with lee in virginia-第72节

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swamps。



Directly　Tony　got　back　to　his　regiment　he　strolled　over　to　the　shed

where　Vincent　was　confined。　　Two　sentinels　were　on　duty；　the

sergeant　and　the　two　other　men　were　lying　at　full　length　en　the

ground　some　twenty　yards　away。　Their　muskets　were　beside　them；

and　it　was　evident　to　Tony　by　the　vigilant　watch　that　they　kept　up

en　the　shed　that　their　responsibility　weighed　heavily　upon　them

and　that　Captain　Pearce　had　impressed　upon　them　that　if　the

pnsoner　escaped　they　would　certainly　be　shot。



〃Well；　Sergeant　John　Newson；〃　Tony　began；　〃I　hab　just　walked

ober　to　see　how　you　getting　on。　　It　am　a　mighty　'sponsible　business

dis。　　I　had　six　hours　of　him；　and　it　make　de　perspiration　run　down

my　back　to　tink　what　a　job　it　would　be　for　me　if　dat　fellow　was　to

run　away。〃



〃Dat's　just　what　dis　chile　feel；　Sergeant　Tony　Morris；　I　am　zactly

like　dat；　and　dat's　what　dese　men　feel　too。　We　am　all　on　guard。　　De

captain　say；　put　two　on　guard　at　de　shed　and　let　do　odors　relieb

dem　ebery　hour。　　So　dey　shall；　but　dose　off　duty　must　watch　just

the　same。　　When　it　gets　dark　we　get　close　up；　so　as　to　be　ready　to

jump　in　directly　we　hear　a　stir。　　Dis　fellow　no　fool　us。〃



〃Dat's　the　way；　Sergeant　Newson；　dat　am　do　way。　Nober　close　your

eye；　but　keep　a　sharp　look　on　dem。　　It's　a　pity　dat　you　not　in　camp

to…night。〃



〃How　am　dat；　bow　am　dat？〃　the　sergeant　asked。



〃To　tell　you　do　truf；　sergeant；　tree　or　four　ob　us　hab　smuggled　in

some　spirits；　and　you　are　one　of　dose　who　would　hab　come　in　for　a

share　of　it　if　you　had　been　dere。〃



〃Golly！〃　the　sergeant　exclaimed；　〃but　dat　is　bery　unfortunate。　

Can't　you　manage　to　bring　me　a　little　here？〃



〃Well；　you　know；　it's　difficult　to　get　out　ob　camp。



〃Oh；　you　could　get　through。　　Dere　is　no　fear　about　you　being

caught。〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　Tony　replied　with　an　air　of　reluctance。　〃Well；　I　will

see　about　it。　　Ef　I　can　crawl　troo　de　sentries；　and　bring　some　for

you　and　de　oders；　I　will。　　It　will　help　keep　you　awake　and　keep　out

de　damp。



〃Dat's　right　down　good　ob　you；〃　the　other　said　cordially。　〃You

good　man；　Tony　Morris；　and　if　I　can　do　as　much　for　you　anoder

time；　I　do　it。〃



Having　settled　this；　Tony　went　round　to　the　hospital　tent　in　rear　of

the　regiment；　having　tied　up　his　face　with　a　handkerchief。



〃Well；　what　is　it；　sergeant？〃　the　negro；　who　acted　as　an　orderly　and

sometimes　helped　the　surgeon　mix　his　drugs；　asked。　　〃De　doctor

am　gone　away；　and　I　don't　'spect　he　come　back　again　to…night。〃



〃Dat　am　bery　bad　ting；〃　Tony　said　dolefully。　　〃Can't　you　do

something　for　me；　Sam　Smith？　I　tink　you　know　quite　as　much

about　do　medicines　as　do　doctor　himself。〃



〃Not　quite　so　much；　sergeant；　not　quite　so　much；　but　I'se　no　fool；

and　my　old　mother　she　'used　to　make　medicine　for　de　plantation

and　knew　a　heap　about　herbs；　so　it　am　natural　dat　I　should　take　to

it。　　What　can　I　gib　you？〃



〃Well；　Sam；　you　see　sometimes　I'se　'flicted　dre'fful　wid　do

faceache　him　just　go　jump；　jump；　jump；　as　ef　he　bust　right　up。　

Mose　times　I　find　de　best　ting　am　to　put　a　little　laudabun　in　my

mouf；　and　a　little　on　bit　of　rag　and　put　him　outside。　　De　best　ting

would　be　for　you　to　gib　me　little　bottle　of　him；　den　when　de　pain

come　on　I　could　jess　take　him；　and　not　be　troubling　you　ebery　day。　

And　Sam；　jus　you　whisper…I　got　hold　of　a　little　good　stuff。　　You　gib

me　tin　mug；　me　share　what　I　hab　got　wid　you。〃



The　negro　grinned　with　delight；　and　going　into　the　tent　brought　out

a　tin　mug。



〃Dat's　all　right；　Sam；　but　you　hab　no　brought　de　bottle　of　laudabun

too。　　You　just　fetch　dat；　and　I　gib　you　do　spirit。〃



The　negro　went　in　again；　and　in　two　minutes　returned　with　a　small

bottle　of　laudanum。



〃Dat's　a　fair　exchange；〃　Tony　said；　taking　it；　and　handing　to　the

man　his　mug　half　full　of　spirit。



〃Dat　am　someting　like；〃　the　black　said；　looking　with　delight　at　the

liberal　allowance。　　〃Me　drink　him　do　last　ting　at　night；　don　me　go

to　sloop　and　no　one　'spect　nuffin'。　Whereber　you　get　dat　spirit？〃



〃Never　you　mind；　Sam；〃　Tony　said　with　a　grin。　〃Dar's　more　where

dat　comes　from；　and　maybe　you　will　get　anoder　taste　ob　it。〃



Then　after　leaving　the　hospital　tent　he　poured　half　the　spirits　away；

for　he　had　not　now　to　depend　upon　the　effect　of　that　alone；　and　it

wore　bettor　not　to　give　it　too　strong；　for　that　might　arouse　the

suspicion　of　the　guard。　　Then　ho　uncorked　the　bottle　of　laudanum。



〃I　don't　know　how　much　to　gib；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃No　good　to

kill　dem。　　Me　don't　'spect　die　stuff　bery　strong。　　Dose　rogues　sell

all　sorts　of　stuff　to　do　government。　　Anyting　good　enough　for　do

soldier。　　Dey　gib　him　rotten　boots；　and　rotten　cloth；　and　bad

powder；　and　all　sorts　of　tings。　　I　spect　dey　gib　him　bad　drugs　too。

However；　me　must　risk　it。　　Dis　bottle　not　bery　big；　anyhow…won't

hold　more　dan　two　or　three　teaspoon。　　Must　risk　him。〃



So　saying　ho　poured　the　contents　of　the　vial　into　the　canteen；　and

then　going　to　a　water…cart　filled　it　up。　　Ho　waited　until　the　camp

was　quiet；　and　then；　taking　off　his　boots　and　fastening　in　his　bolt

his　own　bayonet　and　that　of　one　of　the　men　sleeping　near；　he

quietly　and　cautiously　made　his　way　out　of　camp。　　There　were　no

sentries　placed　here；　for　there　was　no　fear　whatever　of　an　attack；

and　ho　had　little　difficulty　in　making　his　way　round　to　the　back　of

the　village　to　the　spot　where　Vincent　was　confined。　　Ho　moved　so

quietly　that　ho　was　not　perceived　until　he　was　within　a　few　yards

of　the　shed。



〃Sergeant　Newson；　am　you　dere？〃



〃Bress　me；　what　a　start　you　hab　given　me；　for　suah！〃　the　sergeant

said。　　〃I　did　not　hear　you　coming。



〃You　didn't　s'pose　I　was　coming　along　shouting　and　whistling；

Sergeant　Newson？　Don't　you　talk　so　loud。　Dar　am　no　saying　who's

about。〃



〃Hab　you　brought　do　stuff？〃



〃You　don't　suppose　I　should　hab　come　all　dis　way　to　tell　you　I　hab

not　got　it。　　How　am　do　prisoner？〃



〃Oh；　he's　dere　all　right。　　My　orders　was　to　look　in　at　dat　little

winder　ebery　five　minutes；　and　dat　when　it　began　to　get　dark　me

was　to　tie　him　quite　tight；　and　me　hab　done　so。　　And　one　of　do

sentries　goes　in　every　five　minutes　and　feels　to　see　if　de　ropes　are

tight。　　He　am　dar；　sure　enough。〃



〃Dat's　quite　right；　Sergeant　Nowson。　　I　knew　when　you　came　to

'hove　me　as　do　captain　knew　what　ho　was　doing　when　lie　choose

you　for　dis　job。　　Ho　just　pick　out　do　man　he　considers　do　very　best

in　do　regiment。　　Now；　here　is　do　spirit；　and　fuss…rate　stuff　it　am；

too。〃



〃Golly；　but　it　am　strong！〃　the　sergeant　said；　taking　a　long　gulp　at

the　canteen。　　〃Dat　warm　do　cockles　ob　de　heart　in　no　time。　　Yes；　it

am　good　stuff…just　do　ting　for　dis　damp　air。　　I　hear　as　a　lot　of　do

white　soldiers　are　down　wid　de　fever　already；　and　dere　will　be　lots

and　lots　more　of　we　stop　here　long。　　Here；　you　two　men；　take　a

drink　of　dis；　but　mind；　you　mustn't　toll　no　one　'bout　it。　　Dis　a　secret

affair。〃



The　two　negroes　each　took　a　long　drink；　and　returned　the　canteen

with　warm　expressions　of　approval。



〃De　oder　men　are　on　duty；〃　the　sergeant　said　with　the　air　of　a　man

who　knew　his　business；　〃dey　mustn't　hab　none　of　it；　not　until　dey

comes　off。　　As　we　are　do　relief；　it　am　proper　and　right　dat　we　drink

a　drop　out　of　a　canteen　of　we　want　it。〃



〃Quite　so；　Sergeant　Newson；〃　Tony　said　in　a　tone　of　admiration。　

〃Dat's　do　way　to　manage　dese　tings…duty　first　and　pleasure

afterward。〃



〃It　am　nearly　time　to　relieve　guard；〃　the　other　said；　and　den　dey

can　have　a　drink。〃



In　five　minutes　the　two　soldiers　relieved　those　on　guard；　and　they

also　took　a　long　drink　at　the　canteen；　to　which　the　sergeant　also

again　applied　his　lips。



Now　I　must　be　going；〃　Tony　said。　　〃I　will　leave　the　canteen　with

you；　sergeant。　　I　have　got　some　more　of　the　stuff　over　there；　and　I

dare　say　you　will　like　another　drink　before　morning。〃



So　saying　he　stole　away；　hut　halted　and　lay　down　twenty　yards

distant。　　In　ten　minutes　he　heard　the　sergeant　say：



〃I　feel　as　if　I　could　do　just　five　minutes'　sleep。　　You　keep　your　eyes

on　de　shed；　and　of　you　hear　any　officer　coming　his　rounds　you

wake　me　up。〃



Tony　waited　another　half…hour　and　then　crawled　up。　The　sergeant

was　lying　on　his　back　sound　asleep；　the　two　men　with　him　were　on

their　faces；　with　their　rifles　pointing　toward　the　shed；　as　if　they　had

dropped　off　to　sleep　while　they　were　staring　at　it。　　Then　he　crawled

on　to　the　shed。　The　soldier　on　sentry　at　the　back　had　grounded　his

musket　and　was　leaning　against　the　shed　fast　asleep；　while　the　one

at　the　door　had　apparently　slid　down　in　a　sitting　position　and　was

snoring。



〃I　hope　I　haben't　given　it　to　dem　too　strong；〃　Tony　said　to　himself；

〃but　it　can't　be　helped　anyhow。〃



He　opened　the　door　and　entered　the　shed。



〃Are　you　awake；　Marse　Wingfield？〃



〃Yes；　I　am　awake；　Tony。　　Thank　God　you　have　come！　How　did　you

manage　it？〃



〃I　hab　managed　it；　sah；　and　dey　are　all