passages from an old volume of life-第6部分

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　Lebanon　have　shaped　themselves　like　a　sediment　of　cubical　crystals。　　The　wheat　was　all　garnered；　and　the　land　ploughed　for　a　new　crop。　　There　was　Indian　corn　standing；　but　I　saw　no　pumpkins　warming　their　yellow　carapaces　in　the　sunshine　like　so　many　turtles；　only　in　a　single　instance　did　I　notice　some　wretched　little　miniature　specimens　in　form　and　hue　not　unlike　those　colossal　oranges　of　our　cornfields。　　The　rail　fences　were　somewhat　disturbed；　and　the　cinders　of　extinguished　fires　showed　the　use　to　which　they　had　been　applied。　　The　houses　along　the　road　were　not　for　the　most　part　neatly　kept；　the　garden　fences　were　poorly　built　of　laths　or　long　slats；　and　very　rarely　of　trim　aspect。　　The　men　of　this　region　seemed　to　ride　in　the　saddle　very　generally；　rather　than　drive。　　They　looked　sober　and　stern；　less　curious　and　lively　than　Yankees；　and　I　fancied　that　a　type　of　features　familiar　to　us　in　the　countenance　of　the　late　John　Tyler；　our　accidental　President；　was　frequently　met　with。　　The　women　were　still　more　distinguishable　from　our　New　England　pattern。　　Soft；　sallow；　succulent；　delicately　finished　about　the　mouth　and　firmly　shaped　about　the　chin；　dark…eyed；　full…throated；　they　looked　as　if　they　had　been　grown　in　a　land　of　olives。　　There　was　a　little　toss　in　their　movement；　full　of　muliebrity。　　I　fancied　there　was　something　more　of　the　duck　and　less　of　the　chicken　about　them；　as　compared　with　the　daughters　of　our　leaner　soil；　but　these　are　mere　impressions　caught　from　stray　glances；　and　if　there　is　any　offence　in　them；　my　fair　readers　may　consider　them　all　retracted。

At　intervals；　a　dead　horse　lay　by　the　roadside；　or　in　the　fields；　unburied；　not　grateful　to　gods　or　men。　　I　saw　no　bird　of　prey；　no　ill…omened　fowl；　on　my　way　to　the　carnival　of　death；　or　at　the　place　where　it　had　been　held。　　The　vulture　of　story；　the　crow　of　Talavera；　the　〃twa　corbies〃　of　the　ghastly　ballad；　are　all　from　Nature；　doubtless；　but　no　black　wing　was　spread　over　these　animal　ruins；　and　no　call　to　the　banquet　pierced　through　the　heavy…laden　and　sickening　air。

Full　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　caring　little　for　whom　or　what　they　met；　came　long　strings　of　army　wagons；　returning　empty　from　the　front　after　supplies。　　James　Grayden　stated　it　as　his　conviction　that　they　had　a　little　rather　run　into　a　fellow　than　not。　　I　liked　the　looks　of　these　equipages　and　their　drivers；　they　meant　business。　　Drawn　by　mules　mostly；　six；　I　think；　to　a　wagon；　powdered　well　with　dust；　wagon；　beast；　and　driver；　they　came　jogging　along　the　road；　turning　neither　to　right　nor　left；some　driven　by　bearded；　solemn　white　men；　some　by　careless；　saucy…looking　negroes；　of　a　blackness　like　that　of　anthracite　or　obsidian。　　There　seemed　to　be　nothing　about　them；　dead　or　alive；　that　was　not　serviceable。　　Sometimes　a　mule　would　give　out　on　the　road；　then　he　was　left　where　he　lay；　until　by　and　by　he　would　think　better　of　it；　and　get　up；　when　the　first　public　wagon　that　came　along　would　hitch　him　on；　and　restore　him　to　the　sphere　of　duty。

It　was　evening　when　we　got　to　Middletown。　　The　gentle　lady　who　had　graced　our　homely　conveyance　with　her　company　here　left　us。　　She　found　her　husband；　the　gallant　Colonel；　in　very　comfortable　quarters；　well　cared　for；　very　weak　from　the　effects　of　the　fearful　operation　he　had　been　compelled　to　undergo；　but　showing　calm　courage　to　endure　as　he　had　shown　manly　energy　to　act。　　It　was　a　meeting　full　of　heroism　and　tenderness；　of　which　I　heard　more　than　there　is　need　to　tell。　　Health　to　the　brave　soldier；　and　peace　to　the　household　over　which　so　fair　a　spirit　presides！

Dr。　Thompson；　the　very　active　and　intelligent　surgical　director　of　the　hospitals　of　the　place；　took　me　in　charge。　　He　carried　me　to　the　house　of　a　worthy　and　benevolent　clergyman　of　the　German　Reformed　Church；　where　I　was　to　take　tea　and　pass　the　night。　　What　became　of　the　Moravian　chaplain　I　did　not　know；　but　my　friend　the　Philanthropist　had　evidently　made　up　his　mind　to　adhere　to　my　fortunes。　　He　followed　me；　therefore；　to　the　house　of　the　〃Dominie。〃　as　a　newspaper　correspondent　calls　my　kind　host；　and　partook　of　the　fare　there　furnished　me。　　He　withdrew　with　me　to　the　apartment　assigned　for　my　slumbers；　and　slept　sweetly　on　the　same　pillow　where　I　waked　and　tossed。　　Nay；　I　do　affirm　that　he　did；　unconsciously；　I　believe；　encroach　on　that　moiety　of　the　couch　which　I　had　flattered　myself　was　to　be　my　own　through　the　watches　of　the　night；　and　that　I　was　in　serious　doubt　at　one　time　whether　I　should　not　be　gradually；　but　irresistibly；　expelled　from　the　bed　which　I　had　supposed　destined　for　my　sole　possession。　　As　Ruth　clave　unto　Naomi；　so　my　friend　the　Philanthropist　clave　unto　me。　　〃Whither　thou　goest；　I　will　go；　and　where　thou　lodgest；　I　will　lodge。〃　　A　really　kind；　good　man；　full　of　zeal；　determined　to　help　somebody；　and　absorbed　in　his　one　thought；　he　doubted　nobody's　willingness　to　serve　him；　going；　as　he　was；　on　a　purely　benevolent　errand。　　When　he　reads　this；　as　I　hope　he　will；　let　him　be　assured　of　my　esteem　and　respect；　and　if　he　gained　any　accommodation　from　being　in　my　company；　let　me　tell　him　that　I　learned　a　lesson　from　his　active　benevolence。　　I　could；　however；　have　wished　to　hear　him　laugh　once　before　we　parted；　perhaps　forever。　　He　did　not；　to　the　best　of　my　recollection；　even　smile　during　the　whole　period　that　we　were　in　company。　　I　am　afraid　that　a　lightsome　disposition　and　a　relish　for　humor　are　not　so　common　in　those　whose　benevolence　takes　an　active　turn　as　in　people　of　sentiment；　who　are　always　ready　with　their　tears　and　abounding　in　passionate　expressions　of　sympathy。　　Working　philanthropy　is　a　practical　specialty；　requiring　not　a　mere　impulse；　but　a　talent；　with　its　peculiar　sagacity　for　finding　its　objects；　a　tact　for　selecting　its　agencies；　an　organizing　and　art　ranging　faculty；　a　steady　set　of　nerves；　and　a　constitution　such　as　Sallust　describes　in　Catiline；　patient　of　cold；　of　hunger；　and　of　watching。　　Philanthropists　are　commonly　grave；　occasionally　grim；　and　not　very　rarely　morose。　　Their　expansive　social　force　is　imprisoned　as　a　working　power；　to　show　itself　only　through　its　legitimate　pistons　and　cranks。　　The　tighter　the　boiler；　the　less　it　whistles　and　sings　at　its　work。　　When　Dr。　Waterhouse；　in　1780；　travelled　with　Howard；　on　his　tour　among　the　Dutch　prisons　and　hospitals；　he　found　his　temper　and　manners　very　different　from　what　would　have　been　expected。

My　benevolent　companion　having　already　made　a　preliminary　exploration　of　the　hospitals　of　the　place；　before　sharing　my　bed　with　him；　as　above　mentioned；　I　joined　him　in　a　second　tour　through　them。　　The　authorities　of　Middletown　are　evidently　leagued　with　the　surgeons　of　that　place；　for　such　a　break…neck　succession　of　pitfalls　and　chasms　I　have　never　seen　in　the　streets　of　a　civilized　town。　　It　was　getting　late　in　the　evening　when　we　began　our　rounds。　　The　principal　collections　of　the　wounded　were　in　the　churches。　　Boards　were　laid　over　the　tops　of　the　pews；　on　these　some　straw　was　spread；　and　on　this　the　wounded　lay；　with　little　or　no　covering　other　than　such　scanty　clothes　as　they　had　on。　　There　were　wounds　of　all　degrees　of　severity；　but　I　heard　no　groans　or　murmurs。　　Most　of　the　sufferers　were　hurt　in　the　limbs；　some　had　undergone　amputation；　and　all　had；　I　presume；　received　such　attention　as　was　required。　　Still；　it　was　but　a　rough　and　dreary　kind　of　comfort　that　the　extemporized　hospitals　suggested。　　I　could　not　help　thinking　the　patients　must　be　cold；　but　they　were　used　to　camp　life；　and　did　not　complain。　　The　men　who　watched　were　not　of　the　soft…handed　variety　of　the　race。　　One　of　them　was　smoking　his　pipe　as　he　went　from　bed　to　bed。　　I　saw　one　poor　fellow　who　had　been　shot　through　the　breast；　his　breathing　was　labored；　and　he　was　tossing；　anxious　and　restless。　　The　men　were　debating　about　the　opiate　he　was　to　take；　and　I　was　thankful　that　I　happened　there　at　the　right　moment　to　see　that　he　was　well　narcotized　for　the　night。　　Was　it　possible　that　my　Captain　could　be　lying　on　the　straw　in　one　of　these　places？　　Certainly　possible；　but　not　probable；　but　as　the　lantern　was　held　over　each　bed；　it　was　with　a　kind　of　thrill　that　I　looked　upon　the　features　it　illuminated。　　Many　times　as　I　went　from　hospital　to　hospital　in　my　wanderings；　I　started　as　some　faint　resemblance；…the　shade　of　a　young　man's　hair；　the　outline　of　his　half…turned　face；recalled　the　presence　I　was　in　search　of。　　The　face　would　turn　towards　me；　and　the　momentary　illusion　would　pass　away；　but　still　the　fancy　clung　to　me。　　There　was　no　figure　huddled　up　on　its　rude　couch；　none　stretched　at　the　roadside；　none　toiling　languidly　along　the　dusty　pike；　none　passing　in　car　or　in　ambulance；　that　I　did　not　scrutinize；　as　if　it　might　be　that　for　which　I　was　making　my　pilgrimage　to　the　battlefield。

〃There　are　two　wounded　Secesh；〃　　said　my　companion。　　I　walked　to　the　bedside　of　the　first；　who　was　an　officer；　a　lieutenant；　if　I　remember　right；　from　North　Carolina。　　He　was　of　good　family；　son　of　a　judge　in　one　of　the　higher　courts　of　his　State；　educated；　pleasant；　gentle；　intelligent。　　One　moment's　intercourse　with　such　an　enemy；　lying　helpless　and　wounded　among　strangers；　takes　away　all　personal　bitterness　towards　those　with　whom　we　or　our　children　have　been　but　a　few　hours　before　in　deadly　strife。　　The　basest　lie　which　the　murderous　contrivers　of　this　Rebellion　have　told　is　that　which　tries　to　make　out　a　difference　of　race　in　the　men　of　the　North　and　South。　It　would　be　worth　a　year　of　battles　to　abolish　this　delusion；　though　the　great　sponge　of　war　that　wiped　it　out　were　moistened　with　the　best　blood　of　the　land。　　My　Rebel　was　of　slight；　scholastic　habit；　and　spoke　as　one　accustomed　to　tread　carefully　among　the　parts　of　speech。　　It　made　my　heart　ache　to　see　him；　a　man　finished　in　the　humanities　and　Christian　culture；　whom　the　sin　of　his　forefathers　and　the　crime　of　his　rulers　had　set　in　barbarous　conflict　against　others　of　like　training　with　his　own；a　man　who；　but　for　the　curse　which　our　generation　is　called　on　to　expiate；　would　have　taken　his　part　in　the　beneficent　task　of　shaping　the　intelligence　and　lifting　the　moral　standard　of　a　peaceful　and　united　people。

On　Sunday　morning；　the　twenty…first；　having　engaged　James　Grayden　and　his　team；　I　set　out　with　the