a change。 Hence this waiting was
an ordeal to him。 He was in a fever of im… patience。 He considered that
there was denoted a lack of purpose on the part of the generals。 He began
to complain to the tall soldier。 〃I can't stand this much longer；〃 he cried。
〃I don't see what good it does to make us wear out our legs for nothin'。〃
He wished to return to camp； knowing that this affair was a blue
demonstration； or else to go into a battle and discover that he had been a
fool in his doubts； and was； in truth； a man of traditional courage。 The
strain of present circumstances he felt to be intolerable。
The philosophical tall soldier measured a sand… wich of cracker and
pork and swallowed it in a nonchalant manner。 〃Oh； I suppose we must
go reconnoitering around the country jest to keep 'em from getting too
close； or to develop 'em； or something。〃
〃Huh！〃 said the loud soldier。
〃Well；〃 cried the youth； still fidgeting； 〃I'd rather do anything 'most
than go tramping 'round the country all day doing no good to nobody and
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jest tiring ourselves out。〃
〃So would I；〃 said the loud soldier。 〃It ain't right。 I tell you if
anybody with any sense was a…runnin' this army it〃
〃Oh； shut up！〃 roared the tall private。 〃You little fool。 You little
damn' cuss。 You ain't had that there coat and them pants on for six
months； and yet you talk as if〃
〃Well； I wanta do some fighting anyway；〃 interrupted the other。 〃I
didn't come here to walk。 I could 'ave walked to home'round an' 'round
the barn； if I jest wanted to walk。〃
The tall one； red…faced； swallowed another sandwich as if taking
poison in despair。
But gradually； as he chewed； his face became again quiet and
contented。 He could not rage in fierce argument in the presence of such
sand… wiches。 During his meals he always wore an air of blissful
contemplation of the food he had swal… lowed。 His spirit seemed then to
be communing with the viands。
He accepted new environment and circum… stance with great coolness；
eating from his haver… sack at every opportunity。 On the march he went
along with the stride of a hunter； object… ing to neither gait nor distance。
And he had not raised his voice when he had been ordered away from
three little protective piles of earth and stone； each of which had been an
engineer… ing feat worthy of being made sacred to the name of his
grandmother。
In the afternoon the regiment went out over the same ground it had
taken in the morn… ing。 The landscape then ceased to threaten the youth。
He had been close to it and become familiar with it。
When； however； they began to pass into a new region； his old fears of
stupidity and in… competence reassailed him； but this time he dog… gedly
let them babble。 He was occupied with his problem； and in his
desperation he concluded that the stupidity did not greatly matter。
Once he thought he had concluded that it would be better to get killed
directly and end his troubles。 Regarding death thus out of the corner of
his eye； he conceived it to be noth… ing but rest； and he was filled with a
momen… tary astonishment that he should have made an extraordinary
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commot
