remember the alamo-第13节

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〃Oh…h！　　I　see！　　So　Luis　is　to　be　my　brother　too。　　Is　that　so；
little　dear？〃

〃Have　you　room　in　your　heart　for　him？　　Or　has　this　Dare　Grant
filled　it？〃

〃If　I　had　twenty　sisters；　I　should　have　room　for　twenty
brothers；　if　they　were　like　Dare　and　Luis。　　But；　indeed；　Luis
had　his　place　there　before　I　knew　Dare。〃

〃And　perhaps　you　may　see　him　soon；　he　is　with　Senor　Sam
Houston。　　Senor　Houston　was　here　not　a　week　ago。　　Will　you
think　of　that？　　And　the　mother　and　uncle　of　Luis　are　angry　at
him；　he　will　be　disinherited；　and　we　shall　be　very　poor；　I
think。　　But　there　is　always　my　father；　who　loves　Luis。〃

〃Luis　will　win　his　own　inheritance。　　I　think　you　will　be　very
rich。〃

〃And；　Juan；　if　you　see　Luis；　say　to　him；　‘Iza　thinks　of　you
continually。'〃

At　this　moment　Rachela　angrily　called　her　charge

〃Are　you　totally　and　forever　wicked；　disobedient　one？　　Two
hours　I　have　been　kept　waiting。　　Very　well！　　The；　Sisters　are
the　only　duenna　for　you；　and　back　to　the　convent　you　shall　go
to…morrow。　　The　Senora　is　of　my　mind；　also。〃

〃My　father　will　not　permit　it。　　I　will　go　to　my　father。　　And
think　of　this；　Rachela：　I　am　no　longer　to　be　treated　like　a
baby。〃　　But　she　kissed　Juan　‘farewell；'　and　went　away　without
further　dispute。

The　handsome　room　looked　strangely　lonely　and　desolate　when
the　door　had　closed　behind　her。　　Jack　rose；　and　roughly　shook
himself；　as　if　by　that　means　he　hoped　to　throw　off　the
oppression　and　melancholy　that　was　invading　even　his　light
heart。　　Hundreds　of　moths　were　dashing　themselves　to　death
against　the　high　glass　shade　that　covered　the　blowing　candles
from　them。　　He　stood　and　looked　at　their　hopeless　efforts
to　reach　the　flame。　　He　had　an　unpleasant　thought；　one　of
those　thoughts　which　have　the　force　of　a　presentiment。　　He　put
it　away　with　annoyance；　muttering；　〃It　is　time　enough　to　meet
misfortune　when　it　comes。〃

The　sound　of　a　footstep　made　him　stand　erect　and　face　the
door。

It　was　only　a　sleepy　peon　with　a　request　that　he　would　go　to
his　father's　study。　　A　different　mental　atmosphere　met　him
there。　　The　doctor　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　and　Dare
and　Antonia　sat　together　at　the　open　window。

〃Your　father　wants　to　hear　about　our　journey；　Jack。　　Take　my
chair　and　tell　him　what　happened。　　Antonia　and　I　will　walk
within　hearing；　a　roof　makes　me　restless　such　a　night　as
this〃；　for　the　waning　moon　had　risen；　and　the　cool　wind　from
the　Gulf　was　shaking　a　thousand　scents　from　the　trees　and　the
flowering　shrubs。

The　change　was　made　with　the　words；　and　the　doctor　sat　down
beside　his　son。　　〃I　was　asking；　Jack；　how　you　knew　so　much
about　Texan　affairs；　and　how　you　came　so　suddenly　to　take　part
in　them？〃

〃Indeed；　father；　we　could　not　escape　knowing。　　The　Texan　fever
was　more　or　less　in　every　young　man's　blood。　　One　night　Dare
had　a　supper　at　his　rooms；　and　there　were　thirty　of　us
present。　　A　man　called　Faulknera　fine　fellow　from
Nacogdochesspoke　to　us。　　How　do　you　think　he　spoke；　when　his
only　brother；　a　lad　of　twenty；　is　working　in　a　Mexican　mine
loaded　with　chains？〃

〃For　what？〃

〃He　said　one　day　that　‘the　natural　boundaries　of　the　United
States　are　the　Atlantic　and　Pacific　oceans。'　　He　was　sent　to
the　mines　for　the　words。　　Faulkner's　only　hope　for　him　is　in
the　independence　of　Texas。　　He　had　us　on　fire　in　five
minutesall　but　Sandy　McDonald；　who　loves　to　argue；　and
therefore　took　the　Mexican　side。〃

〃What　could　he　say　for　it？〃

〃He　said　it　was　a　very　unjustlike　thing　to　make　Mexico　give
her　American　settlers　in　Texas　two　hundred　and　twenty…four
millions　of　acres　because　she　thought　a　change　of　government
best　for　her　own　interests。〃

〃The　Americans　settled　in　Texas　under　the　solemn　guarantee　of
the　constitution　of　eighteen　twenty…four。　　How　many　of
them　would　have　built　homes　under　a　tyrannical　despotism　like
that　Santa　Anna　is　now　forcing　upon　them？〃　asked　the　doctor；
warmly。

〃McDonald　said；　‘There　is　a　deal　of　talk　about　freedom　among
you　Americans；　and　it　just　means　nothing　at　all。'　　You　should
have　seen　Faulkner！　　He　turned　on　him　like　a　tornado。　　‘How
should　you　know　anything　about　freedom；　McDonald？'　he　cried。　
‘You　are　in　feudal　darkness　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland。　　You
have　only　just　emigrated　into　freedom。　　But　we　Americans　are
born　free！　　If　you　can　not　feel　the　difference　between　a
federal　constitution　and　a　military　and　religious　despotism；
there　is　simply　no　use　talking　to　you。　　How　would　you　like　to
find　yourself　in　a　country　where　suddenly　trial　by　jury　and
the　exercise　of　your　religion　was　denied　you？　　Of　course　you
could　abandon　the　home　you　had　built；　and　the　acres　you　had
bought　and　put　under　cultivation；　and　thus　make　some　Mexican
heir　to　your　ten　years'　labor。　　Perhaps　a　Scot；　for
conscience'　sake；　would　do　this。'〃

〃And　what　answer　made　he？〃　　He　said；　‘A　Scot　kens　how　to　grip
tight　to　ten　years'　labor　as　well　as　yoursel'；　Faulkner；
and　neither　man　nor　de'il　can　come　between　him　and　his
religion；　but'　　‘BUT；'　shouted　Faulkner；　‘there　is　no
BUT！　　It　is　God　and　our　right！　　God　and　our　right；　against
priestcraft　and　despotism！'〃

〃Then　every　one　of　us　leaped　to　our　feet；　and　we　swore　to
follow　Faulkner　to　Texas　at　an　hour's　notice；　and　Sandy　said
we　were　‘a　parcel　of　fools'；　and　then；　would　you　believe　it；
father；　when　our　boat　was　leaving　the　pier；　amid　the　cheers
and　hurrahs　of　thousands；　Sandy　leaped　on　the　boat　and　joined
us？〃

〃What　did　he　say　then？〃

〃He　said；　‘I　am　a　born　fool　to　go　with　you；　but　I　think　there
is　a　kind　o'　witchcraft　in　that　word　TEXAS。　　It　has　been
stirring　me　up　morning　and　night　like　the　voice　o'　the
charmer；　and　I　be　to　follow　it　though　I　ken　well　enough　it
isna　leading　me　in　the　paths　o'　peace　and　pleasantness！'〃

〃Did　you　find　the　same　enthusiasm　outside　of　New　York？〃

〃All　along　the　Ohio　and　Mississippi　we　gathered　recruits；　and
at　Randolph；　sixty　miles　above　Memphis；　we　were　joined　by
David　Crockett。〃

〃Jack！〃

〃True；　father！　　And　then　at　every　landing　we　took　on　men。　　For
at　every　landing　Crockett　spoke　to　the　people；　and；　as　we
stopped　very　often；　we　were　cheered　all　the　way　down　the
river。　　The　Mediterranean；　though　the　biggest　boat　on　it；
was　soon　crowded；　but　at　Helena；　Crockett　and　a　great　number
of　the　leading　men　of　the　expedition　got　off。　　And　as　Dare　and
Crockett　had　become　friends；　I　followed　them。〃

〃Where　did　you　go　to？〃

〃We　went　ostensibly　to　a　big　barbecue　at　John　Bowie's
plantation；　which　is　a　few　miles　below　Helena。　　Invitations　to
this　barbecue　had　been　sent　hundreds　of　miles　throughout　the
surrounding　country。　　We　met　parties　from　the　depths　of　the　
Arkansas　wilderness　and　the　furthest　boundaries　of　the　Choctaw
nation　coming　to　it。　　There　were　raftsmen　from　the
Mississippi；　from　the　White；　and　the　St。　Francis　rivers。　
There　were　planters　from　Lousiana　and　Tennessee。　　There　were
woodsmen　from　Kentucky。　　There　were　envoys　from　New　Orleans；
Washington；　and　all　the　great　Eastern　cities。〃

〃I　had　an　invitation　myself；　Jack。〃

〃I　wish　you　had　accepted　it。　　It　was　worth　the　journey。　　There
never　was　and　there　never　will　be　such　a　barbecue　again。　
Thousands　were　present。　　The　woods　were　full　of　sheds　and
temporary　buildings；　and　platforms　for　the　speakers。〃

〃Who　were　the　speakers？〃

〃Crockett；　Hawkins；　General　Montgomery；　Colonel　Beauford；　the
three　brothers　Cheatham；　Doc。　Bennet；　and　many　others。　　When
the　woods　were　illuminated　at　night　with　pine　knots；　you　may
imagine　the　scene　and　the　wild　enthusiasm　that　followed　their
eloquence。〃

〃Doc。　Bennet　is　a　good　partisan；　and　he　is　enormously　rich。〃

〃And　he　has　a　personal　reason　for　his　hatred　of　Mexico。　　An
insatiable　revenge　possesses　him。　　His　wife　and　two　children
were　barbarously　murdered　by　Mexicans。　　He　appealed　to　those
who　could　not　go　to　the　fight　to　give　money　to　aid　it；　and　on
the　spot　laid　down　ten　thousand　dollars。〃

〃Good！〃

〃Nine　other　men；　either　present　or　there　by　proxy；　instantly
gave　a　like　sum；　and　thirty　thousand　in　smaller　sums　was
added　to　it。　　Every　donation　was　hailed　with　the　wildest
transports；　and　while　the　woods　were　ringing　with　electrifying
shouts；　Hawkins　rallied　three　hundred　men　round　him　and　went
off　at　a　swinging　galop　for　the　Brazos。〃

〃Oh；　Jack！　　Jack！〃

In　another　hour；　the　rest　of　the　leaders　had　gathered　their
detachments；　and　every　man　had　turned　his　face　to　the　Texan
prairies。　　Crockett　was　already　far　advanced　on　the　way。　　Sam
Houston　was　known　to　be　kindling　the　fire　on　the　spot；　and　I
suppose　you　know；　father；〃　said　Jack；　sinking　his　voice　to　a
whisper；　〃that　we　have　still　more　powerful　backers。〃

〃General　Gaines？〃

〃Well；　he　has　a　large　body　of　United　States　troops　at
Nacogdoches。　　He　says　they　are　to　protect　the　people　of
Navasola　from　the　Indians。〃

〃But　Navasola　is　twenty…nine　miles　west　of　Nacogdoches。〃

〃Navasola　is　in　Texas。　　Very　well！　　If　the　United　States　feel
it　to　be　their　duty　to　protect　the　people　of　Navasola；　it
seems　they　already　consider　Texas　within　their　boundary。〃

〃You　think　the　Indians　a　mere　pretext？〃

〃Of　course。　　Crockett　has　with　him　an　autograph　letter　from
President　Jackson；　introducing　him　as　‘a　God…chosen　patriot。'　
Pre