henry ossian flipper-第8节

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〃Permission　to　visit　Mr。　Smith。〃

Without　condescending　to　notice　for　the　time　my　request　he　gave　the　interview　a　rather　ludicrous　turn；　I　thought；　by　questioning　me　somewhat　after　this　manner：

〃Can　you　dance；　Mr。　Flipper？〃

Having　answered　this　to　his　entire　satisfaction；　he　further　asked：

〃Expect　to　attend　the　hops　this　summer？〃

〃Oh　no；　sir；〃　replied　I；　smiling；　as　he　also　was；　for　I　had　just　discovered　the　drift　of　his　questions。　After　mischievously　studying　my　countenance　for　a　moment；　he　returned　to　the　original　subject　and　queried；　〃Where　do　you　want　to　go？〃

I　told　him。

〃Well；　get　out　of　my　sight。〃

I　considered　the　permission　granted；　and　hastily　withdrew　to　take　advantage　of　it。

　　　　　　　　Between　breakfast　and　supper　those　of　us　who　had　been　there　at　least　a　day　had　quite　a　pleasant　time。　We　were　not　troubled　with　incessant　inspections　or　otherwise。　We　either　studied　for　examination　or　walked　around　the　grounds。　At　or　near　seven　o'clock；　the　time　of　retreat　parade；　we　were　formed　near　our　barracks　and　inspected。　Our　ranks　were　opened　and　the　cadet　lieutenant　inspected　our　clothing　and　appearance　generally。　A　not　infrequent　occurrence　on　these　occasions　was：

〃Well；　mister；　what　did　you　shave　witha　shoehorn？〃

At　this　we　would　smile；　when　the　lieutenant；　sergeant；　or　corporal　would　jump　at　us　and　yell：

〃Wipe　that　smile　off　your　face；　sir！　What　do　you　mean；　sir；　by　laughing　in　ranks？〃

If　any　one　attempted　to　reply　he　was　instantly　silenced　with

〃Well；　sir；　don't　reply　to　me　in　ranks。〃

The　inspection　would　be　continued。　Some　one；　unable　to　restrain　himselfthe　whole　affair　was　so　ridiculous　would　laugh　right　out　in　ranks。　He　was　a　doomed　man。

〃What　do　you　mean；　sir；　by　laughing　in　ranks；　sir？〃

Having　been　once　directed　not　to　reply　in　ranks；　the　poor　〃plebe〃　would　stand　mute。

〃Well；　sir；　don't　you　intend　to　answer　me？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Well；　sir；　step　it　out。　What　were　you　grinning　at？〃

〃Nothing；　sir。〃

〃Nothing！　Well；　sir；　you're　a　pretty　thing　to　be　grinning　at　nothing。　Get　in　ranks。〃

The　inspection　would；　after　many　such　interruptions；　be　continued。　Ranks　would　at　length　be　closed　and　the　command；　〃In　place；　rest！〃　given。　The　battalion　would　march　in　from　parade　at　double　time　and　form　in　the　area　to　our　rear。　The　delinquencies　of　the　day　previous　would　then　be　published　by　the　cadet　adjutant。

What　most　strikes　a　〃plebe〃　is　this　same　publication。　He　hasn't　the　remotest　idea　of　what　it　is。　Not　a　word　uttered　by　the　adjutant　is　understood　by　him。　He　stands　and　wonders　what　it　is。　A　perfect　jargon　of　words；　unintelligible　and　meaningless　to　him！　　I　remember　distinctly　how　I　used　to　wonder；　and　how　I　was　laughed　at　when　I　asked　for　information　concerning　it。　We　〃plebes〃　used　to　speak　of　it　often；　and　wonder　if　it　was　not　French。　When　we　were　better　acquainted　with　the　rules　and　customs　of　the　Academy　we　learned　what　it　was。　It　was　something　of　this　nature；　read　from　the　〃Delinquency　Book：〃

　　　　　　　　　　　DELINQUENCIES；　TUESDAY；　OCT。　12。

　　　　　ADAMS。Late　at　reveille　roll…call。　　　　　　BEJAY。Sentinel　not　coming　to　〃Arms；　Port；〃　when　addressed　by　the　officer　of　the　day。　　　　　　SAME。Not　conversant　with　orders　at　same。　　　　　　BARNES。Same　at　same。　　　　　　SAME。Sentinel；　neglect　of　duty；　not　requiring　cadet　leaving　his　post　to　report　his　departure　and　destination。　　　　　　SAME。Hanging　head；　4　P。M。　　　　　　BULOW。Dust　on　mantel　at　inspection；　9。30　A。M。　　　　　　SAME。Executing　manual　of　arms　with　pointer　in　section…room；　9　A。M。　　　　　　SAME。Using　profane　expression；　1　P。M。　　　　　　CULLEN。Out　of　bed　at　taps。　　　　　　DOUNS。Light　in　quarters；　11　p。m。　　　　　　SAME。Not　prepared　on　47　Velasquez。*


*For　these　delinquencies　the　cadets　are　allowed　to　write　explanations。　If　the　offence　is　absence　from　quarters　or　any　duty　without　authority；　or　is　one　committed　in　the　Academical　Department；　called　an　Academical　Delinquency；　such　as　not　being　prepared　on　some　lesson；　an　explanation　is　required　and　must　be　written。　For　all　other　offences　the　cadet　can　write　an　explanation　or　not　as　he　chooses。　If　the　explanation　is　satisfactory；　the　offence　is　removed　and　he　gets　no　demerits；　otherwise　he　does。　For　form　of　explanation　see　Chapter　X。；　latter　part。

On　the　26th　of　May；　another　colored　candidate　reported。　It　is　said　he　made　the　best　show　at　the　preliminary　examination。　　Unfortunately；　however；　he　was　〃found〃　at　the　following　semi…annual　examination。　He　was　brought　up　to　my　quarters　by　a　corporal；　and　I　was　ordered　to　give　him　all　instruction　which　had　previously　been　given　me。　This　I　did；　and　his　first　days　at　West　Point　were　much　more　pleasant　than　mine　had　been。

The　candidates　had　now　all　reported；　and　Monday　afternoon；　May　28th；　we　were　each　given　by　the　Adjutant　in　person　a　slip　of　paper　upon　which　was　written　the　number　of　each　man's　name　in　an　alphabetically　arranged　roll。　This　we　had　special　directions　to　preserve。　The　next　day　we　were　marched　up　to　the　Drawing　Academy；　and　examined　in　grammar；　history；　and　geography；　the　following　day　in　orthography　and　reading。　On　the　same　day；　also；　we　were　required　to　write　out　a　list　of　all　the　textbooks　we　had　used　in　our　previous　school…　days。　The　day　following　we　were　divided　into　sections　and　marched　to　the　library；　where　the　Academic　Board　was　in　readiness　to　examine　us　in　mathematics。　It　took　quite　a　while　to　examine　our　class　of　more　than　one　hundred　members　thus　orally。　I　am　not　positive　about　the　dates　of　the　examination。　I　know　it　occurred　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　those　named。

Not　many　days　after　this　the　result　of　the　examination　was　made　known　to　us。　The　familiar　cry；　〃Candidates；　turn　out　promptly；〃　made　at　about　noon；　informed　us　that　something　unusual　was　about　to　occur。　It　was　a　fearful　moment；　and　yet　I　was　sure　I　had　〃passed。〃　The　only　questions　I　failed　on　were　in　geography。　I　stood　motionless　while　the　order　was　being　read　until　I　heard　my　name　among　the　accepted　ones。　I　felt　as　if　a　great　burden　had　been　removed　from　my　mind。　It　was　a　beginning；　and　if　not　a　good　one；　certainly　not　a　bad　one。　What　has　been　the　ending？　Let　the　sequel　show。

Now　that　the　examination　was　over　and　the　deficient　ones　gone；　we　were　turned　out　for　drill　every　morning　at　halfpast　five　o'clock　and　at　four　in　the　afternoon。　We　were　divided　into　squads　of　one　each；　and　drilled　twice　a　day　in　the　〃settings　up〃　until　about　June　20th。　After　a　few　drills；　however；　the　squads　were　consolidated　into　others　of　four；　six；　and　eight　each。　The　surplus　drill…masters　were　〃turned　in。〃　Their　hopes　were　withered；　for　it　was　almost　a　certainty　that　those　who　were　〃turned　in〃　would　not　be　〃made。〃　They　expected　to　be　〃made〃　on　their　proficiency　in　drilling；　and　when　it　was　shown　by　being　〃turned　in〃　that　others　had　been　thought　better　drill…masters；　they　were　not　a　little　disappointed。　How　they　〃boned〃　tactics！　　What　proficiency　they　manifested！　How　they　yelled　out　their　commands！　What　eagerness　they　showed　to　correct　errors；　etc。　And　yet　some　could　not　overcome　their　propensity　for　hazing；　and　these　were　of　course　turned　in。　Not　always　thus；　however。　Those　who　were　not　〃turned　in〃　were　not　always　〃made〃　corporals。　Often　those　who　were　so　treated　〃got　the　chevrons〃　after　all。

〃Plebe　drill；〃　or；　more　familiarly；　〃squad　drill；〃　has　always　been　a　source　of　great　amusement　to　citizens；　but　what　a　horror　to　plebes。　Those　torturous　twistings　and　twirlings；　stretching　every　nerve；　straining　every　sinew；　almost　twisting　the　joints　out　of　place　and　making　life　one　long　agonizing　effort。　Was　there　ever　a　〃plebe；〃　or　recruit；　who　did　not　hate；　did　not　shudder　at　the　mere　mention　of　squad　drill？　I　did。　Others　did。　I　remember　distinctly　my　first　experience　of　it。　I　formed　an　opinion；　a　morbid　dislike　of　it　then；　and　have　not　changed　it。　The　benefit；　however；　of　〃squad　drill〃　can　not　be　　overestimated。　It　makes　the　most　crooked；　distorted　creature　an　erect；　noble；　and　manly　being；　provided；　of　course；　this　distortion　be　a　result　of　habit　and　not　a　natural　deformity；　the　result　of　laziness　in　one's　walking；　such　as　hanging　the　head；　dropping　the　shoulders；　not　straightening　the　legs；　and　crossing　them　when　walking。

Squad　drill　is　one　of　the　painful　necessities　of　military　discipline；　and　no　one　regrets　his　experience　of　it；　however　displeasing　it　may　have　been　at　the　time。　It　is　squad　drill　and　hazing　that　so　successfully　mould　the　coarser　characters　who　come　to　West　Point　into　officers　and　gentlemen。　They　teach　him　how　to　govern　and　be　governed。　They　are　more　effectual　in　polishing　his　asperities　of　disposition　and　forming　his　character　than　any　amount　of　regulations　could　be。　They　tame　him；　so　to　speak。

Squad　drill　was　at　once　a　punishment；　a　mode　of　hazing；　and　a　drill。　For　the　least　show　of　grossness　one　was　sure　to　be　punished　with　〃settings　up；　second　time！〃　〃settings　up；　fourth　time！　〃Continue　the　motion；　settings　up　second　（or　fourth）　time！〃　We　would　be　kept　at　these　motions　until　we　could　scarcely　move。　Of　course　all　this　was　contrary　to　orders。　The　drill…master　would　be　careful　not　to　be　〃hived。〃　If　he　saw　an　officer　even　looking　at　him；　he　would　add　the　command　〃three；〃　which　caused　a　discontinuance　of　the　motion。　He　would　change；　however；　to　one　of　the　other　exercises　immediately；　and