with lee in virginia-第33章

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wouldn't　stand　the　shooting　of　a　minister；　still；　outside　the　town　I

would　not　answer　for　your　life　for　an　hour。〃



〃I　have　my　duties　to　perform；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　I　shall　certainly

carry　them　through；　but　I　am　obliged　to　you　for　your　advice　　I　can

quite　understand　that　ruffian；〃　and　he　looked　at　Mullens；　who；　with

his　handkerchief　to　his　mouth；　was　sitting　alone　in　a　corner…for　the

rest　had　all　drawn　away　from　him　in　disgust…and　glaring　ferocious

sly　at　him；　〃will　revenge　himself　if　he　has　the　opportunity。　

However　as　far　as　possible　I　shall　be　on　my　guard。〃



〃At　any　rate；〃　the　man　said；　〃I　should　advise　you　when　you　get　to

Nashville　to　charge　him　with　assault。　　We　can　all　testify　that　he

laid　hands　on　you　first。　　That　way　he　will　get　locked　up　for　some

days　anyhow；　and　you　can　go　away　about　your　business；　and　he

won't　know　where　to　find　you　when　he　gets　out。〃



〃Thank　you…that　would　be　a　very　good　plan；　but　I　might　lose　a　day

or　two　in　having　to　appear　against　him；　I　am　pressed　for　time　and

have　some　important　business　on　hand　and　I　have　no　doubt　I　shall

be　able　to　throw　him　off　my　track；　finish　my　business；　and　be　off

again　before　he　can　come　across　me。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　no　harm　will　come　of　it；〃　the　other　said。　〃I　like　you；

and　I　never　saw　any　one　hit　so　quickly　and　so　hard。　　It's　a

downright　pity　you　are　a　preacher。　　My　name's　John　Morrison；　and

my　farm　is　ten　miles　from　Nashville；　on　the　Cumberland　River。　　If

you　should　be　going　in　that　direction　I　should　be　right　glad　if　you

would　drop　in　on　me。〃



The　real　reason　that　decided　Vincent　against　following　the　advice

to　give　his　assailant　in　charge　was　that　he　feared　he　himself　might

be　questioned　as　to　the　object　of　his　journey　and　his　destination。　

The　fellow　would　not　improbably　say　that　he　believed　he　was　the

Confederate　officer　who　was　trying　to　escape　in　the　disguise　of　a

clergyman　and　that　he　had　therefore　tried　to　arrest　him。　　He　could

of　course　give　no　grounds　for　the　accusation；　still　questions　might

be　asked　which　would　be　impossible　for　him　to　answer；　and；

however　plausible　a　story　he　might　invent；　the　lawyer　whom　the

fellow　would　doubtless　employ　to　defend　him　might　suggest　that

the　truth　of　his　statements　might　be　easily　tested　by　the　despatch　of

a　telegram；　in　which　ease　he　would　be　placed　in　a　most　awkward

situation。　　It　was　better　to　run　the　risk　of　trouble　with　the　fellow

and　his　gang　than　to　do　anything　which　might　lead　to　inquiries　as

to　his　identity。



When　the　train　reached　Nashville；　Vincent　proceeded　to　an　hotel。　

It　was　already　late　in　the　afternoon；　for　the　journey　had　occupied

more　than　thirty　hours。　　As　soon　as　it　was　dark　be　went　out　again

and　joined　Dan；　whom　he　had　ordered　to　follow　him　at　a　distance

and　to　be　at　the　corner　of　the　first　turning　to　the　right　of　the　hotel

as　soon　as　it　became　dark。　　Dan　was　at　the　point　agreed　upon；　and

he　followed　Vincent　until　the　latter　stopped　in　a　quiet　and　badly

lighted　street。



〃Things　are　going　badly；　Dan。　　I　had　a　row　with　a　ruffian　in　the

train；　and　he　has　got　friends　here；　and　this　will　add　greatly　to　our

danger　in　getting　to　our　lines。　　I　must　get　another　disguise。　　What

money　have　you　left？〃



〃Not　a　cent；　sah。　　I　had　only　a　five…cent　piece　left　when　we　left　St。

Louis；　and　I　spent　him　on　bread　on　do　journey。〃



〃That　is　bad；　Dan。　　I　did　not　think　your　stock　was　so　nearly

expended。〃



〃I　had　to　keep　myself；　sah；　and　to　pay　for　do　railroad；　and　to　buy

dem　tree　suits　of　clothes；　and　to　make　de　nigger　I　lodged　with　a

present　to　keep　him　mouth　shut。〃



〃Oh；　I　know　you　have　had　lots　of　expenses；　Dan；　and　I　am　sure　that

you　have　not　wasted　your　money；　but　I　had　not　thought　about　it。　　I

have　only　got　ten　dollars　left；　and　we　may　have　a　hundred　and　fifty

miles　to　travel　before　we　are　safe。　　Anyhow；　you　must　get　another

disguise；　and　trust　to　luck　for　the　rest。　　We　have　tramped　a　hundred

and　fifty　miles　before　now　without　having　anything　beyond　what

we　could　pick　up　on　the　road。　　Here's　the　money。　Get　a　rough　suit

of　workingman's　clothes；　and　join　me　here　again　in　an　hour's　time。　

Let　us　find　out　the　name　of　the　street　before　we　separate；　for　we

may　miss　our　way　and　not　be　able　to　meet　again。〃



Passing　up　into　the　busy　streets；　Vincent　presently　stopped　and

purchased　a　paper　of　a　newsboy　who　was　running　along　shouting；

〃News　from　the　war。　　Defeat　of　the　rebels。　　Fight　in　a　railway　car

near　Nashville；　a　minister　punishes　a　border　ruffian。〃



〃Confound　those　newspaper　fellows！〃　Vincent　muttered　to　himself

as　he　walked　away。　　〃They　pick　up　every　scrap　of　news。　　I　suppose

a　reporter　got　hold　of　some　one　who　was　in　the　car。〃　　Turning

down　a　quiet　street；　he　opened　the　paper　and　by　the　light　of　the

lamp　read　a　graphic　and　minute　account　of　the　struggle　in　the

train。



〃I　won't　go　back　to　the　hotel；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃I　shall　be

having　reporters　to　interview　me。　　I　shall　be　expected　to　give　them

a　history　of　my　whole　life；　where　I　was　born；　and　where　I　went　to

school；　and　whether　I　prefer　beef　to　mutton；　and　whether　I　drink

beer；　and　a　thousand　other　things。　　No；　the　sooner　I　am　away　the

better。　　As　to　the　hotel；　I　have　only　had　one　meal；　and　they　have

got　the　bag　with　what　clothes　there　are；　that　will　pay　them　well。〃　

Accordingly　when　he　rejoined　Dan　he　told　him　that　they　would

start　at　once。



〃It　is　the　best　way；　anyhow；〃　he　said。　〃To…morrow；　no　doubt；　the

fellow　I　had　the　row　with　will　be　watching　the　hotel　to　see　which

way　I　go　off；　but　after　once　seeing　me　go　to　the　hotel　he　will　not

guess　that　I　shall　be　starting　this　evening。　　What　have　you　got　left；

Dan？〃



〃I　got　two　dollars；　sah。〃



〃That　makes　us　quite　rich　men。　　We　will　stop　at　the　first　shop　we

come　to　and　lay　in　a　stock　of　bread　and　a　pound　or　two　of　ham。〃



〃And　a　bottle　of　rum；　sah。　Berry　wet　and　cold　sleeping　out　of　doors

now；　sah。　　Want　a　little　comfort　anyhow。〃



〃Very　well；　Dan；　I　think　we　can　afford　that。〃



〃Get　one　for　half　a　dollar；　massa。　　Could　not　lay　out　half　a　dollar

better。〃



Half　an　hour　later　they　had　left　Nashville　behind　them；　and　were

tramping　along　the　road　toward　the　east；　Dari　carrying　a　bundle　in

which　the　provisions　were　wrapped；　and　the　neck　of　the　bottle　of

rum　sticking　out　of　his　pocket。　　As　soon　as　they　were　well　in　the

country　Vincent　changed　his　clothes　for　those　Dan　had　just　bought

him；　and　making　the　others　up　into　a　bundle　continued　his　way。



〃Why　you　not　leave　dem　black　clothes　behind；　sah？　What　good

take　dem　wid　you？〃



〃I　am　not　going　to　carry　them　far；　Dan。　　The　first　wood　or　thick

clump　of　bushes　we　come　to　I　shall　hide　them　away；　but　if　you

were　to　leave　them　here　they　would　be　found　the　first　thing　in　the

morning；　and　perhaps　be　carried　into　the　town　and　handed　over　to

the　police；　and　they　might　put　that　and　the　fact　of　my　not　having

returned　to　the　hotel…which　is　sure　to　be　talked　about…together；　and

come　to　the　conclusion　that　either　Mullens　was　right　and　that　I　was

an　escaped　Confederate；　or　that　I　had　been　murdered　by　Mullens。　

In　either　case　they　might　get　up　a　search；　and　perhaps　send

telegrams　to　the　troops　in　the　towns　beyond　us。　　Anyhow；　it's　best

the　clothes　should　not　be　found。〃



All　night　they　tramped　along；　pausing　only　for　half　an　hour　about

midnight；　when　Dan　suggested　that　as　he　had　only　had　some　bread

to　eat…and　not　too　much　of　that…during　the　last　forty…eight　hours；　he

thought　that　he　could　do　with　some　supper。　　Accordingly　the

bundle　was　opened；　and　they　sat　down　and　partook　of　a　hearty

meal。　　Dan　had　wisely　taken　the　precaution　of　having　the　cork

drawn　from　the　bottle　when　he　bought　it；　replacing　it　so　that　it

could　be　easily　extracted　when　required；　and　Vincent

acknowledged　that　the　spirit　was　a　not　unwelcome　addition　to　the

meal。　　When　morning　broke　they　had　reached　Duck's　River；　a

broad　stream　crossing　the　road。



Here　they　drew　aside　into　a　thick　grove；　and　determined　to　get　a

few　hours'　sleep　before　proceeding。　　It　was　nearly　midday　before

they　woke　and　proceeded　to　the　edge　of　the　trees。　　Vincent

reconnoitered　the　position。



〃It　is　just　as　well　we　did　not　try　to　cross；　Dan。　　I　see　the　tents　of　at

least　a　regiment　on　the　other　bank。　　No　doubt　they　are　stationed

there　to　guard　the　road　and　railway　bridge。　　This　part　of　the

country　is　pretty　equally　divided　in　opinion；　though　more　of　the

people　are　for　the　South　than　for　the　North；　but　I　know　there　are

guerrilla　parties　on　both　sides　moving　about；　and　if　a　Confederate

band　was　to　pounce　down　on　these　bridges　and　destroy　them　it

would　cut　the　communication　with　their　army　in　front；　and　put

them　in　a　very　ugly　position　if　they　were　defeated。　　No　doubt　that's

why　they　have　stationed　that　regiment　there。　　Anyhow；　it　makes　it

awkward　for　us。　We　should　be　sure　to　be　questioned　where　we　are

going；　and　as　I　know　nothing　whatever　of　the　geography　of　the

place　we　should　find　it　very　difficult　to　satisfy　them。　　We　must

cross　the　river　somewhere　else。　　There　are　sure　to　be　some　boats

somewhere　along　the　banks；　at　any　rate；　the　first　thing　to　do　is　to

move　further　away　from　the　road。〃



They　walked　for　two　or　three　miles　across　the　country。　The　fields

for　the　most　part　were　deserted；　and　although　here　and　there　they

saw　cultivated　patches；　it　was　evident　that　most　of　the　inhabitants

had　quitted　that　part　of　the　country；　which　had　been　the　scene　of

almost　continued　fighting　from　the　commencement　of　the　war；　the

sufferings　of　the　inhabitants　being　greatly　heightened　by　the　bands

of　marauders　who　moved　about　plundering　and　destroying　under

the　pretense　of　punishing　those　whom　they　considered　hostile　to

the　cause　in　whose　favor…nominally；　at　least…they　had　enrolled

themselves。　　The　sight　of　ruined　farms　and　burned　houses　roused

Vincent's　indignation；　for　in　Virginia　private　property　had；　up　to

the　time　of　Pope's　assuming　command　of　the　army；　been　respected；

and　this　phase　of　civil　war　was　new　and　very　painful　to　him。



〃It　would　he　a　good　thing；〃　he　said　to　Dan；　〃if　the　generals　on　both

sides　in　this　district　would　agree　to　a　month's　truce；　and　join　each

other　in　hunting　down　and　hanging　these　marauding　scoundrels。　

On　our　side　Mosby　and　a　few　other　leaders　of　hands　composed

almost　entirely　of　gentlemen；　have　never　been　accused　of　practices

of　this　kind；　but；　with　these　exceptions；　there　is　little　to　choose

between　them。〃



After　walking　for　four　or　five　miles　they　again　sat　down　till

evening；　and　then　going　down　to　the　river　endeavored　to　find　a

boat　by　which　they　could　cross；　but　to　their　disappointment　no

craft　of　any　kind　was　visible；　although　in　many　places　there　were

stages　by　the　riverside；　evidently　used　by　farmers　for　unloading

their　produce　into　boats。　Vincent　concluded　at　last　that　at　some

period　of　the　struggle　all　the　boats　must　have　been　collected　and

either　sunk　or