with lee in virginia-第74节

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very　much　as　to　that　fellow。　　Still；　I　should　have　blamed　you　if　you

had　killed　him…blamed　you　very　much。　　Ho　was　a　bad　man；　and　he

treated　you　brutally；　but　you　see　he　has　been　already　punished　a

good　deal。〃



〃Yes；　you　knock　him　down；　sak。　　Dat　bery　good；　but　not　enough

for　Tony。〃



〃But　that　wasn't　all；　Tony。　　You　see；　the　affair　set　all　my　friends

against　him；　arid　his　position　became　a　very　unpleasant　one。　　Then；

you　see；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　you　lie　would　probably　have　got

through　to　our　lines　again　after　lie　had　escaped　with　me。　　Then；

you　see；　his　father；　out　of　revenge；　stole　Dinah　away。〃



〃Stole　Dinah！〃　Tony　exclaimed；　stopping　in　his　work。　〃Why；　sah；

you　hab　been　tolling　me　dat　she　is　safe　and　well　wid　Mrs。

Wingfield。〃



〃So　she　is；　Tony。　　But　he　stole　her　for　all　that；　and　had　her　carried

down　into　Carolina；　but　I　managed　to　bring　her　back。　　It's　a　long

story；　but　I　will　tell　you　about　it　presently。　　Then　the　knowledge

that　I　had　found　Dinah；　and　the　fear　of　punishment　for　his　share　of

taking　her　away；　caused　old　Jackson　to　fly　from　the　country；

getting　less　than　a　quarter　of　the　sum　his　estate　would　have　fetched　

two　or　three　years　ago。　　That　was　what　made　him　and　his　son　turn

Unionists。　　So；　you　see；　Jackson　was　heavily　punished　for　his

conduct　to　you；　and　it　did　not　need　for　you　to　revenge　yourself。〃



So　he　was；　sah；　so　he　was；〃　Tony　said　thoughtfully。　〃Yes；　it　does

seem　as　if　all　des　tings　came　on　kinder　one　after　de　oder　just　out

ob　dat　flogging　ho　gabo　me；　and　now　he　has　got　killed　for　just　de

same　cause；　for　if　he　hadn't　been　obliged　to　turn　Unionist　he

wouldn't　have　been　in　dat　dar　battery　at　de　time　you　came　dere。　

Yes；　I　sees　dat　is　so；　sab；　and　I'se　glad　now　I　didn't　hab　a　chance　ob

shooting　him　down；　for　I　should　have　done　so　for　suah　of　I　had。〃



They　had　now　reached　the　river。　　The　sun　was　just　showing　above

the　horizon；　and　the　broad　sheet　of　water　was　already　astir。　

Steamers　were　making　their　way　up　from　the　mouth　of　the　river

laden　with　stores　for　the　army。　Little　tugs　were　hurrying　to　and　fro。　

Vessels　that　had　discharged　their　cargo　wore　dropping　down　with

the　tide；　while　many　sailing…vessels　lay　at　anchor　waiting　for　the

turn　of　tide　to　make　their　way　higher　up。　　Norfolk　was；　however；

the　base　from　which　the　Federal　army　drew　the　larger　portion　of　its

stores；　as　there　were　great　conveniences　for　landing　here；　and　a

railway　thence　ran　up　to　the　rear　of　their　lines。　　But　temporary

wharfs　and　stages　had　been　erected　at　the　point　of　the　river　nearest

to　their　camps　in　front　of　Petersburg；　and　here　the　cattle　and　much

of　the　stores　required　for　the　army　were　landed。　　At　the　point　at

which　Vincent　and　Tony　had　struck　the　river　the　banks　wore

somewhat　low。　　Here　and　there　were　snug　farms；　with　the　ground

cultivated　down　to　the　river。　　The　whole　country　was　open　and　free

from　trees；　except　where　small　patches　had　been　loft。　　It　was　in

front　of　one　of　these　that　Vincent　and　Tony　wore　now　standing。



〃I　do　not　think　there　is　any　risk　of　pursuit　now；　Tony。



This　is　not　the　fine　on　which　they　will　be　hunting　us。　The　question

is…how　are　we　to　get　across？〃



〃It's　too　far　to　swim；　sah。〃



〃I　should　think　it　was；〃　Vincent　said　with　a　laugh。　〃It's　three　or　four

miles；　I　should　say；　if　it's　a　foot。　　The　first　question　is…where　are　we

to　get　a　boat？　　I　should　think　that　some　of　these　farmhouses　are

sure　to　have　boats；　but　the　chances　are　they　have　been　seized　by

the　Yankees　long　ago。　　Still　they　may　have　some　laid　up。　　The

Yanks　would　not　have　made　much　search　for　those；　though　they

would　no　doubt　take　all　the　larger　boats　for　the　use　of　the　troops　or

for　getting　stores　ashore。　　Anyhow；　I　will　go　to　the　next　farmhouse

and　ask。〃



〃Shall　I　go；　sah？〃



〃No；　Tony；　they　would　probably　take　you　for　a　runaway。　　No；　I　will

go。　　There　can　be　no　danger。　　The　men　are　all　away；　and　the

women　are　sure　to　be　loyal。　　I　fancy　the　few　who　were　the　other

way　before　will　have　changed　their　minds　since　the　Yanks　landed。〃



They　followed　the　bank　of　the　river　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and

thou　Vincent　walked　on　to　a　sma＇l　farmhouse　standing　on　the

slope　fifty　yards　from　the　water。　　Two　or　three　children　who　were

playing　about　outside　at　once　ran　in　upon　seeing　a　stranger；　and　a

moment　later　two　women　came　out。　　They　were　somewhat

reassured　when　they　saw　Vincent　approaching　alone。



〃What　is　it；　stranger？〃　one　of　them　asked。　　〃Do　you　want　a　meal？　

We　have　got　little　enough　to　offer　you；　but　what　there　is　you　are

welcome　to；　the　Yanks　have　driven　off　our　cows　and　pigs　and　the

two　horses；　and　have　emptied　the　barns；　and　pulled　up　all　the

garden　stuff；　and　stole　the　fowls；　and　carried　off　the　bacon　from

the　beams；　so　we　have　got　but　an　empty　larder。　　But　as　far　as　bread

and　molasses　go；　you　are　welcome。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　Vincent　said；　〃　I　am　not　in　want　of　food。　What　I　am

in　want　of　is　a　boat。〃



〃Boat！〃　the　women　repeated　in　surprise。



〃Yes；　I　want　to　got　across　to　the　other　side；　or　else　to　get　up　the

river　and　land　between　Petersburg　and　Bermuda。〃



〃Sakes　alive！〃　the　woman　exclaimed；　〃what　do　you　want　to　do　that

for？〃



〃I　will　tell　you；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃I　know　I　can　trust　my　life　to　any

woman　in　the　Confederacy。　　I　am　one　of　General　Wade　Hampton's

officers；　and　I　have　come　through　their　lines　to　find　out　what　they

are　doing。　　I　have　been　caught　once；　but　managed　to　slip　through

their　hands；　but　there　is　no　possibility　of　making　my　way　back

across　the　country；　for　the　Yankee　cavalry　are　patrolling　every

road；　and　the　only　chance　I　have　is　of　getting　away　by　boat。〃



〃Step　right　in；　sir；〃　the　woman　said。　　〃It's　a　real　pleasure　to　us　to

have　one　of　our　officers　under　our　roof。〃



〃I　have　a　friend　with　me；〃　Vincent　said；　〃a　faithful　negro；　who　has

helped　me　to　escape；　and　who　would　be　hung　like　a　dog　if　they

could　lay　hands　on　him。〃



〃Bring　him　in；　sir；　the　woman　said　hospitably。　　〃I　had　four　or　five

niggers　till　the　Yanks　came；　but　they　all　ran　away　'cause　they　knew

they　would　either　be　set　to　work　or　made　to　fight；　so　they　went。　

They　said　they　would　come　back　again　when　the　trouble　is　over；

maybe　they　will　and　maybe　they　won't。　　At　first　the　niggers　about

here　used　to　look　for　the　Yanks　coming；　but　as　the　news　got　about

of　what　happened　to　those　they　took　from　their　masters；　they

concluded　they　were　better　off　where　they　were。　　Call　your　boy　in；

sir；　call　him　in。〃



Vincent　gave　a　shout；　and　Tony　at　once　came　up。



〃Thank　you；　we　don't　want　anything　to　eat；〃　Vincent　went　on　as　the

woman　began　to　put　some　plates　on　the　table。　　〃We　have　just　had　a

hearty　meal；　and　have　got　enough　food　for　three　or　four　days　in

that　bundle。　　But　we　want　a　boat；　or；　if　we　can't　find　that；　some

sailors'　clothes。　　If　I　had　them　I　would　keep　along　the　river　down　to

Norfolk。　　The　place　will　be　full　of　sailors。　　We　should　not　be　likely

to　be　noticed　there。〃



〃I　can't　help　you　in　that；〃　the　woman　said；　〃but　there　are　certainly

some　boats　laid　up　along　the　shore。　　Now；　Maria；　who　has　got

boats　that　haven't　been　taken？〃



〃I　expect　the　Johnsons　have　got　one；〃　the　other　woman　replied。　

〃They　had　a　small　boat　the　boys　and　girls　used　to　go　out　fishing　in。　

I　don't　think　the　Yanks　have　got　that。　　I　expect　they　hid　it　away

somewhere；　but　I　don't　know　as　they　would　let　you　have　it。　　She　is

a　close…fisted　woman　is　Sarah　Johnson。〃



〃I　could　pay　her　for　its　value；〃　Vincent　said。



〃Oh；　well；　if　you　could　pay　her　she　would　let　you　have　it。



I　don't　say　she　wouldn't；　anyhow；　seeing　as　you　are　an　officer；　and

the　Yanks　are　after　you。　　Still；　she　is　close　is　Sarah　Johnson；　and　I

don't　know　as　she　is　so　set　on　the　Confederacy　as　most　people。　　I

tell　you　what　I　will　do；　sir。　　I　will　go　down　and　say　as　a　stranger

wants　to　buy　her　boat；　and　no　questions　asked。　　She　is　just　to　show

where　the　boat　is　hidden；　and　you　are　to　pay　for　it　and　take　it　away

when　you　want　it。〃



〃That　would　be　a　very　good　plan；〃　Vincent　said；　〃if　you　wouldn't

mind　the　trouble。〃



〃The　trouble　is　nothing；〃　she　said。　　〃Johnson's　place　ain't　above　a

mile　along　the　shore。〃



〃I　will　go　with　you　until　you　get　close　to　the　house；〃　Vincent　said；

〃then；　when　you　hear　what　she　wants　for　the　boat；　I　will　give　you

the　money　for　it；　and　you　can　show　me　where　it　is　hidden。〃



This　was　accordingly　done。　　Mrs。　Johnson；　after　a　con　sidorable

amount　of　bargaining　with　Vincent's　guide；　agreed　to　take　twenty

dollars　for　the　boat；　and　upon　receiving　the　money　sent　down　one

of　her　boys　with　her　to　show　her　where　it　was　hidden。　　It　was　in　a

hole　that　had　been　scooped　out　in　the　steep　bank　some　ten　foot

above　the　water's　edge；　and　was　completely　hidden　from　the　sight

of　any　one　rowing　past　by　a　small　clump　of　bushes。　When　the　boys

had　returned　to　the　farmhouse　the　woman　took　Vincent　to　the　spot；

and　they　then　went　back　together。