the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第29章
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fought swiftly and with a despairing savageness denoted in their
expressions。
The youth had resolved not to budge what… ever should happen。
Some arrows of scorn that had buried themselves in his heart had
generated strange and unspeakable hatred。 It was clear to him that his
final and absolute revenge was to be achieved by his dead body lying； torn
and gluttering； upon the field。 This was to be a poignant retaliation upon
the officer who had said 〃mule drivers；〃 and later 〃mud diggers；〃 for in all
the wild graspings of his mind for a unit responsible for his sufferings and
commo… tions he always seized upon the man who had dubbed him
wrongly。 And it was his idea； vaguely formulated； that his corpse would
be for those eyes a great and salt reproach。
The regiment bled extravagantly。 Grunting bundles of blue began to
drop。 The orderly sergeant of the youth's company was shot through the
cheeks。 Its supports being injured； his jaw hung afar down； disclosing in
the wide cavern of his mouth a pulsing mass of blood and teeth。 And with
it all he made attempts to cry out。 In his endeavor there was a dreadful
earnestness； as if he conceived that one great shriek would make him well。
The youth saw him presently go rearward。 His strength seemed in
nowise impaired。 He ran swiftly； casting wild glances for succor。
Others fell down about the feet of their com… panions。 Some of the
wounded crawled out and away； but many lay still； their bodies twisted
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into impossible shapes。
The youth looked once for his friend。 He saw a vehement young man；
powder…smeared and frowzled； whom he knew to be him。 The lieu…
tenant； also； was unscathed in his position at the rear。 He had continued
to curse； but it was now with the air of a man who was using his last box
of oaths。
For the fire of the regiment had begun to wane and drip。 The robust
voice； that had come strangely from the thin ranks； was growing rapidly
weak。
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CHAPTER XXIII。
THE colonel came running along back of the line。 There were other
officers following him。 〃We must charge'm！〃 they shouted。 〃We must
charge'm！〃 they cried with resentful voices； as if anticipating a rebellion
against this plan by the men。
The youth； upon hearing the shouts； began to study the distance
between him and the enemy。 He made vague calculations。 He saw that to
be firm soldiers they must go forward。 It would be death to stay in the
present place； and with all the circumstances to go backward would exalt
too many others。 Their hope was to push the galling foes away from the
fence。
He expected that his companions； weary and stiffened； would have to
be driven to this assault； but as he turned toward them he perceived with a
certain surprise that they were giving quick and unqualified expressions of
assent。 There was an ominous； clanging overture to the charge
217 when the shafts of the bayonets rattled upon the rifle barrels。 At
the yelled words of command the soldiers sprang forward in eager leaps。
There was new and unexpected force in the movement of the regiment。
A knowledge of its faded and jaded condition made the charge ap… pear
like a paroxysm； a display of the strength that comes before a final
feebleness。 The men scampered in insane fever of haste； racing as if to
achieve a sudden success before an exhilarating fluid should leave them。
It was a blind and de… spairing rush by the collection of men in dusty and
tattered blue； over a green sward and under a sapphire sky； toward a fence；
dimly outlined in smoke； from behind which spluttered the fierce rifles of
enemies。
The youth kept the bright colors to the front。 He was waving his free
arm in furious circles； the while shrieking mad calls and appeals； urging
on those that did not need to be urged； for it seemed that the mob of blue
men hurling them… selves on the dangerous group of rifles were again
grown suddenly wild with an enthusiasm of unselfishness。 From the
many firings starting toward them； it looked as if they would merely
succeed in making a great sprinkling of corpses on the grass between their
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former position and the fence。 But they were in a state of frenzy； perhaps
because of forgotten vanities； and it made an exhibition of sublime
recklessness。 There was no obvious questioning； nor figurings； nor dia…
grams。 There was； apparently； no considered loopholes。 It appeared
that the swift wings of their desires would have shattered against the iron
gates of the impossible。
He himself felt the daring spirit of a savage religion mad。 He was
capable of profound sacri… fices； a tremendous death。 He had no time for
dissections； but he knew that he thought of the bullets only as things that
could prevent him from reaching the place of his endeavor。 There were
subtle flashings of joy within him that thus should be his mind。
He strained all his strength。 His eyesight was shaken and dazzled by
the tension of thought and muscle。 He did not see anything excepting the
mist of smoke gashed by the little knives of fire； but he knew that in it lay
the aged fence of a vanished farmer protecting the snuggled bodies of the
gray men。
As he ran a thought of the shock of contact gleamed in his mind。 He
expected a great con… cussion when the two bodies of troops crashed
together。 This became a part of his wild battle madness。 He could feel
the onward swing of the regiment about him and he conceived of a thun…
derous； crushing blow that would prostrate the resistance and spread
consternation and amaze… ment for miles。 The flying regiment was going
to have a catapultian effect。 This dream made him run faster among his
comrades； who were giving vent to hoarse and frantic cheers。
But presently he could see that many of the men in gray did not intend
to abide the blow。 The smoke； rolling； disclosed men who ran； their faces
still turned。 These grew to a crowd； who retired stubbornly。 Individuals
wheeled fre… quently to send a bullet at the blue wave。
But at one part of the line there was a grim and obdurate group that
made no movement。 They were settled firmly down behind posts and rails。
A flag； ruffled and fierce； waved over them and their rifles dinned fiercely。
The blue whirl of men got very near； until it seemed that in truth there
would be a close and frightful scuffle。 There was an expressed disdain in
the opposition of the little group； that changed the meaning of the cheers
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of the men in blue。 They became yells of wrath； directed； personal。
The cries of the two parties were now in sound an interchange of scathing
insults。
They in blue showed their teeth； their eyes shone all white。 They
launched themselves as at the throats of those who stood resisting。 The
space between dwindled to an insignificant dis… tance。
The youth had centered the gaze of his soul upon that other flag。 Its
possession would be high pride。 It would express bloody minglings； near
blows。 He had a gigantic hatred for those who made great difficulties
and complications。 They caused it to be as a craved treasure of my…
thology； hung amid tasks and contrivances of danger。
He plunged like a mad horse at it。 He was resolved it should not
escape if wild blows and darings of blows could seize it。 His own em…
blem； quivering and aflare； was winging toward the other。 It seemed
there would shortly be an encounter of strange beaks and claws； as of
eagles。
The swirling body of blue men came to a sudden halt at close and
disastrous range and roared a swift volley。 The group in gray was split
and broken by this fire； but its riddled body still fought。 The men in blue
yelled again and rushed in upon it。
The youth； in his leapings； saw； as through a mist； a picture of four or
five men stretched upon the ground or writhing upon their knees with
bowed heads as if they had been stricken by bolts from the sky。 Tottering
among them was the rival color bearer； whom the youth saw had been
bitten vitally by the bullets of the last formidable volley。 He perceived
this man fighting a last struggle； the struggle of one whose legs are
grasped by demons。 It was a ghastly battle。 Over his face was the bleach
of death； but set upon it was the dark and hard lines of desperate purpose。
With this terrible grin of resolution he hugged his precious flag to him and
was stum… bling and staggering in his design to go the way that led to
safety for it。
But his wounds always made it seem that his feet were retarded； held；
and he fought a grim fight； as with invisible ghouls fastened greedily upon
his limbs。 Those in advance of the scam… pering blue men； howling
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cheers； leaped at the fence。 The despair of the lost was in his eyes as he
glanced back at them。
The youth's friend went over the obs
