the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第5部分
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satanic effects。
He lay down in the grass。 The blades pressed tenderly against his
cheek。 The moon had been lighted and was hung in a treetop。 The liquid
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stillness of the night enveloping him made him feel vast pity for himself。
There was a caress in the soft winds； and the whole mood of the darkness；
he thought； was one of sympathy for himself in his distress。
He wished； without reserve； that he was at home again making the
endless rounds from the house to the barn； from the barn to the fields；
from the fields to the barn； from the barn to the house。 He remembered
he had often cursed the brindle cow and her mates； and had sometimes
flung milking stools。 But； from his present point of view； there was a
halo of happiness about each of their heads； and he would have sacrificed
all the brass buttons on the continent to have been enabled to return to
them。 He told himself that he was not formed for a soldier。 And he
mused seriously upon the radical differences between himself and those
men who were dodging imp… like around the fires。
As he mused thus he heard the rustle of grass； and； upon turning his
head； discovered the loud soldier。 He called out； 〃Oh； Wilson！〃
The latter approached and looked down。 〃Why； hello； Henry； is it you？
What you do… ing here？〃
〃Oh； thinking；〃 said the youth。
The other sat down and carefully lighted his pipe。 〃You're getting
blue； my boy。 You're looking thundering peeked。 What the dickens is
wrong with you？〃
〃Oh； nothing；〃 said the youth。
The loud soldier launched then into the sub… ject of the anticipated
fight。 〃Oh； we've got 'em now！〃 As he spoke his boyish face was
wreathed in a gleeful smile； and his voice had an exultant ring。 〃We've
got 'em now。 At last； by the eternal thunders； we'll lick 'em good！〃
〃If the truth was known；〃 he added； more soberly； 〃THEY'VE licked
US about every clip up to now； but this timethis timewe'll lick 'em
good！〃
〃I thought you was objecting to this march a little while ago；〃 said the
youth coldly。
〃Oh； it wasn't that；〃 explained the other。 〃I don't mind marching； if
there's going to be fight… ing at the end of it。 What I hate is this getting
moved here and moved there； with no good com… ing of it； as far as I can
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see； excepting sore feet and damned short rations。〃
〃Well； Jim Conklin says we'll get a plenty of fighting this time。〃
〃He's right for once； I guess； though I can't see how it come。 This
time we're in for a big battle； and we've got the best end of it； certain sure。
Gee rod！ how we will thump 'em！〃
He arose and began to pace to and fro excit… edly。 The thrill of his
enthusiasm made him walk with an elastic step。 He was sprightly；
vigorous； fiery in his belief in success。 He looked into the future with
clear； proud eye； and he swore with the air of an old soldier。
The youth watched him for a moment in silence。 When he finally
spoke his voice was as bitter as dregs。 〃Oh； you're going to do great
things； I s'pose！〃
The loud soldier blew a thoughtful cloud of smoke from his pipe。
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 he remarked with dignity； 〃I don't know。 I s'pose I'll
do as well as the rest。 I'm going to try like thunder。〃 He evidently
complimented himself upon the modesty of this statement。
〃How do you know you won't run when the time comes？〃 asked the
youth。
〃Run？〃 said the loud one； 〃run？of course not！〃 He laughed。
〃Well；〃 continued the youth； 〃lots of good… a…'nough men have thought
they was going to do great things before the fight； but when the time come
they skedaddled。〃
〃Oh； that's all true； I s'pose；〃 replied the other； 〃but I'm not going to
skedaddle。 The man that bets on my running will lose his money； that's
all。〃 He nodded confidently。
〃Oh； shucks！〃 said the youth。 〃You ain't the bravest man in the world；
are you？〃
〃No； I ain't；〃 exclaimed the loud soldier in… dignantly； 〃and I didn't say
I was the bravest man in the world； neither。 I said I was going to do my
share of fightingthat's what I said。 And I am； too。 Who are you；
anyhow。 You talk as if you thought you was Napoleon Bonaparte。〃 He
glared at the youth for a moment； and then strode away。
The youth called in a savage voice after his comrade： 〃Well； you
needn't git mad about it！〃 But the other continued on his way and made no
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reply。
He felt alone in space when his injured com… rade had disappeared。
His failure to discover any mite of resemblance in their view points made
him more miserable than before。 No one seemed to be wrestling with
such a terrific per… sonal problem。 He was a mental outcast。
He went slowly to his tent and stretched him… self on a blanket by the
side of the snoring tall soldier。 In the darkness he saw visions of a thou…
sand…tongued fear that would babble at his back and cause him to flee；
while others were going coolly about their country's business。 He admit…
ted that he would not be able to cope with this monster。 He felt that
every nerve in his body would be an ear to hear the voices； while other
men would remain stolid and deaf。
And as he sweated with the pain of these thoughts； he could hear low；
serene sentences。 〃I'll bid five。〃 〃Make it six。〃 〃Seven。〃 〃Seven goes。〃
He stared at the red； shivering reflection of a fire on the white wall of
his tent until； ex… hausted and ill from the monotony of his suf… fering； he
fell asleep。
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CHAPTER III。
WHEN another night came the columns； changed to purple streaks；
filed across two pon… toon bridges。 A glaring fire wine…tinted the waters
of the river。 Its rays； shining upon the moving masses of troops； brought
forth here and there sudden gleams of silver or gold。 Upon the other
shore a dark and mysterious range of hills was curved against the sky。
The insect voices of the night sang solemnly。
After this crossing the youth assured himself that at any moment they
might be suddenly and fearfully assaulted from the caves of the lowering
woods。 He kept his eyes watchfully upon the darkness。
But his regiment went unmolested to a camp… ing place； and its
soldiers slept the brave sleep of wearied men。 In the morning they were
routed out with early energy； and hustled along a narrow road that led deep
into the forest。
It was during this rapid march that the regi…
32 ment lost many of the marks of a new com… mand。
The men had begun to count the miles upon their fingers； and they
grew tired。 〃Sore feet an' damned short rations； that's all；〃 said the loud
soldier。 There was perspiration and grum… blings。 After a time they
began to shed their knapsacks。 Some tossed them unconcernedly down；
others hid them carefully； asserting their plans to return for them at some
convenient time。 Men extricated themselves from thick shirts。
Presently few carried anything but their necessary clothing； blankets；
haversacks； canteens； and arms and ammunition。 〃You can now eat and
shoot；〃 said the tall soldier to the youth。 〃That's all you want to do。〃
There was sudden change from the ponderous infantry of theory to the
light and speedy infantry of practice。 The regiment； relieved of a burden；
received a new impetus。 But there was much loss of valuable knapsacks；
and； on the whole； very good shirts。
But the regiment was not yet veteranlike in appearance。 Veteran
regiments in the army were likely to be very small aggregations of men。
Once； when the command had first come to the field； some perambulating
veterans； noting the length of their column； had accosted them thus： 〃Hey；
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fellers； what brigade is that？〃 And when the men had replied that they
formed a regiment and not a brigade； the older soldiers had laughed； and
said； 〃O Gawd！〃
Also； there was too great a similarity in the hats。 The hats of a
regiment should properly represent the history of headgear for a period of
years。 And； moreover； there were no letters of faded gold speaking from
the colors。 They were new and
