Theroaringsthathadstretchedinalonglineofsoundacrossthefaceoftheforestbegantogrowintermittentandweaker. Thestentorianspeechesoftheartillerycontinuedinsomedistantencounter,butthecrashesofthemusketryhadalmostceased. Theyouthandhisfriendofasuddenlookedup,feelingadeadenedformofdistressatthewaningofthesenoises,whichhadbecomeapartoflife. Theycouldseechangesgoingonamongthetroops. Thereweremarchingsthiswayandthatway.Abatterywheeledleisurely. Onthecrestofasmallhillwasthethickgleamofmanydepartingmuskets. Theyoutharose.“Well,whatnow,Iwonder?”hesaid. Byhistoneheseemedtobepreparingtoresentsomenewmonstrosityinthewayofdinsandsmashes. Heshadedhiseyeswithhisgrimyhandandgazedoverthefield. Hisfriendalsoaroseandstared.“Ibetwe’regoin’t’gitalongoutofthisan’backoverth’river,”saidhe. “Well,Iswan!”saidtheyouth. Theywaited,watching.Withinalittlewhiletheregimentreceivedorderstoretraceitsway. Themengotupgruntingfromthegrass,regrettingthesoftrepose. Theyjerkedtheirstiffenedlegs,andstretchedtheirarmsovertheirheads.Onemansworeasherubbedhiseyes.Theyallgroaned“OLord!” Theyhadasmanyobjectionstothischangeastheywouldhavehadtoaproposalforanewbattle. Theytrampledslowlybackoverthefieldacrosswhichtheyhadruninamadscamper. Theregimentmarcheduntilithadjoineditsfellows. Thereformedbrigade,incolumn,aimedthroughawoodattheroad. Directlytheywereinamassofdust-coveredtroops,andweretrudgingalonginawayparalleltotheenemy’slinesasthesehadbeendefinedbythepreviousturmoil. Theypassedwithinviewofastolidwhitehouse,andsawinfrontofitgroupsoftheircomradeslyinginwaitbehindaneatbreastwork. Arowofgunswereboomingatadistantenemy. Shellsthrowninreplywereraisingcloudsofdustandsplinters. Horsemendashedalongthelineofintrenchments. Atthispointofitsmarchthedivisioncurvedawayfromthefieldandwentwindingoffinthedirectionoftheriver. Whenthesignificanceofthismovementhadimpresseditselfupontheyouthheturnedhisheadandlookedoverhisshouldertowardthetrampledanddebris-strewedground. Hebreathedabreathofnewsatisfaction.Hefinallynudgedhisfriend.“Well,it’sallover,”hesaidtohim. Hisfriendgazedbackward.“B’Gawd,itis,”heassented.Theymused. Foratimetheyouthwasobligedtoreflectinapuzzledanduncertainway. Hismindwasundergoingasubtlechange. Ittookmomentsforittocastoffitsbattlefulwaysandresumeitsaccustomedcourseofthought. Graduallyhisbrainemergedfromthecloggedclouds,andatlasthewasenabledtomorecloselycomprehendhimselfandcircumstance. Heunderstoodthenthattheexistenceofshotandcountershotwasinthepast. Hehaddweltinalandofstrange,squallingupheavalsandhadcomeforth. Hehadbeenwheretherewasredofbloodandblackofpassion,andhewasescaped. Hisfirstthoughtsweregiventorejoicingsatthisfact. Laterhebegantostudyhisdeeds,hisfailures,andhisachievements. Thus,freshfromsceneswheremanyofhisusualmachinesofreflectionhadbeenidle,fromwherehehadproceededsheeplike,hestruggledtomarshalallhisacts. Atlasttheymarchedbeforehimclearly. Fromthispresentviewpointhewasenabledtolookupontheminspectatorfashionandcriticisethemwithsomecorrectness,forhisnewconditionhadalreadydefeatedcertainsympathies. Regardinghisprocessionofmemoryhefeltgleefulandunregretting,forinithispublicdeedswereparadedingreatandshiningprominence. Thoseperformanceswhichhadbeenwitnessedbyhisfellowsmarchednowinwidepurpleandgold,havingvariousdeflections.Theywentgaylywithmusic.Itwaspleasuretowatchthesethings. Hespentdelightfulminutesviewingthegildedimagesofmemory. Hesawthathewasgood.Herecalledwithathrillofjoytherespectfulcommentsofhisfellowsuponhisconduct. Nevertheless,theghostofhisflightfromthefirstengagementappearedtohimanddanced. Thereweresmallshoutingsinhisbrainaboutthesematters. Foramomentheblushed,andthelightofhissoulflickeredwithshame. Aspecterofreproachcametohim.Thereloomedthedoggingmemoryofthetatteredsoldier—hewho,goredbybulletsandfaintofblood,hadfrettedconcerninganimaginedwoundinanother;hewhohadloanedhislastofstrengthandintellectforthetallsoldier;hewho,blindwithwearinessandpain,hadbeendesertedinthefield. Foraninstantawretchedchillofsweatwasuponhimatthethoughtthathemightbedetectedinthething. Ashestoodpersistentlybeforehisvision,hegaveventtoacryofsharpirritationandagony. Hisfriendturned.“What’sthematter,Henry?”hedemanded.Theyouth’sreplywasanoutburstofcrimsonoaths. Ashemarchedalongthelittlebranch-hungroadwayamonghisprattlingcompanionsthisvisionofcrueltybroodedoverhim. Itclungnearhimalwaysanddarkenedhisviewofthesedeedsinpurpleandgold. Whicheverwayhisthoughtsturnedtheywerefollowedbythesomberphantomofthedesertioninthefields. Helookedstealthilyathiscompanions,feelingsurethattheymustdiscerninhisfaceevidencesofthispursuit. Buttheywereploddinginraggedarray,discussingwithquicktonguestheaccomplishmentsofthelatebattle. “Oh,ifamanshouldcomeupan’askme,I’dsaywegotadumgoodlickin’.” “Lickin’—inyereye!Weain’tlicked,sonny.We’regoin’downhereaways,swingaroun’,an’comeinbehint‘em.” “Oh,hush,withyourcomin’inbehint‘em.I’veseenall‘athatIwanta.Don’ttellmeaboutcomin’inbehint—” “BillSmithers,heseshe’dratherbeenintenhundredbattlesthanbeeninthatheluvahospital. Hesestheygotshootin’inth’nighttime,an’shellsdroppedplumamong‘eminth’hospital.Hesessechhollerin’heneversee.” “Hasbrouck?He’sth’bestoff’cerinthisherereg’ment.He’sawhale.” “Didn’tItellyehwe’dcomearoun’inbehint‘em?Didn’tItellyehso?We—” Foratimethispursuingrecollectionofthetatteredmantookallelationfromtheyouth’sveins. Hesawhisvividerror,andhewasafraidthatitwouldstandbeforehimallhislife. Hetooknoshareinthechatterofhiscomrades,nordidhelookatthemorknowthem,savewhenhefeltsuddensuspicionthattheywereseeinghisthoughtsandscrutinizingeachdetailofthescenewiththetatteredsoldier. Yetgraduallyhemusteredforcetoputthesinatadistance. Andatlasthiseyesseemedtoopentosomenewways. Hefoundthathecouldlookbackuponthebrassandbombastofhisearliergospelsandseethemtruly. Hewasgleefulwhenhediscoveredthathenowdespisedthem. Withthisconvictioncameastoreofassurance. Hefeltaquietmanhood,nonassertivebutofsturdyandstrongblood. Heknewthathewouldnomorequailbeforehisguideswherevertheyshouldpoint. Hehadbeentotouchthegreatdeath,andfoundthat,afterall,itwasbutthegreatdeath.Hewasaman. Soitcametopassthatashetrudgedfromtheplaceofbloodandwrathhissoulchanged. Hecamefromhotplowsharestoprospectsofclovertranquilly,anditwasasifhotplowshareswerenot.Scarsfadedasflowers. Itrained.Theprocessionofwearysoldiersbecameabedraggledtrain,despondentandmuttering,marchingwithchurningeffortinatroughofliquidbrownmudunderalow,wretchedsky. Yettheyouthsmiled,forhesawthattheworldwasaworldforhim,thoughmanydiscoveredittobemadeofoathsandwalkingsticks. Hehadridhimselfoftheredsicknessofbattle.Thesultrynightmarewasinthepast. Hehadbeenananimalblisteredandsweatingintheheatandpainofwar. Heturnednowwithalover’sthirsttoimagesoftranquilskies,freshmeadows,coolbrooks—anexistenceofsoftandeternalpeace. Overtheriveragoldenrayofsuncamethroughthehostsofleadenrainclouds. 
