passages from an old volume of life-第4章

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On　the　road　again　the　next　morning；　over　the　ferry；　into　the　cars　with　sliding　panels　and　fixed　windows；　so　that　in　summer　the　whole　side　of　the　car　maybe　made　transparent。　　New　Jersey　is；　to　the　apprehension　of　a　traveller；　a　double…headed　suburb　rather　than　a　State。　　Its　dull　red　dust　looks　like　the　dried　and　powdered　mud　of　a　battle…field。　　Peach…trees　are　common；　and　champagne…orchards。　Canal…boats；　drawn　by　mules；　swim　by；　feeling　their　way　along　like　blind　men　led　by　dogs。　　I　had　a　mighty　passion　come　over　me　to　be　the　captain　of　one；to　glide　back　and　forward　upon　a　sea　never　roughened　by　storms；to　float　where　I　could　not　sink；to　navigate　where　there　is　no　shipwreck；to　lie　languidly　on　the　deck　and　govern　the　huge　craft　by　a　word　or　the　movement　of　a　finger：　there　was　something　of　railroad　intoxication　in　the　fancy：　but　who　has　not　often　envied　a　cobbler　in　his　stall？

The　boys　cry　the　〃N'…York　Heddle；〃　instead　of　〃Herald　〃；　I　remember　that　years　ago　in　Philadelphia；　we　must　be　getting　near　the　farther　end　of　the　dumb…bell　suburb。　　A　bridge　has　been　swept　away　by　a　rise　of　the　waters；　so　we　must　approach　Philadelphia　by　the　river。　　Her　physiognomy　is　not　distinguished；　nez　camus；　as　a　Frenchman　would　say；　no　illustrious　steeple；　no　imposing　tower；　the　water…edge　of　the　town　looking　bedraggled；　like　the　flounce　of　a　vulgar　rich　woman's　dress　that　trails　on　the　sidewalk。　　The　New　Ironsides　lies　at　one　of　the　wharves；　elephantine　in　bulk　and　color；　her　sides　narrowing　as　they　rise；　like　the　walls　of　a　hock…glass。

I　went　straight　to　the　house　in　Walnut　Street　where　the　Captain　would　be　heard　of；　if　anywhere　in　this　region。　　His　lieutenant…colonel　was　there；　gravely　wounded；　his　college…friend　and　comrade　in　arms；　a　son　of　the　house；　was　there；　injured　in　a　similar　way；　another　soldier；　brother　of　the　last；　was　there；　prostrate　with　fever。　　A　fourth　bed　was　waiting　ready　for　the　Captain；　but　not　one　word　had　been　heard　of　him；　though　inquiries　had　been　made　in　the　towns　from　and　through　which　the　father　had　brought　his　two　sons　and　the　lieutenant…colonel。　And　so　my　search　is；　like　a　〃Ledger〃　story；　to　be　continued。

I　rejoined　my　companions　in　time　to　take　the　noon…train　for　Baltimore。　　Our　company　was　gaining　in　number　as　it　moved　onwards。　We　had　found　upon　the　train　from　New　York　a　lovely；　lonely　lady；　the　wife　of　one　of　our　most　spirited　Massachusetts　officers；　the　brave　Colonel　of　the　__th　Regiment；　going　to　seek　her　wounded　husband　at　Middletown；　a　place　lying　directly　in　our　track。　　She　was　the　light　of　our　party　while　we　were　together　on　our　pilgrimage；　a　fair；　gracious　woman；　gentle；　but　courageous；


　　　　　　　　　　…〃ful　plesant　and　amiable　of　port；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…estatelich　of　manere；　　　　　　　　　　　And　to　ben　holden　digne　of　reverence。〃

On　the　road　from　Philadelphia；　I　found　in　the　same　car　with　our　party　Dr。　　William　Hunt　of　Philadelphia；　who　had　most　kindly　and　faithfully　attended　the　Captain；　then　the　Lieutenant；　after　a　wound　received　at　Ball's　Bluff；　which　came　very　near　being　mortal。　　He　was　going　upon　an　errand　of　mercy　to　the　wounded；　and　found　he　had　in　his　memorandum…book　the　name　of　our　lady's　husband；　the　Colonel；　who　had　been　commended　to　his　particular　attention。

Not　long　after　leaving　Philadelphia；　we　passed　a　solitary　sentry　keeping　guard　over　a　short　railroad　bridge。　　It　was　the　first　evidence　that　we　were　approaching　the　perilous　borders；　the　marches　where　the　North　and　the　South　mingle　their　angry　hosts；　where　the　extremes　of　our　so…called　civilization　meet　in　conflict；　and　the　fierce　slave…driver　of　the　Lower　Mississippi　stares　into　the　stern　eyes　of　the　forest…feller　from　the　banks　of　the　Aroostook。　　All　the　way　along；　the　bridges　were　guarded　more　or　less　strongly。　　In　a　vast　country　like　ours；　communications　play　a　far　more　complex　part　than　in　Europe；　where　the　whole　territory　available　for　strategic　purposes　is　so　comparatively　limited。　　Belgium；　for　instance；　has　long　been　the　bowling…alley　where　kings　roll　cannon…balls　at　each　other's　armies；　but　here　we　are　playing　the　game　of　live　ninepins　without　any　alley。

We　were　obliged　to　stay　in　Baltimore　over　night；　as　we　were　too　late　for　the　train　to　Frederick。　　At　the　Eutaw　House；　where　we　found　both　comfort　and　courtesy；　we　met　a　number　of　friends；　who　beguiled　the　evening　hours　for　us　in　the　most　agreeable　manner。　　We　devoted　some　time　to　procuring　surgical　and　other　articles；　such　as　might　be　useful　to　our　friends；　or　to　others；　if　our　friends　should　not　need　them。　　In　the　morning；　I　found　myself　seated　at　the　breakfast…table　next　to　General　Wool。　　It　did　not　surprise　me　to　find　the　General　very　far　from　expansive。　　With　Fort　McHenry　on　his　shoulders　and　Baltimore　in　his　breeches…pocket；　and　the　weight　of　a　military　department　loading　down　his　social　safety…valves；　I　thought　it　a　great　deal　for　an　officer　in　his　trying　position　to　select　so　very　obliging　and　affable　an　aid　as　the　gentleman　who　relieved　him　of　the　burden　of　attending　to　strangers。

We　left　the　Eutaw　House；　to　take　the　cars　for　Frederick。　　As　we　stood　waiting　on　the　platform；　a　telegraphic　message　was　handed　in　silence　to　my　companion。　　Sad　news：　the　lifeless　body　of　the　son　he　was　hastening　to　see　was　even　now　on　its　way　to　him　in　Baltimore。　　It　was　no　time　for　empty　words　of　consolation：　I　knew　what　he　had　lost；　and　that　now　was　not　the　time　to　intrude　upon　a　grief　borne　as　men　bear　it；　felt　as　women　feel　it。

Colonel　Wilder　Dwight　was　first　made　known　to　me　as　the　friend　of　a　beloved　relative　of　my　own；　who　was　with　him　during　a　severe　illness　in　Switzerland；　and　for　whom　while　living；　and　for　whose　memory　when　dead；　he　retained　the　warmest　affection。　　Since　that　the　story　of　his　noble　deeds　of　daring；　of　his　capture　and　escape；　and　a　brief　visit　home　before　he　was　able　to　rejoin　his　regiment；　had　made　his　name　familiar　to　many　among　us；　myself　among　the　number。　　His　memory　has　been　honored　by　those　who　had　the　largest　opportunity　of　knowing　his　rare　promise；　as　a　man　of　talents　and　energy　of　nature。　　His　abounding　vitality　must　have　produced　its　impression　on　all　who　met　him；　there　was　a　still　fire　about　him　which　any　one　could　see　would　blaze　up　to　melt　all　difficulties　and　recast　obstacles　into　implements　in　the　mould　of　an　heroic　will。　　These　elements　of　his　character　many　had　the　chance　of　knowing；　but　I　shall　always　associate　him　with　the　memory　of　that　pure　and　noble　friendship　which　made　me　feel　that　I　knew　him　before　I　looked　upon　his　face；　and　added　a　personal　tenderness　to　the　sense　of　loss　which　I　share　with　the　whole　community。

Here；　then；　I　parted；　sorrowfully；　from　the　companions　with　whom　I　set　out　on　my　journey。

In　one　of　the　cars；　at　the　same　station；　we　met　General　Shriver　of　Frederick；　a　most　loyal　Unionist；　whose　name　is　synonymous　with　a　hearty　welcome　to　all　whom　he　can　aid　by　his　counsel　and　his　hospitality。　　He　took　great　pains　to　give　us　all　the　information　we　needed；　and　expressed　the　hope；　which　was　afterwards　fulfilled；　to　the　great　gratification　of　some　of　us；　that　we　should　meet　again　when　he　should　return　to　his　home。

There　was　nothing　worthy　of　special　note　in　the　trip　to　Frederick；　except　our　passing　a　squad　of　Rebel　prisoners；　whom　I　missed　seeing；　as　they　flashed　by；　but　who　were　said　to　be　a　most　forlorn…looking　crowd　of　scarecrows。　　Arrived　at　the　Monocacy　River；　about　three　miles　this　side　of　Frederick；　we　came　to　a　halt；　for　the　railroad　bridge　had　been　blown　up　by　the　Rebels；　and　its　iron　pillars　and　arches　were　lying　in　the　bed　of　the　river。　　The　unfortunate　wretch　who　fired　the　train　was　killed　by　the　explosion；　and　lay　buried　hard　by；　his　hands　sticking　out　of　the　shallow　grave　into　which　he　had　been　huddled。　　This　was　the　story　they　told　us；　but　whether　true　or　not　I　must　leave　to　the　correspondents　of　〃Notes　and　Queries　〃　to　settle。

There　was　a　great　confusion　of　carriages　and　wagons　at　the　stopping…　place　of　the　train；　so　that　it　was　a　long　time　before　I　could　get　anything　that　would　carry　us。　　At　last　I　was　lucky　enough　to　light　on　a　sturdy　wagon；　drawn　by　a　pair　of　serviceable　bays；　and　driven　by　James　Grayden；　with　whom　I　was　destined　to　have　a　somewhat　continued　acquaintance。　　We　took　up　a　little　girl　who　had　been　in　Baltimore　during　the　late　Rebel　inroad。　　It　made　me　think　of　the　time　when　my　own　mother；　at　that　time　six　years　old；　was　hurried　off　from　Boston；　then　occupied　by　the　British　soldiers；　to　Newburyport；　and　heard　the　people　saying　that　〃the　redcoats　were　coming；　killing　and　murdering　everybody　as　they　went　along。〃　　Frederick　looked　cheerful　for　a　place　that　had　so　recently　been　in　an　enemy's　hands。　　Here　and　there　a　house　or　shop　was　shut　up；　but　the　national　colors　were　waving　in　all　directions；　and　the　general　aspect　was　peaceful　and　contented。　　I　saw　no　bullet…marks　or　other　sign　of　the　fighting　which　had　gone　on　in　the　streets。　　The　Colonel's　lady　was　taken　in　charge　by　a　daughter　of　that　hospitable　family　to　which　we　had　been　commended　by　its　head；　and　I　proceeded　to　inquire　for　wounded　officers　at　the　various　temporary　hospitals。

At　the　United　States　Hotel；　where　many　were　lying；　I　heard　mention　of　an　officer　in　an　upper　chamber；　and；　going　there；　found　Lieutenant　Abbott；　of　the　Twentieth　Massachusetts　Volunteers；　lying　ill　with　what　looked　like　typhoid　fever。　　While　there；　who　should　come　in　but　the　almost　ubiquitous　Lieutenant　Wilkins；　of　the　same　Twentieth；　whom　I　had　met　repeatedly　before　on　errands　of　kindness　or　duty；　and　who　was　just　from　the　battle…ground。　　He　was　going　to　Boston　in　charge　of　the　body　of　the　lamented　Dr。　Revere；　the　Assistant　Surgeon　of　the　regiment；　killed　on　the　field。　　From　his　lips　I　learned　something　of　the　mishaps　of　the　regiment。　　My　Captain's　wound　he　spoke　of　as　less　grave　than　at　first　thought；　but　he　mentioned　incidentally　having　heard　a　story　recently　that　he　was　killed；a　fiction；　doubtless；a　mistake；a　palpable　absurdity；not　to　be　remembered　or　made　any　account　of。　　Oh　no！　but　what　dull　ache　is　this　in　that　obscurely　sensitive　region；　somewhere　below　the　heart；　where　the　nervous　centre　called　the　semilunar　ganglion　lies　unconscious　of　itself　until　a　great　grief　or　a　mastering　anxiety　reaches　it　through　all　the　non…　conductors　which　isolate　it　from　ordinary　impressions？　　I　talked　awhile　with　Lieutenant　Abbott；　who　lay　prostrate；　feeble；　but　soldier…like　and　uncomplaining；　carefully　waited　upon　by　a　most　excellent　lady；　a　captain's　wife；　New　England　born；　loyal　as　the　Liberty　on　a　golden　ten…dollar　piece；　and　of　lofty　bearing　enough　to　have　sat　for　that　goddess's　portrait。　　She　had　stayed　in　Frederick　through　the　Rebel　inroad；　and　kept　the　star…spangled　banner　where　it　would　be　safe；　to　unroll　it　as　the　last　Rebel　hoofs　clattered　off　from　the　pavement　of　the　town。

Near　by　Lieutenant　Abbott　was　an　unhappy　gentleman；　occupying　a　small　chamber；　and　filling　it　with　his　troubles。　　When　he　gets　well　and　plump；　I　know　he　will　forgive　me　if　I　confess　that　I　could　not　help　smiling　in　the　midst　of　my　sympathy　for　him。　　He　had　been　a　well…　favored　man；　he　said；　sweeping　his　hand　in　a　semicircle；　which　implied　that　his　acute…angled　countenance　had　once　filled　the　goodly　curve　he　described。　　He　was　now　a　perfect　Don　Quixote　to　look　upon。　Weakness　had　made　him　querulous；