passages from an old volume of life-第6节
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Hotel； two gentlemen presented themselves and expressed a wish to be allowed to share our conveyance。 I looked at them and convinced myself that they were neither Rebels in disguise； nor deserters； nor camp…followers； nor miscreants； but plain； honest men on a proper errand。 The first of them I will pass over briefly。 He was a young man of mild and modest demeanor； chaplain to a Pennsylvania regiment； which he was going to rejoin。 He belonged to the Moravian Church； of which I had the misfortune to know little more than what I had learned from Southey's 〃Life of Wesley。〃 and from the exquisite hymns we have borrowed from its rhapsodists。 The other stranger was a New Englander of respectable appearance； with a grave； hard； honest； hay…bearded face； who had come to serve the sick and wounded on the battle…field and in its immediate neighborhood。 There is no reason why I should not mention his name； but I shall content myself with calling him the Philanthropist。
So we set forth； the sturdy wagon； the serviceable bays； with James Grayden their driver； the gentle lady； whose serene patience bore up through all delays and discomforts； the Chaplain； the Philanthropist； and myself； the teller of this story。
And now； as we emerged from Frederick； we struck at once upon the trail from the great battle…field。 The road was filled with straggling and wounded soldiers。 All who could travel on foot； multitudes with slight wounds of the upper limbs； the head； or face； were told to take up their beds；alight burden or none at all； and walk。 Just as the battle…field sucks everything into its red vortex for the conflict； so does it drive everything off in long； diverging rays after the fierce centripetal forces have met and neutralized each other。 For more than a week there had been sharp fighting all along this road。 Through the streets of Frederick； through Crampton's Gap； over South Mountain； sweeping at last the hills and the woods that skirt the windings of the Antietam； the long battle had travelled； like one of those tornadoes which tear their path through our fields and villages。 The slain of higher condition； 〃embalmed〃 and iron…cased； were sliding off on the railways to their far homes； the dead of the rank and file were being gathered up and committed hastily to the earth； the gravely wounded were cared for hard by the scene of conflict； or pushed a little way along to the neighboring villages； while those who could walk were meeting us； as I have said； at every step in the road。 It was a pitiable sight； truly pitiable； yet so vast； so far beyond the possibility of relief； that many single sorrows of small dimensions have wrought upon my feelings more than the sight of this great caravan of maimed pilgrims。 The companionship of so many seemed to make a joint…stock of their suffering； it was next to impossible to individualize it； and so bring it home； as one can do with a single broken limb or aching wound。 Then they were all of the male sex； and in the freshness or the prime of their strength。 Though they tramped so wearily along； yet there was rest and kind nursing in store for them。 These wounds they bore would be the medals they would show their children and grandchildren by and by。 Who would not rather wear his decorations beneath his uniform than on it？
Yet among them were figures which arrested our attention and sympathy。 Delicate boys； with more spirit than strength； flushed with fever or pale with exhaustion or haggard with suffering； dragged their weary limbs along as if each step would exhaust their slender store o￡ strength。 At the roadside sat or lay others； quite spent with their journey。 Here and there was a house at which the wayfarers would stop； in the hope； I fear often vain； of getting refreshment； and in one place was a clear； cool spring； where the little bands of the long procession halted for a few moments； as the trains that traverse the desert rest by its fountains。 My companions had brought a few peaches along with them； which the Philanthropist bestowed upon the tired and thirsty soldiers with a satisfaction which we all shared。 I had with me a small flask of strong waters； to be used as a medicine in case of inward grief。 From this； also； he dispensed relief； without hesitation； to a poor fellow who looked as if he needed it。 I rather admired the simplicity with which he applied my limited means of solace to the first…comer who wanted it more than I； a genuine benevolent impulse does not stand on ceremony； and had I perished of colic for want of a stimulus that night； I should not have reproached my friend the Philanthropist； any more than I grudged my other ardent friend the two dollars and more which it cost me to send the charitable message he left in my hands。
It was a lovely country through which we were riding。 The hillsides rolled away into the distance； slanting up fair and broad to the sun； as one sees them in the open parts of the Berkshire Valley； at Lanesborough； for instance； or in the many…hued mountain chalice at the bottom of which the Shaker houses of Lebanon have shaped themselves like a sediment of cubical crystals。 The wheat was all garnered； and the land ploughed for a new crop。 There was Indian corn standing； but I saw no pumpkins warming their yellow carapaces in the sunshine like so many turtles； only in a single instance did I notice some wretched little miniature specimens in form and hue not unlike those colossal oranges of our cornfields。 The rail fences were somewhat disturbed； and the cinders of extinguished fires showed the use to which they had been applied。 The houses along the road were not for the most part neatly kept； the garden fences were poorly built of laths or long slats； and very rarely of trim aspect。 The men of this region seemed to ride in the saddle very generally； rather than drive。 They looked sober and stern； less curious and lively than Yankees； and I fancied that a type of features familiar to us in the countenance of the late John Tyler； our accidental President； was frequently met with。 The women were still more distinguishable from our New England pattern。 Soft； sallow； succulent； delicately finished about the mouth and firmly shaped about the chin； dark…eyed； full…throated； they looked as if they had been grown in a land of olives。 There was a little toss in their movement； full of muliebrity。 I fancied there was something more of the duck and less of the chicken about them； as compared with the daughters of our leaner soil； but these are mere impressions caught from stray glances； and if there is any offence in them； my fair readers may consider them all retracted。
At intervals； a dead horse lay by the roadside； or in the fields； unburied； not grateful to gods or men。 I saw no bird of prey； no ill…omened fowl； on my way to the carnival of death； or at the place where it had been held。 The vulture of story； the crow of Talavera； the 〃twa corbies〃 of the ghastly ballad； are all from Nature； doubtless； but no black wing was spread over these animal ruins； and no call to the banquet pierced through the heavy…laden and sickening air。
Full in the middle of the road； caring little for whom or what they met； came long strings of army wagons； returning empty from the front after supplies。 James Grayden stated it as his conviction that they had a little rather run into a fellow than not。 I liked the looks of these equipages and their drivers； they meant business。 Drawn by mules mostly； six； I think； to a wagon； powdered well with dust； wagon； beast； and driver； they came jogging along the road； turning neither to right nor left；some driven by bearded； solemn white men； some by careless； saucy…looking negroes； of a blackness like that of anthracite or obsidian。 There seemed to be nothing about them； dead or alive； that was not serviceable。 Sometimes a mule would give out on the road； then he was left where he lay； until by and by he would think better of it； and get up； when the first public wagon that came along would hitch him on； and restore him to the sphere of duty。
It was evening when we got to Middletown。 The gentle lady who had graced our homely conveyance with her company here left us。 She found her husband； the gallant Colonel； in very comfortable quarters； well cared for； very weak from the effects of the fearful operation he had been compelled to undergo； but showing calm courage to endure as he had shown manly energy to act。 It was a meeting full of heroism and tenderness； of which I heard more than there is need to tell。 Health to the brave soldier； and peace to the household over which so fair a spirit presides！
Dr。 Thompson； the very active and intelligent surgical director of the hospitals of the place； took me in charge。 He carried me to the house of a worthy and benevolent clergyman of the German Reformed Church； where I was to take tea and pass the night。 What became of the Moravian chaplain I did not know； but my friend the Philanthropist had evidently made up his mind to adhere to my fortunes。 He followed me； therefore； to the house of the 〃Dominie。〃 as a newspaper correspondent calls my kind host； and partook of the fare there furnished me。 He withdrew with me to the apartment
