the red acorn-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Thar's　some　walnut　sticks　amongst　thet　wood；〃　she　said　as　she　replaced　the　hearth…broom；　〃an'　they　pops　awful。〃

From　a　pouch…like　basket；　made　of　skilfully　interwoven　hickory　strips；　and　hanging　against　the　wall；　she　took　a　half…finished　stocking　and　a　ball　of　yarn。　　Drawing　a　low　rocking…chair　up　into　the　light；　she　seated　herself　and　began　knitting。

As　he　neared　the　last　of　his　second　bowl　of　milk　Fortner　bethought　himself；　and　glanced　at　Aunt　Debby。　　Her　work　had　fallen　from　her　nervous　hands　and　lay　idly　in　her　lap；　while　her　great　eyes　were　fixed　hungrily　upon　him。

〃They've　bin　fouten　over　ter　Wildcat　to…day；〃　he　said；　answering　their　inquiry；　without　waiting　to　empty　his　mouth。

〃Yes；　I　heard　the　cannons；〃　she　said　with　such　gentle　voice　as　made　her　dialect　seem　quaint　and　sweet。　　〃I　clim　up　on　Bald　Rock　at　the　top　o'　the　mounting　an'　lissened。　　I　could　see　the　smoke　raisin'；　but　I　couldn't　tell　nothin'。　　Much　uv　a　fout？〃

〃Awful　big'un。　　Biggest　'un　sence　Buner　Vister。　　Ole　Zollicoffer　pitched　his　whole　army　onter　Kunnel　Gerrard's　rijimint。　　Some　other　rijiments　cum　up　ter　help　Kunnel　Garrard；　an'　both　sides　fit　like　devis　fur　three　or　fur　hours；　an'　the　dead　jess　lay　in　winrows；　an'…〃

The　demands　of　Fortner's　unappeased　appetite　here　rose　superior　to　his　desire　to　impart　information。　　He　stopped　to　munch　the　last　bit　of　corn…bread　and　drain　his　bowl　to　the　bottom。

〃Yes；〃　said　Aunt　Debby；　inhospitably　disregarding　the　exhaustion　of　the　provender；　and　speaking　a　little　more　quickly　than　her　wont；　〃but　which　side　whipt？〃

〃Our'n；　in　course；〃　said　Fortner；　with　nettled　surprise　at　the　question。　　〃Our'n；　in　course。　　Old　Zollicoffer　got　ez　bad　a　licken　ez　ever　Gineral　Zach　Taylor　gi'n　the　Mexicans。〃

〃Rayally？〃　she　said。　　Gratification　showed　itself　in　little　lines　that　coursed　about　her　mouth；　and　her　eyes　illumined　as　when　a　light　shines　through　a　window。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Fortner。　　〃Like　hounds；　and　run　clean　ter　the　Ford；　whar　they're　now　a…fouten　an'　strugglin　to　git　acrost；　and　drowndin'　like　so　many　stampeded　cattle。〃

〃Glory！　　Thank　God！〃　said　Aunt　Debby。　　Her　earnestness　expressed　itself　more　by　the　intensity　of　the　tone　than　its　rise。

〃Evidently　a　tolerable　regular　attendant　at　Methodist　camp…meetings；〃　thought　Harry；　rousing　a　little　from　the　torpor　into　which　he　was　falling。

Her　faded　check　flushed　with　a　little　confusion　at　having　suffered　this　outburst；　and　picking　up　her　knitting　she　nervously　resumed　work。

Fortner　looked　wistfully　at　the　bottom　of　his　emptied　bowl。　　Aunt　Debby　took　it　away　and　speedily　returned　with　it　filled。　　She　came　back　with　an　air　of　eager　expectancy　that　Fortner　would　continue　his　narrative。　　But　unsatisfied　hunger　still　dominated　him；　and　he　had　thoughts　and　mouth　only　for　food。　　She　sad　down　and　resumed　her　knitting　with　an　apparent　effort　at　composing　herself。

For　a　full　minute　the　needles　clicked　industriously。　　Then　they　stopped；　the　long；　slender　fingers　clenched　themselves　about　the　ball　of　yarn；　she　faced　Fortner；　her　eyes　shining　with　a　less　brilliant　but　intenser　light。

〃Jim　Fortner；〃　she　said　with　low；　measured　distinctness；　〃why　don't　ye　go　on？　　Is　thar　somethin'　that　ye'r　afeered　ter　tell　me？　　What　hez　hapened　ter　our　folks？　　Don't　flinch　from　tellin'　me　the　wust。　I'm　allers　willin'　ter　bow　ter　the　will　o'　the　Lord　without　a　murmur。　　On'y　let　me　know　what　hit　is。〃

〃Why；　Aunt　Debby；　thar　hain't　been　nothin'　happened　ter　'em；〃　said　Fortner；　deeply　surprised。　　〃Thar　ain't　nothin'　ter　tell　ye　'bout　'em。　　They're　all　safe。　　They're　in　Kunnel　Garrard's　rijimint；　ez　ye　know；　an'　hit　fit　behind　breastworks；　and　didn't　lose　nobody；　scacelyleastwise　none　uv　our　kin。〃

She　rose　quickly　from　her　chair。　　The　ball　of　yarn　fell　from　her　lap　and　rolled　unheeded　toward　the　glowing　coals　under　the　forelog。　With　arm　outstretched；　hands　clasped；　and　eyes　directed　upward　in　fervent　appeal；　there　was　much　to　recall　that　Deborah　from　whom　she　took　her　namethat　prophetess　and　priestess　who；　standing　under　the　waving　palm　trees　of　Ball…Tamar；　inspired　her　countrymen　to　go　forth　and　overthrow　and　destroy　their　Canaanitish　oppressors。

〃O；　God！〃　she　said　in　low；　thrilling　tones；　〃Thou's　aforetimes　gi'n　me　much　ter　be　thankful　fur；　as　well　ez　much　ter　dumbly　ba'r　when　Thy　rod　smote　me　fur　reasons　thet　I　couldn't　understand。　　Thou　knows　how　gladly　I'd've　gi'n　not　on'y　my　pore；　nigh…spent　life；　but　also　those　o'　my　kinsmen；　which　I　prize　much　higher；　fur　sech　a　vict'ry　ez　this　over　the　inimies　of　Thee　an'　Thy　people。　　But　Thou'st　gi'n　hit　free　ez　Thy　marcy；　without　axin'　blood　sacrifice　from　any　on　us。　　I　kin　on'y　praise　Thee　an'　Thy　goodness　all　my　days。〃

Fortner　rose　and　listend　with　bowed　head　while　she　spoke。　　When　she　finished　he　snatched　up　the　ball　of　shriveling　yarn　and　quenched　its　smoking　with　his　hand。　　Looking　fixedly　at　this　he　said　softly：　〃Aunt　Debby；　honey；　I　hain't　tole　ye　all　yit。〃

〃No；　Jim？〃

〃No；〃　said　he；　slowly　winding　up　the　yarn；　〃Arter　the　fouten　wuz　thru　with　at　the　Gap　I　slipt　down　the　mounting；　an'　come　in　on　the　r'ar　uv　those　fellers；　an'　me　an'　this　ere　man　drapt　two　on　'em。〃

〃I　kinder　'spected　ye　would　do　something　uv　thet　sort。〃

〃Then　we　tuk　a　short　cut　an'　overtuk　'em　agin；　an'　we　drapt　another。〃

Aunt　Debby's　eyes　expressed　surprise　at　this　continued　good　fortune。

〃An'　then　we　tuk　'nuther　short　cut；　an'　saved　'nuther　one。〃

Aunt　Debby　waited　for　him　to　continue。

〃At　lastjess　ez　they　come　ter　the　FordI　seed　OUR　man。〃

〃Seed　Kunnel　Bill　Pennington？〃　　The　great　gray　eyes　were　blazing　now。

〃Yes。〃　　Fortner's　speech　was　the　spiritless　drawl　of　the　mountains；　and　it　had　now　become　so　languid　that　it　seemed　doubtful　if　after　the　enunciation　of　each　word　whether　vitality　enough　remained　to　evolve　a　successor。　　〃Yes；〃　he　repeated　with　a　yawn；　as　he　stuck　the　ball　of　yarn　upon　the　needles　and　gave　the　whole　a　toss　which　landed　it　in　the　wall…basket；　〃an'　I　GOT　him；　tew。〃

〃O；　just　God！　　Air　ye　shore？〃

〃Jess　ez　shore　ez　in　the　last　great　day　thar'll　be　some　'un　settin'　in　judgement　atween　him　an'　me。　　I　wanted　him　ter　be　jess　ez　shore　about　me。　　I　came　out　in　plain　sight；　and　drawed　his　attention。　He　knowed　me　at　fust　glimpse；　an'　pulled　his　revolver。　　I　kivered　his　heart　with　the　sights　an'　tetcht　the　trigger。　　I'm　sorry　now　thet　I　didn't　shoot　him　thru　the　belly；　so　thet　he'd　been　a　week　a…dyin'　an'　every　minnit　he'd　remembered　what　he　wuz　killed　fur。　But　I　wuz　so　afeered　that　I　would　not　kill　him　ef　I　hit　him　some　place　else'n　the　heartthet's　a　wayall　pizen　varmints　hevthet　I　didn't　da'r　resk　hit。　　I　wuz　detarmined　ter　git　him；　too；　ef　I　had　ter　foller　him　clean　ter　Cumberland　Gap。〃

〃Ye　done　God's　vengence；〃　said　Aunt　Debby　sternly。　　〃An'　yit　hit　wuz　very　soon　ter　expect　hit。〃　　She　clasped　her　hands　upon　her　forehead　and　rocked　back　and　forth；　gazing　fixedly　into　the　mass　of　incandescent　coals。

〃Hit's　gwine　to　cla'r　up　ter…morrow；〃　said　Fortner；　returning　from　an　inspection　of　the　sky　at　the　door。　　〃Le's　potter　off　ter　bed；〃　he　continued　rousing　up　Harry。　　They　removed　their　outer　garments　and　crawled　into　one　of　the　comfortable　beds　in　the　room。

Later　in　the　night　a　sharp　pain　in　one　of　Harry's　over…strained　legs　awoke　him　out　of　his　deep　slumber；　for　a　few　minutes。　　Aunt　Debby　was　still　seated　before　the　fire　in　her　chair；　rocking　back　and　forth；　and　singing　softly：


〃Thy　saints　in　all　this　glorious　war；　　　　Shall　conquer　ere　they　die。　They　see　the　triumph　from　afar　　　　By　faith　they　bring　hit　nigh。　Sure　I　must　suffer　ef　I　would　reign；　　　　Increase　my　courage；　Lord。　I'll　bear　the　toil；　endure　the　pain。〃


He　went　to　sleep　again　with　the　sweet　strains　ringing　in　his　ears；　as　if　in　some　way　a　part　of　the　marvelous　happenings　of　that　most　eventful　day。





Chapter　XII。　　Aunt　Debby　Brill。




Beneath　the　dark　waves　where　the　dead　go　down；　　　　　There　are　gulfs　of　night　more　deep；　But　little　they　care；　whom　the　waves　once　drown；　　　　　How　far　from　the　litght　they　sleep。

And　dark　though　Sorrow's　fearful　billows　be；　　　　　They　have　caverns　darker　still。　O　God！　that　Sorrow's　waves　were　like　the　sea；　　　　　Whose　topmost　waters　kill。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…Anonymous。


It　was　nearly　noon　when　Harry　awoke。　　The　awakening　came　slowly　and　with　pain。　　In　all　his　previous　experiences　he　had　had　no　hint　even　of　such　mental　and　bodily　exhaustion　as　now　oppressed　him。　Every　muscle　and　tendon　was　aching　a　bitter　complaint　against　the　strain　it　had　been　subjected　to　the　day　before。　　Dull；　pulseless　pain　smoldered　in　some；　in　others　it　was　the　keen　throb　of　the　toothache。　　Continued　lying　in　one　position　was　unendurable；　changing　it；　a　thrill　of　anguish；　and　the　new　posture　as　intolerable　as　the　first。　　His　brain　galled　and　twinged　as　did　his　body。　　To　think　was　as　acute　pain　as　to　use　his　sinews。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　thinking　any　more　than　he　could　help　turning　in　the　bed；　though　to　turn　was　torture。

Every　organ　of　thought　was　bruised　and　sore。　　The　fearful　events　of　the　day　before　would　continue　to　thrust　themselves　upon　his　mind。　To　put　them　out　required　painful　effort；　to　recall　and　comprehend　them　was　even　worse。　　Reflecting　upon　them　now；　with　unstrung　nerves；　made　them　seem　a　hundr