the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第23节
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But of a sudden he ejaculated： 〃Hol' on a minnit！ Where you goin' t'
sleep？〃
His friend waved his hand impatiently。 〃Right down there by yeh。〃
〃Well； but hol' on a minnit；〃 continued the youth。 〃What yeh goin' t'
sleep in？ I've got your〃
The loud young soldier snarled： 〃Shet up an' go on t' sleep。 Don't be
makin' a damn' fool 'a yerself；〃 he said severely。
After the reproof the youth said no more。 An exquisite drowsiness had
spread through him。 The warm comfort of the blanket enveloped him and
made a gentle languor。 His head fell for… ward on his crooked arm and
his weighted lids went softly down over his eyes。 Hearing a splatter of
musketry from the distance； he wondered indifferently if those men
sometimes slept。 He gave a long sigh； snuggled down into his blanket；
and in a moment was like his com… rades。
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CHAPTER XIV。
WHEN the youth awoke it seemed to him that he had been asleep for
a thousand years； and he felt sure that he opened his eyes upon an unex…
pected world。 Gray mists were slowly shifting before the first efforts of
the sun rays。 An im… pending splendor could be seen in the eastern sky。
An icy dew had chilled his face； and im… mediately upon arousing he
curled farther down into his blanket。 He stared for a while at the leaves
overhead； moving in a heraldic wind of the day。
The distance was splintering and blaring with the noise of fighting。
There was in the sound an expression of a deadly persistency； as if it had
not begun and was not to cease。
About him were the rows and groups of men that he had dimly seen
the previous night。 They were getting a last draught of sleep before the
awakening。 The gaunt； careworn features and dusty figures were made
plain by this quaint
139 light at the dawning； but it dressed the skin of the men in
corpselike hues and made the tangled limbs appear pulseless and dead。
The youth started up with a little cry when his eyes first swept over this
motionless mass of men； thick… spread upon the ground； pallid； and in
strange postures。 His disordered mind interpreted the hall of the forest as
a charnel place。 He believed for an instant that he was in the house of the
dead； and he did not dare to move lest these corpses start up； squalling and
squawking。 In a second； however； he achieved his proper mind。 He
swore a complicated oath at himself。 He saw that this somber picture
was not a fact of the present； but a mere prophecy。
He heard then the noise of a fire crackling briskly in the cold air； and；
turning his head； he saw his friend pottering busily about a small blaze。
A few other figures moved in the fog； and he heard the hard cracking of
axe blows。
Suddenly there was a hollow rumble of drums。 A distant bugle sang
faintly。 Similar sounds； varying in strength； came from near and far over
the forest。 The bugles called to each other like brazen gamecocks。 The
near thunder of the regimental drums rolled。
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The body of men in the woods rustled。 There was a general uplifting
of heads。 A murmuring of voices broke upon the air。 In it there was
much bass of grumbling oaths。 Strange gods were addressed in
condemnation of the early hours necessary to correct war。 An officer's
peremptory tenor rang out and quickened the stiffened movement of the
men。 The tangled limbs unraveled。 The corpse…hued faces were hidden
behind fists that twisted slowly in the eye sockets。
The youth sat up and gave vent to an enormous yawn。 〃Thunder！〃 he
remarked petulantly。 He rubbed his eyes； and then putting up his hand felt
carefully of the bandage over his wound。 His friend； perceiving him to be
awake； came from the fire。 〃Well； Henry； ol' man； how do yeh feel this
mornin'？〃 he demanded。
The youth yawned again。 Then he puckered his mouth to a little
pucker。 His head； in truth； felt precisely like a melon； and there was an
un… pleasant sensation at his stomach。
〃Oh； Lord； I feel pretty bad；〃 he said。
〃Thunder！〃 exclaimed the other。 〃I hoped ye'd feel all right this
mornin'。 Let's see th' bandageI guess it's slipped。〃 He began to tinker
at the wound in rather a clumsy way until the youth exploded。
〃Gosh…dern it！〃 he said in sharp irritation； 〃you're the hangdest man I
ever saw！ You wear muffs on your hands。 Why in good thunderation
can't you be more easy？ I'd rather you'd stand off an' throw guns at it。
Now； go slow； an' don't act as if you was nailing down carpet。〃
He glared with insolent command at his friend； but the latter answered
soothingly。 〃Well； well； come now； an' git some grub；〃 he said。 〃Then；
maybe； yeh'll feel better。〃
At the fireside the loud young soldier watched over his comrade's
wants with tender… ness and care。 He was very busy marshaling the little
black vagabonds of tin cups and pour… ing into them the streaming； iron
colored mixture from a small and sooty tin pail。 He had some fresh meat；
which he roasted hurriedly upon a stick。 He sat down then and
contemplated the youth's appetite with glee。
The youth took note of a remarkable change in his comrade since
those days of camp life upon the river bank。 He seemed no more to be
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con… tinually regarding the proportions of his personal prowess。 He was
not furious at small words that pricked his conceits。 He was no more a
loud young soldier。 There was about him now a fine reliance。 He
showed a quiet belief in his purposes and his abilities。 And this in… ward
confidence evidently enabled him to be indifferent to little words of other
men aimed at him。
The youth reflected。 He had been used to regarding his comrade as a
blatant child with an audacity grown from his inexperience； thought… less；
headstrong； jealous； and filled with a tinsel courage。 A swaggering babe
accustomed to strut in his own dooryard。 The youth wondered where had
been born these new eyes； when his comrade had made the great discovery
that there were many men who would refuse to be subjected by him。
Apparently； the other had now climbed a peak of wisdom from which he
could perceive himself as a very wee thing。 And the youth saw that ever
after it would be easier to live in his friend's neighborhood。
His comrade balanced his ebony coffee…cup on his knee。 〃Well；
Henry；〃 he said； 〃what d'yeh think th' chances are？ D'yeh think we'll
wal… lop 'em？〃
The youth considered for a moment。 〃Day… b'fore…yesterday；〃 he
finally replied； with boldness； 〃you would 'a' bet you'd lick the hull kit…an'…
boodle all by yourself。〃
His friend looked a trifle amazed。 〃Would I？〃 he asked。 He
pondered。 〃Well； perhaps I would；〃 he decided at last。 He stared
humbly at the fire。
The youth was quite disconcerted at this sur… prising reception of his
remarks。 〃Oh； no； you wouldn't either；〃 he said； hastily trying to re…
trace。
But the other made a deprecating gesture。 〃Oh； yeh needn't mind；
Henry；〃 he said。 〃I be… lieve I was a pretty big fool in those days。〃 He
spoke as after a lapse of years。
There was a little pause。
〃All th' officers say we've got th' rebs in a pretty tight box；〃 said the
friend； clearing his throat in a commonplace way。 〃They all seem t' think
we've got 'em jest where we want 'em。〃
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〃I don't know a
