passages from an old volume of life-第11节

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otel　we　repaired；　then；　in　company　with　our　kind…hearted　old　friend；　who　evidently　wanted　to　see　me　as　happy　as　himself。　　He　went　up…stairs　to　his　son's　chamber；　and　presently　came　down　to　conduct　us　there。

Lieutenant　P________　；　of　the　Pennsylvania　__th；　was　a　very　fresh；　bright…looking　young　man；　lying　in　bed　from　the　effects　of　a　recent　injury　received　in　action。　　A　grape…shot；　after　passing　through　a　post　and　a　board；　had　struck　him　in　the　hip；　bruising；　but　not　penetrating　or　breaking。　　He　had　good　news　for　me。

That　very　afternoon；　a　party　of　wounded　officers　had　passed　through　Harrisburg；　going　East。　　He　had　conversed　in　the　bar…room　of　this　hotel　with　one　of　them；　who　was　wounded　about　the　shoulder　（it　might　be　the　lower　part　of　the　neck）；　and　had　his　arm　in　a　sling。　　He　belonged　to　the　Twentieth　Massachusetts；　the　Lieutenant　saw　that　be　was　a　Captain；　by　the　two　bars　on　his　shoulder…strap。　　His　name　was　my　family…name；　he　was　tall　and　youthful；　like　my　Captain。　　At　four　o'clock　he　left　in　the　train　for　Philadelphia。　　Closely　questioned；　the　Lieutenant's　evidence　was　as　round；　complete；　and　lucid　as　a　Japanese　sphere　of　rock…crystal。

TE　DEUM　LAUDAMUS！　　The　Lord's　name　be　praised！　　The　dead　pain　in　the　semilunar　ganglion　（which　I　must　remind　my　reader　is　a　kind　of　stupid；　unreasoning　brain；　beneath　the　pit　of　the　stomach；　common　to　man　and　beast；　which　aches　in　the　supreme　moments　of　life；　as　when　the　dam　loses　her　young　ones；　or　the　wild　horse　is　lassoed）　stopped　short。　　There　was　a　feeling　as　if　I　had　slipped　off　a　tight　boot；　or　cut　a　strangling　garter；only　it　was　all　over　my　system。　　What　more　could　I　ask　to　assure　me　of　the　Captain's　safety？　　As　soon　as　the　telegraph　office　opens　tomorrow　morning　we　will　send　a　message　to　our　friends　in　Philadelphia；　and　get　a　reply；　doubtless；　which　will　settle　the　whole　matter。

The　hopeful　morrow　dawned　at　last；　and　the　message　was　sent　accordingly。　　In　due　time；　the　following　reply　was　received：　〃Phil　Sept　24　I　think　the　report　you　have　heard　that　W　＇the　Captain＇　has　gone　East　must　be　an　error　we　have　not　seen　or　heard　of　him　here　M　L　H〃

DE　PROFUNDIS　CLAMAVI！　　He　could　not　have　passed　through　Philadelphia　without　visiting　the　house　called　Beautiful；　where　he　had　been　so　tenderly　cared　for　after　his　wound　at　Ball's　Bluff；　and　where　those　whom　he　loved　were　lying　in　grave　peril　of　life　or　limb。　　Yet　he　did　pass　through　Harrisburg；　going　East；　going　to　Philadelphia；　on　his　way　home。　　Ah；　this　is　it！　　He　must　have　taken　the　late　night…train　from　Philadelphia　for　New　York；　in　his　impatience　to　reach　home。　There　is　such　a　train；　not　down　in　the　guide…book；　but　we　were　assured　of　the　fact　at　the　Harrisburg　depot。　　By　and　by　came　the　reply　from　Dr。　Wilson's　telegraphic　message：　nothing　had　been　heard　of　the　Captain　at　Chambersburg。　　Still　later；　another　message　came　from　our　Philadelphia　friend；　saying　that　he　was　seen　on　Friday　last　at　the　house　of　Mrs。　　K________；　a　well…known　Union　lady　in　Hagerstown。　　Now　this　could　not　be　true；　for　he　did　not　leave　Keedysville　until　Saturday；　but　the　name　of　the　lady　furnished　a　clew　by　which　we　could　probably　track　him。　　A　telegram　was　at　once　sent　to　Mrs。　　K_______；　asking　information。　　It　was　transmitted　immediately；　but　when　the　answer　would　be　received　was　uncertain；　as　the　Government　almost　monopolized　the　line。　　I　was；　on　the　whole；　so　well　satisfied　that　the　Captain　had　gone　East；　that；　unless　something　were　heard　to　the　contrary；　I　proposed　following　him　in　the　late　train　leaving　a　little　after　midnight　for　Philadelphia。

This　same　morning　we　visited　several　of　the　temporary　hospitals；　churches　and　school…houses；　where　the　wounded　were　lying。　　In　one　of　these；　after　looking　round　as　usual；　I　asked　aloud；　〃Any　Massachusetts　men　here？〃　　Two　bright　faces　lifted　themselves　from　their　pillows　and　welcomed　me　by　name。　　The　one　nearest　me　was　private　John　B。　Noyes　of　Company　B；　Massachusetts　Thirteenth；　son　of　my　old　college　class…tutor；　now　the　reverend　and　learned　Professor　of　Hebrew；　etc。；　in　Harvard　University。　　His　neighbor　was　Corporal　Armstrong　of　the　same　Company。　　Both　were　slightly　wounded；　doing　well。　　I　learned　then　and　since　from　Mr。　Noyes　that　they　and　their　comrades　were　completely　overwhelmed　by　the　attentions　of　the　good　people　of　Harrisburg；that　the　ladies　brought　them　fruits　and　flowers；　and　smiles；　better　than　either；and　that　the　little　boys　of　the　place　were　almost　fighting　for　the　privilege　of　doing　their　errands。　　I　am　afraid　there　will　be　a　good　many　hearts　pierced　in　this　war　that　will　have　no　bulletmark　to　show。

There　were　some　heavy　hours　to　get　rid　of；　and　we　thought　a　visit　to　Camp　Curtin　might　lighten　some　of　them。　　A　rickety　wagon　carried　us　to　the　camp；　in　company　with　a　young　woman　from　Troy；　who　had　a　basket　of　good　things　with　her　for　a　sick　brother。　　〃Poor　boy！　he　will　be　sure　to　die；〃　she　said。　　The　rustic　sentries　uncrossed　their　muskets　and　let　us　in。　　The　camp　was　on　a　fair　plain；　girdled　with　hills；　spacious；　well　kept　apparently；　but　did　not　present　any　peculiar　attraction　for　us。　　The　visit　would　have　been　a　dull　one；　had　we　not　happened　to　get　sight　of　a　singular…looking　set　of　human　beings　in　the　distance。　　They　were　clad　in　stuff　of　different　hues；　gray　and　brown　being　the　leading　shades；　but　both　subdued　by　a　neutral　tint；　such　as　is　wont　to　harmonize　the　variegated　apparel　of　travel…stained　vagabonds。　　They　looked　slouchy；　listless；　torpid；an　ill…conditioned　crew；　at　first　sight；　made　up　of　such　fellows　as　an　old　woman　would　drive　away　from　her　hen…roost　with　a　broomstick。　　Yet　these　were　estrays　from　the　fiery　army　which　has　given　our　generals　so　much　trouble；〃Secesh　prisoners；〃　as　a　bystander　told　us。　　A　talk　with　them　might　be　profitable　and　entertaining。　　But　they　were　tabooed　to　the　common　visitor；　and　it　was　necessary　to　get　inside　of　the　line　which　separated　us　from　them。

A　solid；　square　captain　was　standing　near　by；　to　whom　we　were　referred。　　Look　a　man　calmly　through　the　very　centre　of　his　pupils　and　ask　him　for　anything　with　a　tone　implying　entire　conviction　that　he　will　grant　it；　and　he　will　very　commonly　consent　to　the　thing　asked；　were　it　to　commit　hari…kari。　　The　Captain　acceded　to　my　postulate；　and　accepted　my　friend　as　a　corollary。　　As　one　string　of　my　own　ancestors　was　of　Batavian　origin；　I　may　be　permitted　to　say　that　my　new　friend　was　of　the　Dutch　type；　like　the　Amsterdam　galiots；　broad　in　the　beam；　capacious　in　the　hold；　and　calculated　to　carry　a　heavy　cargo　rather　than　to　make　fast　time。　　He　must　have　been　in　politics　at　some　time　or　other；　for　he　made　orations　to　all　the　〃Secesh；〃　in　which　he　explained　to　them　that　the　United　States　considered　and　treated　them　like　children；　and　enforced　upon　them　the　ridiculous　impossibility　of　the　Rebels　attempting　to　do　anything　against　such　a　power　as　that　of　the　National　Government。

Much　as　his　discourse　edified　them　and　enlightened　me；　it　interfered　somewhat　with　my　little　plans　of　entering　into　frank　and　friendly　talk　with　some　of　these　poor　fellows；　for　whom　I　could　not　help　feeling　a　kind　of　human　sympathy；　though　I　am　as　venomous　a　hater　of　the　Rebellion　as　one　is　like　to　find　under　the　stars　and　stripes。　　It　is　fair　to　take　a　man　prisoner。　　It　is　fair　to　make　speeches　to　a　man。　　But　to　take　a　man　prisoner　and　then　make　speeches　to　him　while　in　durance　is　not　fair。

I　began　a　few　pleasant　conversations；　which　would　have　come　to　something　but　for　the　reason　assigned。

One　old　fellow　had　a　long　beard；　a　drooping　eyelid；　and　a　black　clay　pipe　in　his　mouth。　　He　was　a　Scotchman　from　Ayr；　dour　enough；　and　little　disposed　to　be　communicative；　though　I　tried　him　with　the　〃Twa　Briggs；〃　and；　like　all　Scotchmen；　he　was　a　reader　of　〃Burrns。〃　　He　professed　to　feel　no　interest　in　the　cause　for　which　he　was　fighting；　and　was　in　the　army；　I　judged；　only　from　compulsion。　　There　was　a　wild…haired；　unsoaped　boy；　with　pretty；　foolish　features　enough；　who　looked　as　if　he　might　be　about　seventeen；　as　he　said　he　was。　　I　give　my　questions　and　his　answers　literally。

〃What　State　do　you　come　from？〃

〃Georgy。〃

〃What　part　of　Georgia？〃

〃Midway。〃

＇How　odd　that　is！　　My　father　was　settled　for　seven　years　as　pastor　over　the　church　at　Midway；　Georgia；　and　this　youth　is　very　probably　a　grandson　or　great　grandson　of　one　of　his　parishioners。＇

〃Where　did　you　go　to　church　when　you　were　at　home？〃

〃Never　went　inside　'f　a　church　b't　once　in　m'　life。〃

〃What　did　you　do　before　you　became　a　soldier？〃

〃Nothin'。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　to　do　when　you　get　back？〃

〃Nothin'。〃

Who　could　have　any　other　feeling　than　pity　for　this　poor　human　weed；　this　dwarfed　and　etiolated　soul；　doomed　by　neglect　to　an　existence　but　one　degree　above　that　of　the　idiot？

With　the　group　was　a　lieutenant；　buttoned　close　in　his　gray　coat；　one　button　gone；　perhaps　to　make　a　breastpin　for　some　fair　traitorous　bosom。　　A　short；　stocky　man；　undistinguishable　from　one　of　the　〃subject　race〃　by　any　obvious　meanderings　of　the　sangre　azul　on　his　exposed　surfaces。　　He　did　not　say　much；　possibly　because　he　was　convinced　by　the　statements　and　arguments　of　the　Dutch　captain。　　He　had　on　strong；　iron…heeled　shoes；　of　English　make；　which　he　said　cost　him　seventeen　dollars　in　Rich