with lee in virginia-第68节

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cavalry　had　been　seen　in　the　neighborhood；　and　at　last　stopped　for

the　night　at　a　little　village　inn。　　As　soon　as　it　was　daybreak　he

resumed　his　journey。　　He　had　purchased　at　Burksville　some

colored　calico　and　articles　of　female　clothing；　and　fastened　the

parcel　to　the　back　of　his　saddle。　　As　he　rode　forward　now　he　heard

constant　tales　of　the　passing　of　parties　of　the　enemy's　cavalry；　but

he　was　fortunate　enough　to　get　well　round　to　the　rear　of　the

Federal　lines　before　he　encountered　any　of　them。　　Then　he　came

suddenly　upon　a　troop。



〃Where　are　you　going　to；　and　where　have　you　come　from？〃



〃Our　farm　is　a　mile　away　from　Union　Grove；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　have

been　over　to　Sussex　Courthouse　to　buy　some　things　for　my

mother。〃



〃Let　me　see　what　you　have　got　there；〃　the　officer　said。　〃You　are

rebels　to　a　man　here；　and　there's　no　trusting　any　of　you。〃



Vincent　unfastened　the　parcel　and　opened　it。　The　officer　laughed。



〃Well；　we　won't　confiscate　them　as　contraband　of　war。〃



So　saying　he　set　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　on　with　his　troop。　

Vincent　rode　on　to　Union　Grove；　and　then　taking　a　road　at　random

kept　on　till　he　reached　a　small　farmhouse。　　He　knocked　at　the　door；

and　a　woman　came　out。





〃Mother；〃　he　said；　〃can　you　put　me　up　for　a　couple　of　days？　I　am　a

stranger　here；　and　all　the　villages　are　full　of　soldiers。〃





The　woman　looked　at　him　doubtfully。



〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　asked　at　last。　　〃This　ain't　a　time　for

strangers；　besides　a　young　fellow　like　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　to

show　yourself　when　you　ought　to　be　over　there　with　Lee。　　My　boys

are　both　there　and　my　husband。　　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of

yourself；　a　strong…looking　young　fellow　like　you；　to　be　riding　about

instead　of　fighting　the　Yankees。　　Go　along！　you　will　get　no　shelter

here。　　I　would　scorn　to　have　such　as　you　inside　my　doors。〃





〃Perhaps　I　have　been　fighting　there；〃　Vincent　said　significantly。　

〃But　one　can't　be　always　fighting；　and　there　are　other　things　to　do

sometimes。　　For　instance；　to　find　out　what　the　Yankees　are　doing

and　what　are　their　plans。〃





〃Is　that　so？〃　the　woman　asked　doubtfully。





〃That　is　so；〃　he　answered　earnestly。　　〃I　am　an　officer　in　Wade

Hampton's　cavalry；　and；　now　Sheridan's　troopers　have　cut　off　all

communication；　I　have　come　out　to　find　for　General　Lee　where　the

Yankees　are　building　their　batteries　before　Petersburg。〃



〃In　that　case　you　are　welcome；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Come　straight

in。　　I　will　lead　your　horse　out　and　fasten　him　up　in　the　bush；　and

give　him　a　feed　there。　　It　will　never　do　to　put　him　in　the　stable；　the

Yankees　come　in　and　out　and　they'd　take　him　off　sharp　enough　if

their　eyes　fell　on　him。　　I　think　you　will　be　safe　enough　even　if　they

do　come。　　They　will　take　you　for　a　son　of　mine；　and　if　they　ask　any

questions　I　will　answer　them　sharp　enough。〃



〃I　wonder　they　have　left　you　a　feed　of　corn；〃　Vincent　said；　when

the　woman　returned　after　taking　away　his　horse。



〃It's　no　thanks　to　them；〃　she　answered；　〃they　have　cleared　out

everything　that　they　could　lay　their　hands　on。　But　I　have　been

expecting　it　for　months；　and；　as　I　have　had　nothing　to　do　since　my

man　and　boys　went　away；　I　have　been　digging　a　great　pit　in　the

wood　over　there；　and　have　buried　most　all　my　corn；　and　have

salted　my　pigs　down　and　buried　them　in　barrels；　so　they　didn't　find

much。　They　took　the　old　horse　and　two　cows；　but　I　hope　the　old

horse　will　fall　down　the　first　time　they　uses　him；　and　the　cow　meat

will　choke　them　as　eats　it。　　Now；　is　there　anything　as　I　can　do　to

help　you？〃



〃I　want　a　basket　with　some　eggs　and　chickens　or　vegetables　to　take

into　their　camp　to　sell；　but　I　am　afraid　I　have　not　much　chance　of

getting　them。〃



〃I　can　help　you　there　too；〃　the　woman　said。　　〃I　turned　all　my

chickens　into　the　wood　the　day　I　heard　the　Yankees　had　landed。　

They　have　got　rather　wild　like；　but　I　go　out　and　give　them　some

corn　every　evening。　　I　expect　if　we　look　about　we　shall　find　some

nests；　indeed　I　know　there　are　one　or　two　of　them　sitting。　　So　if

you　will　come　out　with　me　we　can　soon　knock　down　five　or　six　of

the　creatures；　and　maybe　get　a　score　or　two　of　eggs。　　As　for

vegetables；　a　horde　of　locusts　couldn't　have　stripped　the　country

cleaner　than　they　have　done。〃



They　went　out　into　the　wood。　　Six　hens　were　soon　killed；　and

hunting　about　they　discovered　several　nests　and　gathered　about

three　dozen　eggs。　　Vincent　aided　in　plucking　the　chickens　and　they

then　returned　to　the　house。



〃You　had　best　take　a　bite　before　you　go；〃　she　said。



It's　noon　now；　and　you　said　you　started　at　daybreak。　Always　get　a

meal　when　you　can；　say　I。〃



She　produced　a　loaf　and　some　bacon　from　a　little　cupboard　hidden

by　her　bed；　and　Vincent；　who；　now　he　thought　of　it；　was　feeling

hungry；　made　a　hearty　meal。



〃I　will　pay　you　for　these　chickens　and　eggs　at　once；〃　he　said。　

〃There　is　no　saying　whether　I　shall　come　back　again。〃



〃I　will　not　say　no　to　your　paying　for　the　chickens　and　eggs；〃　she

said；　〃because　money　is　scarce　enough；　and　I　may　have　long　to

wait　before　my　man　and　the　boys　come　back；　but　as　to　lodging　and

food　I　would　not　touch　a　cent。　You　are　welcome　to　all　I　have　when

it's　for　the　good　cause。〃　Vincent　started　with　the　basket　on　his　arm；

and　after　walking　three　miles　came　upon　the　Federal　camps。



Some　of　the　regiments　were　already　under　canvas；　others　were　still

bivouacked　in　the　open　air；　as　the　store…ships　carrying　the　heavy

baggage　had　not　yet　arrived。　　The　generals　and　their　staffs　had

taken　up　their　quarters　in　the　villages。　　Vincent　had　received

accurate　instructions　from　his　hostess　as　to　the　position　of　the

various　villages；　and　avoided　them　carefully；　for　he　did　not　want　to

sell　out　his　stock　immediately。　　He　had　indeed　stowed　two　of　the

fowls　away　in　his　pocket　so　that　in　case　any　one　insisted　upon

buying　up　all　his　stock　he　could　place　these　in　his　basket　and　still

push　on。



He　avoided　the　camps　as　much　as　he　could。　　He　could　see　the

smoke　rising　in　front　of　him；　and　the　roar　of　guns　was　now　close　at

hand。　　He　saw　on　his　right　an　elevated　piece　of　ground；　from　which

a　good　view　could　be　obtained　of　the　fortifications　upon　which　the

Federals　were　working。　A　camp　had　been　pitched　there；　and　a

large　tent　near　the　summit　showed　that　some　officer　of　superior

rank　had　his　quarters　there。　　He　made　a　detour　so　as　to　come　up　at

the　back　of　the　hill　and　when　he　reached　the　top　he　stood　looking

down　upon　the　line　of　works。



They　were　nearly　half　a　mile　distant。　　The　intervening　ground　had

already　been　stripped　of　its　hedges；　and　the　trees　cut　down　to　form

gabions；　fascines；　and　platforms　for　the　cannon。　　Thousands　of

men　were　at　work；　but　in　some　parts　they　were　clustered　much

more　thickly　than　in　others；　and　Vincent　had　no　difficulty　in

determining　where　the　principal　batteries　were　in　course　of

construction　along　this　portion　of　the　position。　　He　was　still　gazing

intently　when　two　horsemen　rode　up　from　behind。



〃Hallo　you；　sir！　　What　are　you　looking　at？〃　one　of　them　asked

sharply。　　〃What　are　you　spying　about　here？〃



Vincent　turned　slowly　round　with　a　silly　smile　on　his　lips。



〃I　am　spying　all　them　chaps　at　work；〃　he　said。　　〃It　reminds　me　for

all　the　world　of　an　ant…hill。　　Never　did　see　so　many　chaps　before。　

What　be　they　a…doing？　Digging　a　big　drain　or　making　a　roadway；　I

guess。〃



〃Who　are　you；　sir？〃　the　officer　asked　angrily。



〃Seth　Jones　I　be；　and　mother's　sent　me　to　sell　some　fowls　and　eggs。　

Do　you　want　to　buy　any？　Fine　birds　they　be。〃



〃Why；　Sheridan；〃　laughed　the　other　officer；　〃this　is　a　feather　out　of

your　cap。　　I　thought　your　fellows　had　cleared　out　every　hen…roost

within　twenty　miles　of　Petersburg　already。〃



〃I　fancy　they　have　emptied　most　of　them；〃　the　general　said　grimly。　

〃Where　do　you　come　from；　lad？〃



〃I　comes　from　over　there；〃　Vincent　said；　jerking　his　thumb　back。　

〃I　lives　there　with　mother。　　Father　and　the　other　boys　they　have

gone　fighting　Yanks；　but　they　wouldn't　take　me　with　them　'cause　I

ain't　sharp　in　my　wits；　though　I　tells　them　I　could　shoot　a　Yank　as

well　as　they　could　if　they　showed　me。〃



〃And　who　do　you　suppose　all　those　men　are？〃　General　Sheridan

asked；　pointing　toward　the　trenches。



〃I　dunno；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃I　guess　they　be　niggers。　There　be　too

many　of　them　for　whites；　besides　whites　ain't　such　fools　to　work

like　that。　　Doesn't　ye　want　any　fowl？〃　and　he　drew　back　the　cloth

and　showed　the　contents　of　the　basket。



〃Take　them　as　a　matter　of　curiosity；　general；〃　the　other　officer

laughed。　　〃It　will　be　downright　novelty　to　you　to　buy　chickens。〃



〃What　do　you　want　for　them；　boy？〃



〃Mother　said　as　I　wasn't　to　take　less　nor　a　dollar　apiece。〃



〃Greenbacks；　I　suppose？〃　the　officer　asked。



〃I　suppose　so。　　She　didn't　say　nothing　about　it；　but　I　has　not　seen

aught　but　greenbacks　for　a　long　time　since。〃