第 36 节
作者:点绛唇      更新:2021-02-20 16:44      字数:9317
  to have a catapultian effect。        This dream made him run faster among his
  comrades; who were giving vent to hoarse and frantic cheers。
  But presently he could see that many of the men in gray did not intend
  to abide the blow。 The smoke; rolling; disclosed men who ran; their faces
  still turned。    These grew to a crowd; who retired stubbornly。              Individuals
  wheeled fre… quently to send a bullet at the blue wave。
  But at one part of the line there was a grim and obdurate group that
  made no movement。 They were settled firmly down behind posts and rails。
  A flag; ruffled and fierce; waved over them and their rifles dinned fiercely。
  The blue whirl of men got very near; until it seemed that in truth there
  would be a close and frightful scuffle。          There was an expressed disdain in
  the opposition of the little group; that changed the meaning of the cheers
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  of   the   men   in   blue。    They   became   yells   of   wrath;   directed;   personal。
  The cries of the two parties were now in sound an interchange of scathing
  insults。
  They   in   blue   showed   their   teeth;   their   eyes   shone   all   white。     They
  launched themselves as at the throats of those who stood resisting。                         The
  space between dwindled to an insignificant dis… tance。
  The youth had centered the gaze of his soul upon that other flag。                        Its
  possession would be high pride。              It would express bloody minglings; near
  blows。      He   had   a   gigantic   hatred   for   those   who   made   great   difficulties
  and   complications。        They   caused      it  to  be   as  a  craved    treasure    of  my…
  thology; hung amid tasks and contrivances of danger。
  He   plunged   like   a   mad   horse   at   it。   He   was   resolved   it   should   not
  escape if wild blows and darings of blows could seize it。                       His own em…
  blem;   quivering   and   aflare;   was   winging   toward   the   other。           It   seemed
  there   would   shortly   be   an   encounter   of   strange   beaks   and   claws;   as   of
  eagles。
  The   swirling   body   of   blue   men   came   to   a   sudden   halt   at   close   and
  disastrous range and roared a swift volley。                 The group in gray was split
  and broken by this fire; but its riddled body still fought。                 The men in blue
  yelled again and rushed in upon it。
  The youth; in his leapings; saw; as through a mist; a picture of four or
  five   men   stretched   upon   the   ground   or   writhing   upon   their   knees   with
  bowed heads as if they had been stricken by bolts from the sky。                      Tottering
  among   them   was   the   rival   color   bearer;   whom   the   youth   saw   had   been
  bitten vitally by the bullets of the last formidable volley。                   He perceived
  this   man     fighting   a   last  struggle;    the  struggle    of   one   whose     legs   are
  grasped by demons。           It was a ghastly battle。 Over his face was the bleach
  of death; but set upon it was the dark and hard lines of desperate purpose。
  With this terrible grin of resolution he hugged his precious flag to him and
  was   stum…   bling   and   staggering   in   his   design   to   go   the   way   that   led   to
  safety for it。
  But his wounds always made it seem that his feet were retarded; held;
  and he fought a grim fight; as with invisible ghouls fastened greedily upon
  his   limbs。     Those   in   advance   of   the   scam…   pering   blue   men;   howling
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  cheers; leaped at the fence。          The despair of the lost was in his eyes as he
  glanced back at them。
  The youth's friend went over the obstruction in a tumbling heap   and
  sprang at the flag as a panther at prey。           He pulled at it and; wrench… ing it
  free; swung up its red brilliancy with a mad cry of exultation even as the
  color    bearer;   gasping;     lurched    over   in  a  final   throe   and;   stiff…  ening
  convulsively; turned his dead face to the ground。                There was much blood
  upon the grass blades。
  At the place of success there began more wild clamorings of cheers。
  The   men   gesticulated   and   bellowed   in   an   ecstasy。      When   they  spoke   it
  was as if they considered their listener to be a mile away。                 What hats and
  caps were left to them they often slung high in the air。
  At one part of the line four men had been swooped upon; and they now
  sat as prisoners。 Some blue men were about them in an eager and curious
  circle。     The     soldiers    had   trapped     strange    birds;   and    there   was    an
  examination。       A flurry of fast questions was in the air。
  One of the prisoners was nursing a superficial wound in the foot。                    He
  cuddled   it;   baby…wise;   but   he   looked   up   from   it   often   to   curse   with   an
  astonishing      utter   abandon     straight    at  the   noses    of  his   captors。    He
  consigned   them   to   red   regions;   he   called   upon   the   pestilential   wrath   of
  strange gods。       And with it all he was singularly free from recognition of
  the finer points of the con… duct of prisoners of war。              It was as if a clumsy
  clod had trod upon his toe and he conceived it to be his privilege; his duty;
  to use deep; resentful oaths。
  Another; who was a boy in years; took his plight with great calmness
  and apparent good nature。           He conversed with the men in blue; studying
  their   faces   with   his   bright   and   keen   eyes。   They   spoke   of   battles   and
  conditions。   There   was   an   acute   interest   in   all   their   faces   dur…   ing   this
  exchange   of   view   points。      It   seemed   a   great   satisfaction   to   hear   voices
  from where all had been darkness and speculation。
  The   third   captive   sat   with   a   morose   counte…   nance。   He   preserved   a
  stoical and cold attitude。 To all advances he made one reply without varia…
  tion; 〃Ah; go t' hell!〃
  The last of the four was always silent and; for the most part; kept his
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  face    turned    in  un…    molested     directions。     From     the   views    the   youth
  received   he   seemed   to   be   in   a   state   of   absolute   dejection。 Shame   was
  upon him; and with it profound regret that he was; perhaps; no more to be
  counted in the ranks of his fellows。           The youth could detect no expression
  that would allow him to believe that the other was giving a thought to his
  narrowed       future;   the  pictured    dungeons;      perhaps;    and   starvations    and
  brutali…   ties;   liable   to   the   imagination。   All   to   be   seen   was   shame   for
  captivity and regret for the right to antagonize。
  After the men had celebrated sufficiently they settled down behind the
  old rail fence; on the opposite side to the one from which their foes had
  been driven。      A few shot perfunctorily at distant marks。
  There     was   some     long   grass。   The     youth    nestled   in  it  and   rested;
  making a convenient rail support the flag。              His friend; jubilant and glori…
  fied; holding his treasure with vanity; came to him there。                   They sat side
  by side and congratu… lated each other。
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  CHAPTER XXIV。
  THE   roarings   that   had   stretched   in   a   long   line   of   sound   across   the
  face of the forest began to grow intermittent and weaker。                 The stentorian
  speeches   of   the   artillery   continued   in   some   dis…   tant   encounter;   but   the
  crashes of the musketry had almost ceased。              The youth and his friend of a
  sudden   looked   up;   feeling   a   deadened   form  of   distress   at   the   waning   of
  these noises; which had become a part of life。                They could see changes
  going on among the troops。             There   were march… ings this way and   that
  way。     A battery wheeled leisurely。          On the crest of a small hill was the
  thick gleam of many departing muskets。
  The   youth   arose。    〃Well;   what   now;   I   won…   der?〃   he   said。  By   his
  tone he seemed to be preparing to resent some new monstrosity in the way
  of dins and smashes。