with lee in virginia-第60章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



and　they　both　stood　still。　　A　distant　shout　came　through　the　air；

followed　by　another　and　another。



〃I　'spect　dey　hab　found　out　we　have　gone；　sah。　　Dey　go　round　two

or　tree　times　in　do　night　to　sec　dat　de　sentries　are　awake。　　Now；

sab；　come　along。〃



They　were　on　the　road　now；　and　ran　at　full　speed　until　they

approached　Union。　　They　left　the　track　as　they　neared　the　village；

and　as　they　did　so　they　heard　the　sound　of　a　horse　at　full　gallop

behind　them。



〃That's　an　orderly　taking　the　news　of　our　escape。　Sheridan's

cavalry　are　scattered　all　over　the　country；　and　there　are　two

squadrons　at　Union　Grove。　　The　whole　country　will　be　alive　at

daybreak。〃



Making　their　way　through　the　fields　they　soon　struck　the　track

leading　to　Worley　Farm；　and　in　a　few　minutes　were　at　the　door。　

The　woman　opened　it　at　once。



〃I　have　been　watching　for　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　am　real　glad　you

have　got　safe　away。　　Wait　a　minute　and　I　will　strike　a　light。〃



〃You　had　better　not　do　that；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃They　have　got　the

alarm　at　Union　Grove　already；　and　if　any　one　caught　sight　of　a

light　appearing　in　your　window；　it　would　bring　them　down　here　at

once。〃



〃They　can't　see　the　house　from　Union；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Still；

perhaps　it　will　be　best。　　Now；　sir；　I　can't　do　anything　for　you；

because　my　men's　clothes　are　the　same　sor'　of　cut　as　yours；　but

here's　a　suit　for　this　man。〃



Thanking　her　warmly　Vincent　handed　the　things　to　Tony。



〃Make　haste　and　slip　them　on。　Tony；　and　make　your



352

WITH　LEE　IN　VIRGINIA。



other　things　up　into　a　bundle　and　bring　them　with　you　for　a　bit。　

We　must　leave　nothing　hero；　for　they　will　search　the　whole

country　to…morrow。　　We　will　take　the　horse　away　too；　not　that　we

want　it；　but　it　would　never　do　for　it　to　be　found　here。〃



〃Will　you　take　your　letter　again？〃　the　woman　asked。



〃No；　I　will　leave　it　with　you。　　It　will　be　no　use　now　if　I　get　through；

but　if　you　hear　to…morrow　or　next　day　that　I　am　caught；　please

carry　it　as　we　arranged。　　What　is　this？〃　he　asked　as　the　woman

handed　him　a　bundle。



〃Here　are　eight　or　ten　pounds　of　pork；〃　she　said；　〃and　some

corn…cakes。　　If　you　are　hiding　away　you　will　want　something；　and　I

reckon　anyhow　you　won't　be　able　to　make　your　way　to　our　people

for　a　bit。　　Now；　if　you　are　ready　I　will　start　with　you。〃



〃You　will　start　with　us！〃　Vincent　repeated　in　surprise。



〃Certainly　I　will　start　with　you；〃　the　woman　said。　〃How　do　you

think　you　would　be　able　to　find　your　way　a　dark　night　like　this？　

No；　sir；　I　will　put　you　on　your　way　till　morning。　　But；　in　the　first

place；　which　line　do　you　mean　to　take？〃



〃I　do　not　think　there　is　much　chance　of　getting　back　the　way　we

came；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃By　morning　Sheridan's　cavalry　will　have　got

a　description　of　me；　and　they　will　be　scouring　the　whole　country。　

The　only　chance　will　be　to　go　north　and　cross　the　river　somewhere

near　Norfolk。〃



〃I　think；　sat；　you　better　go　on　wid　your　horse　at　once。　No　use　wait

for　me。　　I　come　along　on　foot；　find　my　own　way。〃



〃No；　Tony；　I　shall　certainly　not　do　that。　　We　will　either　get　off　or

be　taken　together。　　Well；　I　think　the　best　plan　will　be　to　go　straight

down　to　the　river。　　How　far　is　it　away？〃



〃About　fifteen　miles；〃　the　woman　said。



If　we　got　there　we　can　get　hold　of　a　boat　somehow；　and　either

cross　and　then　make　straight　for　Richmond　on　feet；　or　go　up　the

river　in　the　boat　and　land　in　the　rear　of　our　lines。　　That　we　can

settle　about　afterward。　　The　first　thing　is　to　get　to　the　river　bank。　

We　are　not　likely　to　meet　with　any　interruption　in　that　direction。　

Of　course　the　cavalry　are　all　on　the　other　flank；　and　it　will　be

supposed　that　I　shall　try　either　to　work　round　that　way　or　to　make

straight　through　the　lines。　　They　would　hardly　suspect　that　I　shall

take　to　the　river；　which　is　covered　with　their　transports　and

store…ships。〃



〃I　think　that　is　the　best　plan；〃　the　woman　said。　　〃There　are　scarce

any　villages　between　this　and　the　river。　　It's　only　just　when　you

cross　the　road　between　Petersburg　and　Williamsburg　that　you

would　be　likely　to　moot　a　soul；　even　in　the　daytime。　　There　is

scarce　even　a　farmhouse　across　this　section。　　I　　know　the　country

pretty　well。　　Just　stop　a　minute　and　I　will　run　up　to　the　wood　and

fetch　down　the　horse。　　There's　a　big　wood　about　a　mile　away；　and

you　can　turn　him　in　there。〃



A　few　minutes　later　they　started；　Vincent　leading　the　horse　and

Tony　carrying　the　bundle　of　food　and　his　castoff　uniform。　　The

woman　led　them　by　farm　roads；　sometimes　turning　off　to　the　right

or　left；　but　keeping　her　way　with　a　certainty　which　showed　how

well　she　was　acquainted　with　the　country。　　Several　times　they

could　hear　the　dull　sound　of　bodies　of　cavalry　galloping　along　the

roads；　but　this　died　away　as　they　got　further　into　the　country。　　The

horse　had　been　turned　loose　a　mile　from　their　starting　place。

Vincent　removed　the　bridle　and　saddle；　saying：　〃He　will　pick　up

enough　to　feed　on　hero　for　some　time。　When　he　gets　tired　of　the

wood　he　can　work　his　way　out　into　a　clearing。〃



Here　Tony　hid　away　his　uniform　among　some　thick　bushes；　and

the　three　walked　steadily　along　until　the　first　tinge　of　daylight

appeared　on　the　sky。　　Then　the　woman　stopped。



〃The　river　is　not　more　than　half　a　mile　in　front　of　you；〃　she　said；

〃so　I　will　say　good…by。〃



〃What　will　you　do？〃　Vincent　asked。　　〃You　might　be　questioned　as

you　get　near　home。〃



〃I　am　going　to　put　up　at　the　last　house　we　passed；〃　she　said；　〃about

three　miles　back。　　I　know　the　people　there；　and　they　will　take　me

in。　　I　will　stop　there　for　a　day　or　two；　maybe；　then　walk　back；　so　I

shall　have　a　true　story　to　tell。　　That's　all　right。〃



Vincent　said　good…by　to　her；　with　many　hearty　thanks　for　the

services　she　had　rendered　him；　and　had　almost　to　force　her　to　take

notes　for　two　hundred　dollars　from　the　bundle　ho　had　sewn　up　in

the　lining　of　his　coat。



〃You　have　saved　my　life；〃　he　said；　〃and　some　day　I　hope　to　be　able

to　do　more　to　show　my　gratitude；　but　you　must　take　this　anyhow　to

tide　you　over　the　hard　times；　and　find　food　for　your　husband　and

sons　when　they　come　back　from　the　war。〃



As　soon　as　the　woman　had　turned　back　Vincent　and　Tony

continued　on　their　way。　　The　former　had；　as　soon　as　they　were

fairly　out　from　the　Federal　camp；　told　Tony　in　a　few　words　that　his

wife　was　safe　at　home　and　their　boy　flourishing；　and　he　now　gave

him　further　details　of　them。



〃And　how　came　you　to　enter　the　army；　Tony？〃



〃Well；　sab；　dere　wasn't　much　choice　about　it。　　Do　Northern　people；

dey　talk　mighty　high　about　der　love　for　de　negro；　but　I　don't　see

much　of　it　in　der　ways。　　Why；　sab；　dey　is　twice　as　scornful　oh　a

black　man　as　de　gentleman　is　in　de　Souf。　　I　list　in　de　army；　sah；

because　dey　say　dey　go　to　Richmond；　and　den　I　find　Dinah　and　de

boy。〃



〃Well；　Tony；　I　little　thought　when　I　did　you　a　service　that　it　would

be　the　means　of　you　being　able　to　save　my　life　some　day。〃



〃Not　much　in　dat；　sab。　　You　sabe　my　life；　because　dey　would；　for

suab；　hab　caught　me　and　killed　me。　　Den　you　save　my　wife　for　me；

den　you　pay　out　dat　Jackson；　and　now　you　hab　killed　him。　　I　could

hab　shouted　for　joy；　sah；　when　I　saw　you　hit　him　ober　de　head　wid

de　shovel；　and　I　saw　dat　dis　time　he　gib　no　more　trouble　to　no　one。　

I　should　hab　done　for　him　bery　soon；　sah。　　I　had　my　eye　upon　him；

and　the　fust　time　we　go　into　battle　he　get　a　ball　in　his　back。　　Lucky

he　didn't　see　me。　　He　not　officer　ob　my　company；　and　me　look

quite　different　in　do　uniform　to　what　me　was　when　I　work　on　de

plantation；　but　I　know　him；　and　wheneber　I　see　him　pass　I　hung

down　my　head　and　I　say　to　myself；　'My　time　come　soon；　Massa

Jackson；　my　time　come　bery　soon；　and　den　we　get　quits。'〃



〃It　is　wrong　to　nourish　revenge；　Tony；　but　I　really　can't　blame　you

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。