the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第7章
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The Red Badge of Courage
commotion over the mere matter of getting killed。 He would die； he
would go to some place where he would be understood。 It was useless to
expect appreciation of his pro… found and fine senses from such men as the
lieu… tenant。 He must look to the grave for compre… hension。
The skirmish fire increased to a long chatter… ing sound。 With it was
mingled far…away cheer… ing。 A battery spoke。
Directly the youth would see the skirmishers running。 They were
pursued by the sound of musketry fire。 After a time the hot； dangerous
flashes of the rifles were visible。 Smoke clouds went slowly and
insolently across the fields like observant phantoms。 The din became
crescendo； like the roar of an oncoming train。
A brigade ahead of them and on the right went into action with a
rending roar。 It was as if it had exploded。 And thereafter it lay
stretched in the distance behind a long gray wall； that one was obliged to
look twice at to make sure that it was smoke。
The youth； forgetting his neat plan of getting killed； gazed spell bound。
His eyes grew wide and busy with the action of the scene。 His mouth
was a little ways open。
Of a sudden he felt a heavy and sad hand laid upon his shoulder。
Awakening from his trance of observation he turned and beheld the loud
soldier。
〃It's my first and last battle； old boy；〃 said the latter； with intense
gloom。 He was quite pale and his girlish lip was trembling。
〃Eh？〃 murmured the youth in great aston… ishment。
〃It's my first and last battle； old boy；〃 continued the loud soldier。
〃Something tells me〃
〃What？〃
〃I'm a gone coon this first time andand I w…want you to take these
here thingstomy folks。〃 He ended in a quavering sob of pity for
himself。 He handed the youth a little packet done up in a yellow
envelope。
〃Why； what the devil〃 began the youth again。
But the other gave him a glance as from the depths of a tomb； and
raised his limp hand in a prophetic manner and turned away。
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The Red Badge of Courage
CHAPTER IV。
THE brigade was halted in the fringe of a grove。 The men crouched
among the trees and pointed their restless guns out at the fields。 They tried
to look beyond the smoke。
Out of this haze they could see running men。 Some shouted
information and gestured as they hurried。
The men of the new regiment watched and listened eagerly； while their
tongues ran on in gossip of the battle。 They mouthed rumors that had
flown like birds out of the unknown。
〃They say Perry has been driven in with big loss。〃
〃Yes； Carrott went t' th' hospital。 He said he was sick。 That smart
lieutenant is commanding 'G' Company。 Th' boys say they won't be
under Carrott no more if they all have t' desert。 They allus knew he was a
〃
〃Hannises' batt'ry is took。〃
〃It ain't either。 I saw Hannises' batt'ry off on th' left not more'n fifteen
minutes ago。〃
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〃Well〃
〃Th' general； he ses he is goin' t' take th' hull cammand of th' 304th
when we go inteh action； an' then he ses we'll do sech fightin' as never
another one reg'ment done。〃
〃They say we're catchin' it over on th' left。 They say th' enemy driv' our
line inteh a devil of a swamp an' took Hannises' batt'ry。〃
〃No sech thing。 Hannises' batt'ry was 'long here 'bout a minute ago。〃
〃That young Hasbrouck； he makes a good off'cer。 He ain't afraid 'a
nothin'。〃
〃I met one of th' 148th Maine boys an' he ses his brigade fit th' hull
rebel army fer four hours over on th' turnpike road an' killed about five
thousand of 'em。 He ses one more sech fight as that an' th' war 'll be
over。〃
〃Bill wasn't scared either。 No； sir！ It wasn't that。 Bill ain't a…gittin'
scared easy。 He was jest mad； that's what he was。 When that feller trod
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The Red Badge of Courage
on his hand； he up an' sed that he was willin' t' give his hand t' his country；
but he be dumbed if he was goin' t' have every dumb bushwhacker in th'
kentry walkin' 'round on it。 Se he went t' th' hospital disregardless of th'
fight。 Three fingers was crunched。 Th' dern doctor wanted t' amputate
'm； an' Bill； he raised a heluva row； I hear。 He's a funny feller。〃
The din in front swelled to a tremendous chorus。 The youth and his
fellows were frozen to silence。 They could see a flag that tossed in the
smoke angrily。 Near it were the blurred and agitated forms of troops。
There came a turbulent stream of men across the fields。 A battery chang…
ing position at a frantic gallop scattered the stragglers right and left。
A shell screaming like a storm banshee went over the huddled heads of
the reserves。 It landed in the grove； and exploding redly flung the brown
earth。 There was a little shower of pine needles。
Bullets began to whistle among the branches and nip at the trees。
Twigs and leaves came sailing down。 It was as if a thousand axes； wee
and invisible； were being wielded。 Many of the men were constantly
dodging and ducking their heads。
The lieutenant of the youth's company was shot in the hand。 He
began to swear so won… drously that a nervous laugh went along the regi…
mental line。 The officer's profanity sounded conventional。 It relieved
the tightened senses of the new men。 It was as if he had hit his fingers
with a tack hammer at home。
He held the wounded member carefully away from his side so that the
blood would not drip upon his trousers。
The captain of the company； tucking his sword under his arm；
produced a handkerchief and began to bind with it the lieutenant's wound。
And they disputed as to how the binding should be done。
The battle flag in the distance jerked about madly。 It seemed to be
struggling to free itself from an agony。 The billowing smoke was filled
with horizontal flashes。
Men running swiftly emerged from it。 They grew in numbers until it
was seen that the whole command was fleeing。 The flag suddenly sank
down as if dying。 Its motion as it fell was a gesture of despair。
Wild yells came from behind the walls of smoke。 A sketch in gray
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The Red Badge of Courage
and red dissolved into a moblike body of men who galloped like wild
horses。
The veteran regiments on the right and left of the 304th immediately
began to jeer。 With the passionate song of the bullets and the banshee
shrieks of shells were mingled loud catcalls and bits of facetious advice
concerning places of safety。
But the new regiment was breathless with hor… ror。 〃Gawd！
Saunders's got crushed！〃 whis… pered the man at the youth's elbow。 They
shrank back and crouched as if compelled to await a flood。
The youth shot a swift glance along the blue ranks of the regiment。
The profiles were motion… less； carven； and afterward he remembered that
the color sergeant was standing with his legs apart； as if he expected to be
pushed to the ground。
The following throng went whirling around the flank。 Here and there
were officers carried along on the stream like exasperated chips。 They
were striking about them with their swords and with their left fists；
punching every head they could reach。 They cursed like highway… men。
A mounted officer displayed the furious anger of a spoiled child。 He
raged with his head； his arms； and his legs。
Another； the commander of the brigade； was galloping about bawling。
His hat was gone and his clothes were awry。 He resembled a man who
has come from bed to go to a fire。 The hoofs of his horse often
threatened the heads of the running men； but they scampered with sin…
gular fortune。 In this rush they were apparently all deaf and blind。
They heeded not the largest and longest of the oaths that were thrown at
them from all directions。
Frequently over this tumult could be heard the grim jokes of the
critical veterans； but the retreating men apparently were not even con…
scious of the presence of an audience。
The battle reflection that shone for an instant in the faces on the mad
current made the youth feel that forceful hands from heaven would not
have been able to have held him in place if he could have got intelligent
control of his legs。
There was an appalling imprint upon these faces。 The struggle in the
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smoke had pictured an exaggeration of itself on the bleached cheeks and in
the eyes wild with one desire。
The sight of this stampede exerted a floodlike force that seemed able
to drag sticks and stones and men from the ground。 They of the reserves
had to hold on。 They grew pale and firm； and red and quaking。
The youth achieved one little thought in the midst of this chaos。 The
composite monster which had caused the other troops to flee had not then
appeared。 He resolved to get a view of
