the red acorn-第36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！


d　his　face　darkened　with　anger。

〃You　infernal　rascals；〃　he　shouted；　〃you　have　been　off　plundering　houses；　have　you；　in　place　of　being　with　your　company。　　I'll　stop　this　sort　of　thing　mighty　sudden。　　This　regiment　shall　not　degrade　itself　by　plundering　and　robbing；　if　I　have　to　shoot　every　man　in　it。　　Captain；　arrest　those　men；　and　keep　thim　in　close　confinement　until　I　can　have　them　tried　and　properly　punished。〃





Chapter　XVII。　　Alspaugh　on　a　Bed　of　Pain。




This　is　the　very　ecstacy　of　love；　Whose　violent　property　foredoes　itself。　And　leads　the　will　to　desperate　undertakings　As　often　as　any　passion　under　Heaven　That　does　afflict　our　natures。Hamlet


Endurance　is　made　possible　by　reason　of　the　element　of　divisibility。　Metaphysical　mathematicians　imagine　that　there　is　possibly　a　〃fourth　dimension；〃　by　the　existence　of　which　many　hitherto　inexplicable　phenomena　may　be　explained。　　They　think　that　probably　this　fourth　dimension　is　SUCCESSION　OF　TIME。

So　endurance　of　unendurable　things　is　explainable　on　the　ground　that　but　a　small　portion　of　them　has　to　be　endured　in　any　given　space　of　time。

It　is　the　old　fable　of　the　clock；　whose　pendulum　and　wheels　stopped　one　day；　appalled　by　the　discovery　that　they　would　have　to　move　and　tick　over　three　million　times　a　year　for　many　wearisome　years；　but　resumed　work　again　when　reminded　that　they　would　only　have　to　tick　ONCE　each　second。

So　it　was　with　Rachel　Bond。

The　unendurable　whole　of　a　month's　or　a　week's　experience　was　endurable　when　divided　in　detail　and　spread　over　the　hours　and　days。

She　was　a　womanyoung　and　high…natured。

Being　a　woman　she　had　a　martyr…joy　in　affliction　that　comes　in　the　guise　of　duty。　　Young；　she　enjoyed　the　usefulness　and　importance　attached　to　her　work　in　the　hospital。　　High…natured；　she　felt　a　keen　satisfaction　in　triumphing　over　daily　difficulties　and　obstacles；　even　though　these　were　mainly　her　own　feelings。

Though　months　had　gone　by　it　seemed　as　if　no　amount　of　habituation　could　dull　the　edge　of　the　sickening　disgust　which　continually　assailed　her　sense　and　womanly　instincts。　　The　smells　were　as　nauseating；　the　sights　as　repulsive；　the　sounds　of　misery　as　saddening　as　the　day　when　she　first　set　foot　inside　the　hospital。

From　throbbing　heart　to　dainty　finger…tip；　every　fiber　in　her　maidenly　body　was　in　active　rebellion　while　she　ministered　to　the　rough　and　coarse　men　who　formed　the　bulk　of　the　patients；　and　whose　afflictions　she　could　not　help　knowing　were　too　frequently　the　direct　result　of　their　own　sins　and　willful　disobedience　of　Nature's　laws。

One　day；　when　flushed　and　wearied　with　the　peevish　exactions　of　a　hulking　fellow　whose　indisposition　was　trifling；　she　said　to　Dr。　Denslow：

〃It　is　distressing　to　find　out　how　much　unmanliness　there　is　in　apparently　manly　men。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　doctor；　with　his　customary　calm　philosophy；　〃and　it　is　equally　gratifying　to　find　out　how　much　real　manliness　there　is　in　some　apparently　unmanly　men。　　You　have　been　having　an　experience　with　some　brawny　subject？〃

〃Yes。　　If　the　fellow's　spirit　were　equal　to　his　bone　and　brawn；　he　would　o'ertop；　Julius　Caesar。　　Instead；　he　whimpers　like　a　school…girl。〃

〃That's　about　the　way　it　usually　goes。　　It　may　be　that　my　views　are　colored　by　my　lacking　three　or　four　inches　of　six　feet；　but　I　am　sometimes　strongly　inclined　to　believe　that　every　manbig　or　littleis　given　about　the　same　amount　of　will　or　vital　power；　and　the　bigger　and　more　lumbering　the　body　he　has　to　move　with　it；　the　less　he　accomplishes；　and　the　sooner　it　is　exhausted。　　You　have　found；　I　have　no　doubt；　that　as　a　rule　the　broad…chested；　muscular　six…footers；　whose　lives　have　ever　passed　at　hard　work　in　the　open　air；　groan　and　sigh　incessantly　under　the　burden　of　minor　afflictions；　worry　every　one　with　their　querulousness；　moan　for　their　wives；　mothers；　or　sweethearts；　and　the　comforts　of　the　homes　they　have　left；　and　finally　fret　and　grieve　themselves　into　the　grave；　while　slender；　soft…muscled　boys　bear　real　distress　without　a　murmur；　and　survive　sickness　and　wounds　that　by　all　rules　ought　to　prove　fatal。〃

〃There　is　certainly　a　good　deal　in　that；　but　what　irritates　me　now　is　a　display　of　querulous　tyranny。〃

〃Well；　you　know　what　Dr。　Johnson　says：　　'That　a　sick　man　is　a　scoundrel。'　　There　is　a　basis　of　truth　in　that　apparent　cruelty。　It　is　true　that　'scoundrel'　is　rather　a　harsh　term　to　apply　to　a　man　whose　moral　obliquities　have　not　received　the　official　stamp　in　open　court　by　a　jury　of　his　peers。　　The　man　whose　imprudences　and　self…indulgences　have　made　his　liver　slothful；　his　stomach　rebellious；　and　wrecked　his　constitution　in　other　ways；　mayprobably　doesbecome　an　exasperating　little　tyrant；　full　of　all　manner　of　petty　selfishness；　which　saps　the　comfort　of　others；　as　acid　vapors　corrode　metals；　but　does　that　make　him　a　'scoundrel？'　　Opinions　vary。　　His　much　enduring　feminine　relatives　would　probably　resent　such　a　query　with　tearful　indignation；　while　unprejudiced　outsiders　would　probably　reply　calmly　in　the　affirmative。〃

〃What　is　the　medical　man's　view？〃　asked　Rachel；　much　amused　by　this　cool　scrutiny　of　what　people　are　too　often　inclined　to　regard　as　among　the　〃inscrutable　providences。〃

〃I　don't　speak　in　anything　for　the　profession　at　large；　but　my　own　private　judgement　is　that　any　man　is　a　scoundrel　who　robs　others　of　anything　that　is　of　value　to　them；　and　he　is　none　the　less　so　when　he　makes　his　aches　and　pains；　mostly　incurred　by　his　gluttony；　passions　or　laziness；　the　means　of　plundering　others　of　the　comforts　and　pleasures　which　are　their　due。〃

Going　into　the　wards　one　morning；　Rachel　found　that　Lieutenant　Jacob　Alspaugh　had　been　brought　in；　suffering　from　what　the　Surgeon　pronounced　to　be　〃febrile　symptoms　of　a　mild　type；　from　which　he　will　no　doubt　recover　in　a　few　days；　with　rest；　quiet　and　proper　food。

It　is　possibly　worth　while　to　note　the　coincidence　that　these　symptoms　developed　with　unexpected　suddenness　in　the　midst　of　earnest　preparations　by　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland；　for　a　terrible　grapple　at　Perryville　with　the　Rebel　Army　of　the　Tennessee。

Alspaugh　recognized　Rachel　at　once；　much　to　her　embarrassment；　for　her　pride　winced　at　playing　the　role　of　nurse　before　an　acquaintance；　especially　when　that　acquaintance　was　her　father's　hired…man；　whom　she　knew　too　well　to　esteem　highly。

〃O；　Miss　Rachel；〃　he　groaned；　as　she　came　to　his　cot　in　response　to　his　earnest　call；　〃I'm　so　glad　to　see　you；　for　I'm　the　sickest　man　that　ever　came　into　this　hospital。　　Nothin'　but　the　best　o'　care　'll　carry　me　through；　and　I　know　you'll　give　it　to　me　for　the　sake　of　old　times；〃　and　Jacob's　face　expressed　to　his　comrades　the　idea　that　there　had　been　a　time　when　his　relations　with　her　had　been　exceedingly　tender。

Rachel's　face　flushed　at　the　impudent　assumption；　but　she　overcame　the　temptation　to　make　a　snubbing　answer；　and　replied　quietly：

〃No；　Jacob；　you　are　not　so　sick　as　you　think　you　are。〃　　（〃She　calls　him　'Jacob；'〃　audibly　commented　some　of　those　near；　as　if　this　was　a　confirmation　of　Jakes　insinuation。）　　〃The　Surgeons　say；〃　she　continued；　〃that　your　symptoms　are　not　at　all　bad；　and　that　you'll　be　up　again　in　a　few　days。〃

〃O；　them　Doctors　always　talk　that　way。　　They're　the　flintiest…hearted　set　I　ever　see　in　all　my　born　days。　　They're　always　pretending　that　they　don't　believe　there　is　nothin'　the　matter　with　a　feller。　　I　really　believe　they'd　a　little　liefer　a　man'd　die　than　not。　　They　don't　seem　to　take　no　sort　of　interest　in　savin'　the　soldiers　that　the　country　needs　so　badly。〃

Rachel　felt　as　if　it　would　sweeten　much　hard　service　if　she　could　tell　Alspaugh　outright　her　opinion　that　he　was　acting　very　calfishly；　but　other　counsels　prevailed；　and　she　said　encouragingly：

〃You　are　only　discouraged；　Jacobthat's　all。　　A　few　days　rest　here　will　restore　both　your　health　and　your　spirits。〃

〃No；　I'm　not　discouraged。　　I'm　not　the　kind　to　git　down　in　the　mouthyou　know　me　well　enough　for　that。　　I'm　sick；　sick　I　tell　yousicker'n　any　other　man　in　this　hospital；　an'　nothin'　but　the　best　o'　nursin'　'll　save　my　life　for　the　country。　　O；　how　I　wish　I　was　at　home　with　my　mother；　she'd　take　care　o'　me。〃

Rachel　could　not　repress　a　smile　at　the　rememberance　of　Jake's　termagant　mother　nad　her　dirty；　comfortless　cottage；　an　how　her　intemperance　in　administering　such　castisement　as　conveyed　most　grief　to　a　boy's　nature　first　drove　Jake　to　seek　refuge　with　her　father。

〃No　doubt　it　would　be　very　comfortable；〃　she　answered；　〃if　you　could　get　home　to　your　mother；　but　there's　no　need　of　it；　because　you'll　be　well　before　you　could　possibly　reach　there。〃

〃No；　I'll　never　be　well；〃　persisted　Jake；　〃unless　I　have　the　best　o'　care；　but　I　feel　much　better　now；　since　I　find　you　here；　for　I'm　sure　you'll　take　as　much　interest　in　me　as　a　sister　would。〃

She　shuddered　a　little　at　the　prospect　of　even　temporary　sisterly　relations　to　the　fellow；　but　replied　guardedly：

〃Of　course　I'll　do　what　I　can　for　you；　Jacob；〃　and　started　to　move　away；　but　he　caught　her　dress　and　whimpered：

〃O；　don't　go；　Miss　Rachel；　do　go　and　leave　me　all　alone。　　Stay　any　way　till　I'm　fixed　somehow　comfortable。〃

〃I　half　believe　the　booby　will　have　hysterics；〃　thought　Rachel；　with　curling