the path of the king-第49节

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〃I　visited　him　three　weeks　back；〃　said　Lincoln；　〃and　I'm　bound　to　say　he　has　marvellously　pulled　round　the　Army　of　the　Potomac。　There's　a　new　spirit　in　their　ranks。　You're　unjust　to　Joe　Hooker；　Mr。　Stanton。　He's　a　fine　organiser；　and　he'll　fighthe's　eager　to　fight；　which　McClellan　and　Burnside　never　were。〃

〃But　what　on　earth　is　the　good　of　being　willing　to　fight　if　you're　going　to　lose？　He　hasn't　the　brains　to　command。　And　he's　opposed　by　Lee　and　Jackson。　Do　you　realise　the　surpassing　ability　of　those　two　men？　We　have　no　generals　fit　to　hold　a　candle　to　them。〃

〃We've　a　bigger　and　a　better　army。　I'm　not　going　to　be　depressed；　Mr。　Stanton。　Joe　has　two　men　to　every　one　of　Lee's；　he's　safe　over　the　Rappahannock；　and　I　reckon　he　will　make　a　road　to　Richmond。　I've　seen　his　troops；　and　they　are　fairly　bursting　to　get　at　the　enemy。　I　insist　on　being　hopeful。　What's　the　last　news　from　the　Mississippi？〃

〃Nothing　new。　Grant　has　got　to　Port　Gibson　and　has　his　base　at　Grand　Gulf。　He　now　proposes　to　cut　loose　and　make　for　Vicksburg。　So　far　he　has　done　well；　but　the　risk　is　terrific。　Still；　I　am　inclined　to　think　you　were　right　about　that　man。　He　has　capacity。〃

〃Grant　stops　still　and　saws　wood；〃　said　Lincoln　〃He　don't　talk　a　great　deal；　but　he　fights。　I　can't　help　feeling　hopeful　to…night；　for　it　seems　to　me　we　have　the　enemy　in　a　fix。　You've　heard　me　talk　of　the　shrinking　quadrilateral；　which　is　the　rebel　States；　as　I　see　the　proposition。〃

〃Often；〃　said　the　other　drily。

〃I　never　could　get　McClellan　rightly　to　understand　it。　I　look　on　the　Confederacy　as　a　quadrilateral　of　which　at　present　we　hold　two　sidesthe　east　and　the　souththe　salt…water　sides。　The　north　side　is　Virginia；　the　west　side　the　line　of　the　Mississippi。　If　Grant　and　Farragut　between　them　can　win　the　control　of　the　Father　of　Waters；　we've　got　the　west　side。　Then　it's　the　business　of　the　Armies　on　the　Mississippi　to　press　east　and　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　to　press　south。　It　may　take　a　time；　but　if　we　keep　a　stiff　upper　lip　we're　bound　to　have　the　rebels　whipped。　I　reckon　they're　whipped　already　in　spite　of　Lee。　I've　heard　of　a　turtle　that　an　old　nigger　man　decapitated。　Next　day　he　was　amusing　himself　poking　sticks　at　it　and　the　turtle　was　snapping　back。　His　master　comes　along　and　says　to　him；　'Why；　Pomp；　I　thought　that　turtle　was　dead。'　'Well；　he　am　dead；　massa；'　says　Pompey；　'but　the　critter　don't　know　enough　ter　be　sensible　ob　it。'　I　reckon　the　Confederacy's　dead；　but　Jeff　Davis　don't　know　enough　to　be　sensible　of　it。〃

A　young　man　in　uniform　came　hurriedly　through　the　private　secretary's　door　and　handed　the　Secretary　for　War　a　telegram。　He　stood　at　attention；　and　the　President　observed　that　his　face　was　pale。　Stanton　read　the　message；　but　gave　no　sign　of　its　contents。　He　turned　to　the　map　behind　him　and　traced　a　line　on　it　with　his　forefinger。

〃Any　more　news？〃　he　asked　the　messenger。

〃Nothing　official；　sir；〃　was　the　answer。　〃But　there　is　a　report　that　General　Jackson　has　been　killed　in　the　moment　of　victory。〃

The　officer　withdrew　and　Stanton　turned　to　the　President。　Lincoln's　face　was　terrible　in　its　strain；　for　the　words　〃in　the　moment　of　victory〃　had　rung　the　knell　of　his　hopes。

When　Stanton　spoke　his　voice　was　controlled　and　level。　〃Unlike　your　turtle；〃　he　said；　〃the　Confederacy　is　suddenly　and　terribly　alive。　Lee　has　whipped　Hooker　to　blazes。　We　have　lost　more　than　fifteen　thousand　men。　To…day　we　are　back　on　the　north　side　of　the　Rappahannock。〃

Lincoln　was　on　his　feet　and　for　a　moment　the　bronze　mask　of　his　face　was　distorted　by　suffering。

〃My　God！〃　he　cried。　〃What　will　the　country　say？　What　will　the　country　say？〃

〃It　matters　little　what　the　country　says。　The　point　is　what　will　the　country　suffer。　In　a　fortnight　Lee　will　be　in　Maryland　and　Pennsylvania。　Your　quadrilateral　will　not　shrink；　it　will　extend。　In　a　month　we　shall　be　fighting　to　hold　Washington　and　Baltimore；　aye；　and　Philadelphia。〃

The　bitterness　of　the　words　seemed　to　calm　Lincoln。　He　was　walking　up　and　down　the　floor；　with　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　and　his　expression　was　once　again　one　of　patient　humility

〃I　take　all　the　blame；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　done　nobly；　Mr。　Stanton；　and　all　the　mistakes　are　mine。　I　reckon　I　am　about　the　poorest　effigy　of　a　War　President　that　ever　cursed　an　unhappy　country。〃

The　other　did　not　reply。　He　was　an　honest　man　who　did　not　deal　in　smooth　phrases。

〃I'd　resign　to…morrow；〃　Lincoln　went　on。　〃No　railsplitter　ever　laid　down　his　axe　at　the　end　of　a　hard　day　so　gladly　as　I　would　lay　down　my　office。　But　I've　got　to　be　sure　first　that　my　successor　will　keep　faith　with　this　nation。　I've　got　to　find　a　man　who　will　keep　the　right　course。〃

〃Which　is？〃　Stanton　asked。

〃To　fight　it　out　to　the　very　end。　To　the　last　drop　of　blood　and　the　last　cent。　There　can　be　no　going　back。　If　I　surrendered　my　post　to　any　successor；　though　he　were　an　archangel　from　heaven；　who　would　weaken　on　that　great　purpose；　I　should　deserve　to　be　execrated　as　the　betrayer　of　my　country。〃

Into　Stanton's　sour　face　there　came　a　sudden　gleam　which　made　it　almost　beautiful。

〃Mr。　President；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　often　differed　from　you。　I　have　used　great　freedom　in　criticism　of　your　acts；　and　I　take　leave　to　think　that　I　have　been　generally　in　the　right。　You　know　that　I　am　no　flatterer。　But　I　tell　you；　sir；　from　my　inmost　heart　that　you　are　the　only　man　to　lead　the　people；　because　you　are　the　only　man　whose　courage　never　fails。　God　knows　how　you　manage　it。　I　am　of　the　bull…dog　type　and　hold　on　because　I　do　not　know　how　to　let　go。　Most　of　my　work　I　do　in　utter　hopelessness。　But　you；　sir；　you　never　come　within　a　mile　of　despair。　The　blacker　the　clouds　get　the　more　confident　you　are　that　there　is　sunlight　behind　them。　I　carp　and　cavil　at　you；　but　I　also　take　off　my　hat　to　you；　for　you　are　by　far　the　greatest　of　us。〃

Lincoln's　face　broke　into　a　slow　smile；　which　made　the　eyes　seem　curiously　child…like。

〃I　thank　you；　my　old　friend；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　admit　I　have　your　courage；　for　I　haven't　half　of　it。　But　if　a　man　feels　that　he　is　only　a　pipe　for　Omnipotence　to　sound　through；　he　is　not　so　apt　to　worry。　Besides；　these　last　weeks　God　has　been　very　good　to　me　and　I've　been　given　a　kind　of　assurance。　I　know　the　country　will　grumble　a　bit　about　my　ways　of　doing　things；　but　will　follow　me　in　the　end。　I　know　that　we　shall　win　a　clean　victory。　Jordan　has　been　a　hard　road　to　travel；　but　I　feel　that　in　spite　of　all　our　frailties　we'll　be　dumped　on　the　right　side　of　that　stream。　After　that　。　。　。〃

〃After　that；〃　said　Stanton；　with　something　like　enthusiasm　in　his　voice；　〃you'll　be　the　first　President　of　a　truly　united　America；　with　a　power　and　prestige　the　greatest　since　Washington。〃

Lincoln's　gaze　had　left　the　other's　face　and　was　fixed　on　the　blue　dusk　now　gathering　in　the　window。

〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　he　said。　〃When　the　war's　over；　I　think　I'll　go　home。〃

IV

Two　years　passed　and　once　again　it　was　spring　in　Washingtonabout　half…past　ten　of　the　evening　of　the　14th　of　AprilGood　Fridaythe　first　Eastertide　of　peace。　The　streets　had　been　illuminated　for　victory；　and　the　gas　jets　were　still　blazing；　while　a　young　moon；　climbing　the　sky；　was　dimming　their　murky　yellow　with　its　cold　pure　light。　Tenth　Street　was　packed　from　end　to　end　by　a　silent　mob。　As　a　sponge　cleans　a　slate；　so　exhilaration　had　been　wiped　off　their　souls。　On　the　porch　of　Ford's　Theatre　some　gaudy　posters　advertised　Tom　Taylor's　comedy；　Our　American　Cousin；　and　the　steps　were　littered　with　paper　and　orange　peel　and　torn　fragments　of　women's　clothes；　for　the　exit　of　the　audience　had　been　hasty。　Lights　still　blazed　in　the　building；　for　there　was　nobody　to　put　them　out。　In　front　on　the　side…walk　was　a　cordon　of　soldiers。

Stanton　elbowed　his　way　through　the　throng　to　the　little　house；　Mr。　Peterson's；　across　the　street。　The　messenger　from　the　War　Department　had　poured　wild　news　into　his　ear；wholesale　murder；　everybodythe　PresidentSewardGrant。　Incredulous　he　had　hurried　forth　and　the　sight　of　that　huge　still　crowd　woke　fear　in　him。　The　guards　at　Mr。　Peterson's　door　recognised　him　and　he　was　admitted。　As　he　crossed　the　threshold　he　saw　ominous　dark　stains。

A　kitchen　candle　burned　below　the　hat…rack　in　the　narrow　hall；　and　showed　further　stains　on　the　oilcloth。　From　a　room　on　the　left　hand　came　the　sound　of　women　weeping。

The　door　at　the　end　of　the　passage　was　ajar。　It　opened　on　a　bare　little　place；　once　perhaps　the　surgery　of　some　doctor　in　small　practice；　but　now　a　bedroom。　A　door　gave　at　the　farther　side　on　a　tiny　verandah；　and　this　and　the　one　window　were　wide　open。　An　oil　lamp　stood　on　a　table　by　the　bed　and　revealed　a　crowd　of　people。　A　man　lay　on　the　camp…bed；　lying　aslant　for　he　was　too　long　for　it。　A　sheet　covered　his　lower　limbs；　but　his　breast　and　shoulders　had　been　bared。　The　head　was　nearest　to　the　entrance；　propped　on　an　outjutting　bolster。

A　man　was　leaving　whom　Stanton　recognised　as　Dr。　Stone；　the　Lincoln　family　physician。　The　doctor　answered　his　unspoken　question。　〃Dying；〃　he　said。　〃Through　the　brain。　The　bullet　is　now　below　the　left　eye。　He　may　live　for　a　few　hoursscarcely　the　night。〃

Stanton　moved　to　the　foot　of　the　bed　like　one　in　a　dream。　He　saw　that　Barnes；　the　Surgeon…Gen