the red acorn-第40部分

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e'll　have　no　trouble　finding　eggs　when　we　get　into　Murfreesboro　to…morrow。〃

〃We　are　likely　to　be　so　busy　tendering　the　compliments　of　the　season　to　Mr。　Bragg；〃　said　Harry；　lightly；　〃that　we　will　probably　have　but　little　time　to　make　calls　upon　the　lady…hens　who　keep　open　nests。〃

〃We　all　may　be　where　we'll　need　lots　o'　cold　water　more　than　anything　else；〃　said　Abe　grimly。

〃Well；〃　said　Kent　blithely；　〃if　I'm　to　be　made　a　sweet　little　angel　I　don't　know　any　day　that　I　would　rather　have　for　my　promotion　to　date　from。　　It　would　have　a　very　proper　look　to　put　in　the　full　year　here　on　earth；　and　start　in　with　the　new　one　in　a　world　of　superior　attractions。〃

〃Well；　I　declare；　if　here　isn't　Dr。　Denslow；〃　said　Harry；　delightedly；　as　he　recognized　a　horsemna；　who　rode　up　to　them。　　〃How　did　you　come　here？　　We　thought　you　were　permanently　stationed　at　the　grand　hospital。〃

〃So　I　was；〃　replied　the　Doctor。　　〃So　I　was；　at　least　so　far　as　general　orders　could　do　it。　　But　I　felt　that　I　could　not　be　away　from　my　boys　at　this　supreme　moment；　an　I　am　here；　though　the　irregular　way　in　which　I　detached　myself　from　my　post　may　require　explanation　at　a　court…martial。　　Anyhow；　it　is　a　grateful　relief　to　be　away　from　the　smell　of　chloride　of　lime；　and　get　a　breath　of　fresh　air　that　is　not　mingled　with　the　groans　of　a　ward…full　of　sick　men。　　It　looks；〃　he　continued；　with　a　comprehensive　glance　at　the　firmament　of　Rebel　camp…fires　that　made　Murfreesboro　seem　the　center　of　a　ruddy　Milky…way；　〃as　if　the　climax　is　at　last　at　hand。　Bragg；　like　the　worm；　will　at　last　turn；　and　after　a　year　of　footraces　we'll　have　a　fight　which　will　settle　who　is　the　superfluous　cat　in　this　alley。　　There　is　certainly　one　too　many。〃

〃The　sooner　it　comes　the　better；〃　said　Harry　firmly。　　〃It　has　to　be　sometime；　and　I'm　getting　very　anxious　for　an　end　to　this　eternal　marching　and　countermarching。〃

〃My　winsome　little　feet；〃　Kent　Edwards　put　in　plaintively；　〃are　knobby　as　a　burglar…proof　safe；　with　corns　and　bunions；　all　of　them　more　tender　than　a　maiden's　heart；　and　painful　as　a　mistake　in　a　poker　hand。　　They're　the　ripe　fruit　of　the　thousands　of　miles　of　side　hills　I've　had　to　tramp　over　because　of　Mr。　Bragg's　retiring　disposition。　　Now；　if　he's　got　the　spirit　of　a　man　he'll　come　out　from　under　the　bed　and　fight　me。〃

〃O；　he'll　come　outhe'll　come　outnever　you　fear；〃　said　Abe；　sardonic　as　usual。　　〃He's　got　a　day　or　two's　leisure　now　to　attend　to　this　business。　　A　hundred　thousand　of　him　will　come　out。　　They'll　swarm　out　o'　them　cedar　thickets　there　like　grass…hoppers　out　of　a　timothy　field。〃

〃Boys；〃　said　Harry；　returning　after　a　few　minutes'　basence；　〃the　Colonel　says　we'll　go　into　camp　right　here；　just　as　we　stand。　　Kent；　I'll　take　the　canteens　and　hunt　up　water；　if　you　and　Abe　will　break　some　cedar　boughs　for　the　bed；　and　get　the　wood　to　cook　supper　with。〃

〃All　right；〃　responded　Kent；　〃I'll　go　after　the　boughs。〃

〃That　puts　me　in　for　the　wood；〃　grumbled　Abe。　　〃And；　I　don't　suppose　there's　a　fence　inside　of　a　mile；　and　if　there　is　there's　not　a　popular　rail　in　it。〃

〃And；　Doctor；〃　continued　Harry；　flinging　the　canteens　over　his　shoulder；　〃you'll　stay　and　take　a　cup　of　coffee　and　sleep　with　us　to…night；　won't　you？　　The　trains　are　all　far　behind；　and　the　hospital　wagon　must　be　miles　away。〃

〃Seems　to　me　that　I've　heard　something　of　the　impropriety　of　visiting　your　friends　just　about　mealtime；〃　said　the　Doctor　quizzically；　〃but　a　cup　of　coffee　just　now　has　more　charms　for　me　than　rigid　etiquette；　so　I'll　thankfully　accept　your　kind　invitation。　　Some　day　I'll　reciprocate　with　liberality　in　doses　of　quinine。〃

In　less　time　than　that　taken　by　well…appointed　kitchens　to　furnish　〃Hot　Meals　to　Order〃　the　four　were　sitting　on　their　blankets　around　a　comfortable　fire　of　rails　and　cedar　logs；　eating　hard　bread　and　broiled　fat　pork；　and　drinking　strong　black　coffee；　which　the　magic　of　the　open　air　had　transmuted　into　delightfully　delicate　and　relishable　viands。

〃You　are　indebted　to　me；〃　said　Dr。　Denslow；　as　he　finished　the　last　crumb　and　drop　of　his　portion　of　the　food；　〃for　the　accession　to　your　company　at　this　needful　time；　of　a　tower　of　strength　in　the　person　of　Lieutenant　Jacob　Alspaugh。〃

Abe　groaned；　the　Doctor　looked　at　him　with　well…feigned　astonishment；　and　continued：

〃That　gore…hungry　patriot；　as　you　know；　has　been　home　several　months　on　recruiting　duty；　by　virtue　of　a　certificate　which　he　wheedled　out　of　old　Moxon。　　At　last；　when　he　couldn't　keep　away　any　longer；　he　started　back；　but　he　carefully　restrained　his　natural　impetuosity　in　rushing　to　the　tented　field；　and　his　journey　from　Sardis　to　Nashville　was　a　fine　specimen　of　easy　deliberation。　　There　was　not　a　sign　of　ungentlemanly　hurry　in　any　part　of　it。　　He　came　into　my　ward　at　Nashville　with　violent　symptoms　of　a　half…dozen　speedily　fatal　diseases。　　I　was　cruel　enough　to　see　a　coincidence　in　this　attack　and　the　general　marching　orders；　and　I　prescribed　for　his　ailments　a　thorough　course　of　open　air　exercise。　　To　be　sure　that　my　prescription　would　be　taken　I　had　the　Provost…Marshal　interest　himself　in　my　patient's　case；　and　the　result　was　that　Alspaugh　joined　the　regiment；　and　so　far　has　found　it　difficult　to　get　away　from　it。　　It's　the　unexpected　that　happens；　the　French　say；　and　there　is　a　bare　possibility　that　he　may　do　the　country　some　service　by　the　accidental　discharge　of　his　duty。〃

〃The　possibility　is　too　remote　to　waste　time　considering；〃　said　Harry。

They　lay　down　together　upon　a　bed　made　by　spreading　their　overcoats　and　blankets　upon　the　springy　cedar　boughts；　and　all　but　Harry　were　soon　fast　asleep。　　Though　fully　as　weary　as　they　he　could　not　sleep　for　hours。　　He　was　dominated　by　a　feeling　that　a　crisis　in　his　fate　was　at　hand；　and　as　he　lay　and　looked　at　the　stars　every　possible　shape　that　that　fate　could　take　drifted　across　his　mind；　even　as　the　endlessly…varying　cloud…shapes　sweptnow　languidly；　now　hurriedlyacross　the　domed　sky　above　him。　　And　as　the　moon　and　the　stars　shone　through　or　around　each　of　the　clouds；　making　the　lighter　ones　masses　of　translucent　glory；　and　gilding　the　edges　of　even　the　blackest　with　silvery　promise；　so　the　thoughts　of　Rachel　Bond　suffused　with　some　brightness　every　possible　happening　to　him。　If　he　achieved　anything　the　achievement　would　have　for　its　chief　value　that　it　won　her　commendation；　if　he　fell；　the　blackness　of　death　would　be　gilded　by　her　knowledge　that　he　died　a　brave　man's　death　for　her　sweet　sake。

He　listened　awhile　to　the　mournful　whinny　of　the　mules；　to　the　sound　of　artillery　rolling　up　the　resonant　pike；　to　the　crashing　of　newly…arrived　regiments　through　the　cedars　as　they　made　their　camps　in　line…of…battle；　to　little　spurts　of　firing　between　the　nervous　pickets；　and　at　last　fell　asleep　to　dream　that　he　was　returning　to　Sardis；　maimed　but　honor…crowned；　to　claim　Rachel　as　his　exultant　bride。

…

The　Christmas　forenoon　was　quite　well…advanced　before　the　fatigue　of　Rachel　Bond's　long　ride　was　sufficiently　abated　to　allow　her　to　awaken。　　Then　a　soft　hum　of　voices　impressed　itself　upon　her　drowsy　senses；　and　she　opened　her　eyes　with　the　idea　that　there　were　several　persons　in　the　room　engaged　in　conversation。　　But　she　saw　that　there　was　only　Aunt　Debby；　seated　in　a　low　rocking…chair　by　the　lazily　burning　fire；　and　reading　aloud　from　a　large　Bible　that　lay　open　upon　her　knees。　　The　reading　was　slow　and　difficult；　as　of　one　but　little　used　to　it；　and　many　of　the　longer　words　were　patiently　spelled　out。　　But　this　labored　picking　the　way　along　the　rugged　path　of　knowledge；　stumbling　and　halting　at　the　nouns；　and　verbs；　and　surmounting　the　polysyllables　a　letter　at　a　time；　seemed　to　give　the　reader　a　deeper　feeling　of　the　value　and　meaning　of　each　word；　than　is　usually　gained　by　the　more　facile　scholar。　　As　Rachel　listened　she　became　aware　that　Aunt　Debby　was　reading　that　wonderful　twelfth　chapter　of　St。　Luke；　richest　of　all　chapters　in　hopes　and　promises　and　loving　counsel　for　the　lowly　and　oppressed。　She　had　reached　the　thirty…fifth　verse；　and　read　onward　with　a　passionate　earnestness　and　understanding　that　made　every　word　have　a　new　revelation　to　Rachel：


〃Let　your　loins　be　girded　up；　and　your　lights　burning；

〃And　ye　yourselves　like　unto　men　that　wait　for　their　Lord　when　he　will　return　from　the　wedding；　that　when　he　cometh　and　knocketh　they　may　open　unto　him　immediately。

〃Blessed　are　those　servants　whom　the　Lord　when　he　cometh　shall　find　watching；　verily　I　say　unto　you　that　he　shall　gird　himself　and　make　them　to　sit　down　to　meat；　and　will　come　forth　and　serve　them。

〃And　if　ye　shall　come　in　the　second　watch；　or　come　in　the　third　watch；　and　shall　find　them　so；　blessed　are　those　servants。

〃And　this　now　that　if　the　good　man　of　the　house　had　known　what　the　hour　the　thief　would　come　he　would　have　watched；　and　not　suffered　his　house　to　be　broken　through。

〃Be　ye　therefore　ready　also；　for　the　Son　of　Man　cometh　at　an　hour　when　ye　think　not。〃


Rachel　stirred　a　little；　and　Aunt　Debby　looked　up　and　closed　the　book。

〃I'm　afeared　I've　roused　ye　up　too　soon；〃　she　said；　coming　toward　the　bed　with　a　look　of　real　concern　upon　her　sad；　sweet　face。　　〃I　raylly　didn't　intend　ter。　　I　jest　opened　the　book　ter　read　teh　promise　'bout　our　Father　heedin'　even　a　sparrer's　fall；　an'　forgot　'bout　our　Father　heedin'　even　a　sparrer's　fall；　an'　forgot；　an'　read　on；　an'　when　I　read；　I　must　read　out　loud；　ter　git　the　good　of　hit。　　Some　folks　pretend　they　kin　understand　jest　ez　well　when　they　read　ter　themselves。　　Mebbe　they　kin。〃

〃O；　no；〃　replied　Rachel　cheerfully；　〃you　didn't　disturb　me　in　the　least。　　It　was　time　that　I　got　up；　and　I　was　glad　to　hear　you　read。　I'm　only　troubled　with　the　fear　that　I've　overslept　myself；　and　missed　the　duty　that　I　was　intended　for。〃

〃Make　yourself　easy　on　that　'ere　score。　　Ye'll　not　be　needed　to…day；　nor　likely　to…morrow。　　Some　things　hev　come　up　ter　change　Jim's　plans。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Rachel；　sitting　up　in　the　bed　and　tossing　back　her　long；　silken　mane　with　a　single　quick；　masterful　motion。　〃I　wished　to　go　immediately　about　what　I　am　expected　to　do。　　I　can　do　anything　better　than　wait。〃

Aunt　Debby　came　impulsively　to　the　bedside；　threw　an　arm　around　Rachel's　neck；　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。