English
Presentlytheyknewthatnofiringthreatenedthem.
Allwaysseemedoncemoreopenedtothem.
Thedustybluelinesoftheirfriendsweredisclosedashortdistanceaway.
Inthedistancethereweremanycolossalnoises,butinallthispartofthefieldtherewasasuddenstillness.
Theyperceivedthattheywerefree.Thedepletedbanddrewalongbreathofreliefandgathereditselfintoabunchtocompleteitstrip.
Inthislastlengthofjourneythemenbegantoshowstrangeemotions.Theyhurriedwithnervousfear.
Somewhohadbeendarkandunfalteringinthegrimmestmomentsnowcouldnotconcealananxietythatmadethemfrantic.
Itwasperhapsthattheydreadedtobekilledininsignificantwaysafterthetimesforpropermilitarydeathshadpassed.
Or,perhaps,theythoughtitwouldbetooironicaltogetkilledattheportalsofsafety.
Withbackwardlooksofperturbation,theyhastened.
Astheyapproachedtheirownlinestherewassomesarcasmexhibitedonthepartofagauntandbronzedregimentthatlayrestingintheshadeofthetrees.Questionswerewaftedtothem.
“Whereth’hellyehbeen?”
“Whatyehcomin’backfer?”
“Whydidn’tyehstaythere?”
“Wasitwarmoutthere,sonny?”
“Goin’homenow,boys?”
Oneshoutedintauntingmimicry:“Oh,mother,comequickan’lookatth’sojers!”
Therewasnoreplyfromthebruisedandbatteredregiment,savethatonemanmadebroadcastchallengestofistfightsandthered-beardedofficerwalkedrathernearandglaredingreatswashbucklerstyleatatallcaptainintheotherregiment.
Butthelieutenantsuppressedthemanwhowishedtofistfight,andthetallcaptain,flushingatthelittlefanfareofthered-beardedone,wasobligedtolookintentlyatsometrees.
Theyouth’stenderfleshwasdeeplystungbytheseremarks.
Fromunderhiscreasedbrowshegloweredwithhateatthemockers.Hemeditateduponafewrevenges.
Still,manyintheregimenthungtheirheadsincriminalfashion,sothatitcametopassthatthementrudgedwithsuddenheaviness,asiftheyboreupontheirbendedshouldersthecoffinoftheirhonor.
Andtheyouthfullieutenant,recollectinghimself,begantomuttersoftlyinblackcurses.
Theyturnedwhentheyarrivedattheiroldpositiontoregardthegroundoverwhichtheyhadcharged.
Theyouthinthiscontemplationwassmittenwithalargeastonishment.
Hediscoveredthatthedistances,ascomparedwiththebrilliantmeasuringsofhismind,weretrivialandridiculous.
Thestolidtrees,wheremuchhadtakenplace,seemedincrediblynear.
Thetime,too,nowthathereflected,hesawtohavebeenshort.
Hewonderedatthenumberofemotionsandeventsthathadbeencrowdedintosuchlittlespaces.
Elfinthoughtsmusthaveexaggeratedandenlargedeverything,hesaid.
Itseemed,then,thattherewasbitterjusticeinthespeechesofthegauntandbronzedveterans.
Heveiledaglanceofdisdainathisfellowswhostrewedtheground,chokingwithdust,redfromperspiration,misty-eyed,disheveled.
Theyweregulpingattheircanteens,fiercetowringeverymiteofwaterfromthem,andtheypolishedattheirswollenandwateryfeatureswithcoatsleevesandbunchesofgrass.
However,totheyouththerewasaconsiderablejoyinmusinguponhisperformancesduringthecharge.
Hehadhadverylittletimepreviouslyinwhichtoappreciatehimself,sothattherewasnowmuchsatisfactioninquietlythinkingofhisactions.
Herecalledbitsofcolorthatintheflurryhadstampedthemselvesunawaresuponhisengagedsenses.
Astheregimentlayheavingfromitshotexertionstheofficerwhohadnamedthemasmuledriverscamegallopingalongtheline.Hehadlosthiscap.
Histousledhairstreamedwildly,andhisfacewasdarkwithvexationandwrath.
Histemperwasdisplayedwithmoreclearnessbythewayinwhichhemanagedhishorse.
Hejerkedandwrenchedsavagelyathisbridle,stoppingthehard-breathinganimalwithafuriouspullnearthecoloneloftheregiment.
Heimmediatelyexplodedinreproacheswhichcameunbiddentotheearsofthemen.
Theyweresuddenlyalert,beingalwayscuriousaboutblackwordsbetweenofficers.
“Oh,thunder,MacChesnay,whatanawfulbullyoumadeofthisthing!”begantheofficer.
Heattemptedlowtones,buthisindignationcausedcertainofthementolearnthesenseofhiswords.“Whatanawfulmessyoumade!
GoodLord,man,youstoppedaboutahundredfeetthissideofaveryprettysuccess!
Ifyourmenhadgoneahundredfeetfartheryouwouldhavemadeagreatcharge,butasitis—whatalotofmuddiggersyou’vegotanyway!”
Themen,listeningwithbatedbreath,nowturnedtheircuriouseyesuponthecolonel.Theyhadahadaragamuffininterestinthisaffair.
Thecolonelwasseentostraightenhisformandputonehandforthinoratoricalfashion.
Heworeaninjuredair;itwasasifadeaconhadbeenaccusedofstealing.
Themenwerewigglinginanecstasyofexcitement.
Butofasuddenthecolonel’smannerchangedfromthatofadeacontothatofaFrenchman.Heshruggedhisshoulders.“Oh,well,general,wewentasfaraswecould,”hesaidcalmly.
“Asfarasyoucould?Didyou,b’Gawd?”snortedtheother.“Well,thatwasn’tveryfar,wasit?”
headded,withaglanceofcoldcontemptintotheother’seyes.“Notveryfar,Ithink.
YouwereintendedtomakeadiversioninfavorofWhiterside.
Howwellyousucceededyourownearscannowtellyou.”
Hewheeledhishorseandrodestifflyaway.
Thecolonel,biddentohearthejarringnoisesofanengagementinthewoodstotheleft,brokeoutinvaguedamnations.
Thelieutenant,whohadlistenedwithanairofimpotentragetotheinterview,spokesuddenlyinfirmandundauntedtones.
“Idon’tcarewhatamanis—whetherheisageneralorwhat—ifhesaysth’boysdidn’tputupagoodfightouttherehe’sadamnedfool.”
“Lieutenant,”beganthecolonel,severely,“thisismyownaffair,andI’lltroubleyou—”
Thelieutenantmadeanobedientgesture.“Allright,colonel,allright,”hesaid.Hesatdownwithanairofbeingcontentwithhimself.
Thenewsthattheregimenthadbeenreproachedwentalongtheline.
Foratimethemenwerebewilderedbyit.“Goodthunder!”
theyejaculated,staringatthevanishingformofthegeneral.Theyconceivedittobeahugemistake.
Presently,however,theybegantobelievethatintruththeireffortshadbeencalledlight.
Theyouthcouldseethisconvictionweightupontheentireregimentuntilthemenwerelikecuffedandcursedanimals,butwithalrebellious.
Thefriend,withagrievanceinhiseye,wenttotheyouth.Iwonderwhathedoeswant,”hesaid.“Hemustthinkwewentouttherean’playedmarbles!Ineverseesechaman!”
Theyouthdevelopedatranquilphilosophyforthesemomentsofirritation.
“Oh,well,”herejoined,“heprobablydidn’tseenothingofitatallandgodmadasblazes,andconcludedwewerealotofsheep,justbecausewedidn’tdowhathewanteddone.
It’sapityoldGrandpaHendersongotkilledyestirday—he’dhaveknownthatwedidourbestandfoughtgood.It’sjustourawfulluck,that’swhat.”
“Ishouldsayso,”repliedthefriend.Heseemedtobedeeplywoundedataninjustice.“Ishouldsaywedidhaveawfulluck!
There’snofuninfightin’ferpeoplewheneverythingyehdo—nomatterwhat—ain’tdoneright.
Ihaveanotiont’staybehindnexttimean’let‘emtaketheirol’chargean’got’th’devilwithit.”
Theyouthspokesoothinglytohiscomrade.“Well,webothdidgood.I’dliketoseethefoolwhat’dsaywebothdidn’tdoasgoodaswecould!”
“Ofcoursewedid,”declaredthefriendstoutly.
“An’I’dbreakth’feller’sneckifhewasasbigasachurch.
Butwe’reallright,anyhow,forIheardonefellersaythatwetwofitth’bestinth’reg’ment,an’theyhadagreatargument‘boutit.
Anotherfeller,‘acourse,hehadt’upan’sayitwasalie—heseenallwhatwasgoin’onan’heneverseenusfromth’beginnin’t’th’end.
An’alotmorestuckinan’sesitwasn’talie—wedidfightlikethunder,an’theygiveusquiteasendoff.
ButthisiswhatIcan’tstand—theseeverlastin’ol’soldiers,titterin’an’laughin’,anthenthatgeneral,he’scrazy.”
Theyouthexclaimedwithsuddenexasperation:“He’salunkhead!Hemakesmemad.Iwishhe’dcomealongnexttime.We’dshow‘imwhat—”
Heceasedbecauseseveralmenhadcomehurryingup.Theirfacesexpressedabringingofgreatnews.
“OFlem,yehjestoughtaheard!”criedone,eagerly.
“Heardwhat?”saidtheyouth.
“Yehjestoughtaheard!”repeatedtheother,andhearrangedhimselftotellhistidings.Theothersmadeanexcitedcircle.
“Well,sir,th’colonelmetyourlieutenantrightbyus—itwasdamnedestthingIeverheard—an’heses:‘Ahem!ahem!’heses.‘Mr.Hasbrouck!’
heses,‘byth’way,whowasthatladwhatcarriedth’flag?’heses.
There,Flemin’,whatd’yehthink‘athat?
‘Whowasth’ladwhatcarriedth’flag?’
heses,an’th’lieutenant,hespeaksuprightaway:‘That’sFlemin’,an’he’sajimhickey,’heses,rightaway.What?Isayhedid.
‘Ajimhickey,’heses—those‘rhiswords.Hedid,too.Isayhedid.
IfyoukintellthisstorybetterthanIkin,goaheadan’tellit.Well,then,keepyermouthshet.
Th’lieutenant,heses:‘He’sajimhickey,’andth’colonel,heses:‘Ahem!ahem!
heis,indeed,averygoodmant’have,ahem!Hekep’th’flag‘wayt’th’front.Isaw‘im.He’sagoodun,’sesth’colonel.
‘Youbet,’sesth’lieutenant,‘hean’afellernamedWilsonwasatth’head‘ath’charge,an’howlin’likeIndiansallth’time,’heses.
‘Head‘ath’chargeallth’time,’heses.‘AfellernamedWilson,’heses.
There,Wilson,m’boy,putthatinaletteran’sendithumt’yermother,hay?‘AfellernamedWilson,’heses.
An’th’colonel,heses:‘Werethey,indeed?Ahem!ahem!Mysakes!’heses.‘Atth’head‘ath’reg’ment?’heses.‘Theywere,’sesth’lieutenant.‘Mysakes!’sesth’colonel.Heses:‘Well,well,well,’heses.‘Theydeservet’bemajor-generals.’”
Theyouthandhisfriendhadsaid:“Huh!”“Yerlyin’Thompson.”“Oh,got’blazes!”“Heneversedit.”“Oh,whatalie!”“Huh!”
Butdespitetheseyouthfulscoffingsandembarrassments,theyknewthattheirfacesweredeeplyflushingfromthrillsofpleasure.
Theyexchangedasecretglanceofjoyandcongratulation.
Theyspeedilyforgotmanythings.Thepastheldnopicturesoferroranddisappointment.
Theywereveryhappy,andtheirheartsswelledwithgratefulaffectionforthecolonelandtheyouthfullieutenant.
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