the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第5章
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〃Oh； I don't know；〃 he remarked with dignity； 〃I don't know。 I s'pose I'll
do as well as the rest。 I'm going to try like thunder。〃 He evidently
complimented himself upon the modesty of this statement。
〃How do you know you won't run when the time comes？〃 asked the
youth。
〃Run？〃 said the loud one； 〃run？of course not！〃 He laughed。
〃Well；〃 continued the youth； 〃lots of good… a…'nough men have thought
they was going to do great things before the fight； but when the time come
they skedaddled。〃
〃Oh； that's all true； I s'pose；〃 replied the other； 〃but I'm not going to
skedaddle。 The man that bets on my running will lose his money； that's
all。〃 He nodded confidently。
〃Oh； shucks！〃 said the youth。 〃You ain't the bravest man in the world；
are you？〃
〃No； I ain't；〃 exclaimed the loud soldier in… dignantly； 〃and I didn't say
I was the bravest man in the world； neither。 I said I was going to do my
share of fightingthat's what I said。 And I am； too。 Who are you；
anyhow。 You talk as if you thought you was Napoleon Bonaparte。〃 He
glared at the youth for a moment； and then strode away。
The youth called in a savage voice after his comrade： 〃Well； you
needn't git mad about it！〃 But the other continued on his way and made no
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reply。
He felt alone in space when his injured com… rade had disappeared。
His failure to discover any mite of resemblance in their view points made
him more miserable than before。 No one seemed to be wrestling with
such a terrific per… sonal problem。 He was a mental outcast。
He went slowly to his tent and stretched him… self on a blanket by the
side of the snoring tall soldier。 In the darkness he saw visions of a thou…
sand…tongued fear that would babble at his back and cause him to flee；
while others were going coolly about their country's business。 He admit…
ted that he would not be able to cope with this monster。 He felt that
every nerve in his body would be an ear to hear the voices； while other
men would remain stolid and deaf。
And as he sweated with the pain of these thoughts； he could hear low；
serene sentences。 〃I'll bid five。〃 〃Make it six。〃 〃Seven。〃 〃Seven goes。〃
He stared at the red； shivering reflection of a fire on the white wall of
his tent until； ex… hausted and ill from the monotony of his suf… fering； he
fell asleep。
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CHAPTER III。
WHEN another night came the columns； changed to purple streaks；
filed across two pon… toon bridges。 A glaring fire wine…tinted the waters
of the river。 Its rays； shining upon the moving masses of troops； brought
forth here and there sudden gleams of silver or gold。 Upon the other
shore a dark and mysterious range of hills was curved against the sky。
The insect voices of the night sang solemnly。
After this crossing the youth assured himself that at any moment they
might be suddenly and fearfully assaulted from the caves of the lowering
woods。 He kept his eyes watchfully upon the darkness。
But his regiment went unmolested to a camp… ing place； and its
soldiers slept the brave sleep of wearied men。 In the morning they were
routed out with early energy； and hustled along a narrow road that led deep
into the forest。
It was during this rapid march that the regi…
32 ment lost many of the marks of a new com… mand。
The men had begun to count the miles upon their fingers； and they
grew tired。 〃Sore feet an' damned short rations； that's all；〃 said the loud
soldier。 There was perspiration and grum… blings。 After a time they
began to shed their knapsacks。 Some tossed them unconcernedly down；
others hid them carefully； asserting their plans to return for them at some
convenient time。 Men extricated themselves from thick shirts。
Presently few carried anything but their necessary clothing； blankets；
haversacks； canteens； and arms and ammunition。 〃You can now eat and
shoot；〃 said the tall soldier to the youth。 〃That's all you want to do。〃
There was sudden change from the ponderous infantry of theory to the
light and speedy infantry of practice。 The regiment； relieved of a burden；
received a new impetus。 But there was much loss of valuable knapsacks；
and； on the whole； very good shirts。
But the regiment was not yet veteranlike in appearance。 Veteran
regiments in the army were likely to be very small aggregations of men。
Once； when the command had first come to the field； some perambulating
veterans； noting the length of their column； had accosted them thus： 〃Hey；
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fellers； what brigade is that？〃 And when the men had replied that they
formed a regiment and not a brigade； the older soldiers had laughed； and
said； 〃O Gawd！〃
Also； there was too great a similarity in the hats。 The hats of a
regiment should properly represent the history of headgear for a period of
years。 And； moreover； there were no letters of faded gold speaking from
the colors。 They were new and beautiful； and the color bearer habitu…
ally oiled the pole。
Presently the army again sat down to think。 The odor of the peaceful
pines was in the men's nostrils。 The sound of monotonous axe blows
rang through the forest； and the insects； nodding upon their perches；
crooned like old women。 The youth returned to his theory of a blue dem…
onstration。
One gray dawn； however； he was kicked in the leg by the tall soldier；
and then； before he was entirely awake； he found himself running down a
wood road in the midst of men who were panting from the first effects of
speed。 His can… teen banged rhythmically upon his thigh； and his
haversack bobbed softly。 His musket bounced a trifle from his shoulder
at each stride and made his cap feel uncertain upon his head。
He could hear the men whisper jerky sen… tences： 〃Saywhat's all this…
…about？〃 〃What th' thunderweskedaddlin' this way fer？〃 〃Billiekeep
off m' feet。 Yeh runlike a cow。〃 And the loud soldier's shrill voice could
be heard： 〃What th' devil they in sich a hurry for？〃
The youth thought the damp fog of early morning moved from the
rush of a great body of troops。 From the distance came a sudden spatter
of firing。
He was bewildered。 As he ran with his com… rades he strenuously
tried to think； but all he knew was that if he fell down those coming
behind would tread upon him。 All his faculties seemed to be needed to
guide him over and past obstruc… tions。 He felt carried along by a mob。
The sun spread disclosing rays； and； one by one； regiments burst into
view like armed men just born of the earth。 The youth perceived that the
time had come。 He was about to be measured。 For a moment he felt in
the face of his great trial like a babe； and the flesh over his heart seemed
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very thin。 He seized time to look about him calculatingly。
But he instantly saw that it would be impossi… ble for him to escape
from the regiment。 It in… closed him。 And there were iron laws of tradi…
tion and law on four sides。 He was in a moving box。
As he perceived this fact it occurred to him that he had never wished
to come to the war。 He had not enlisted of his free will。 He had been
dragged by the merciless government。 And now they were taking him
out to be slaughtered。
The regiment slid down a bank and wallowed across a little stream。
The mournful current moved slowly on； and from the water； shaded black；
some white bubble eyes looked at the men。
As they climbed the hill on the farther side artillery began to boom。
Here the youth forgot many things as he felt a sudden impulse of curi…
osity。 He scrambled up the bank with a speed that could not be exceeded
by a bloodthirsty man。
He expected a battle scene。
There were some little fields girted and squeezed by a forest。 Spread
over the grass and in among the tree trunks； he could see knots and waving
lines of skirmishers who were running hither and thither and firing at the
landscape。 A dark battle line lay upon a sunstruck clearing that gleamed
orange color。 A flag fluttered。
Other regiments floundered up the bank。 The brigade was formed in
line of battle； and after a pause started slowly through the woods in the
rear of the receding skirmishers； who were con… tinually melting into the
scene to appear again farther on。 They were always busy as bees； deeply
absorbed in their little combats。
The youth tried to observe everything。 He did not use care to avoid
trees and branches； and his forgotten feet were constantly knocking against
stones or getting entangled in briers。 He was aware that these battalions
with their commotions were woven red and startling into the gentle fabric
of softened greens and browns。 It looked to be a wrong place for a battle
field。
The skirmishers in advance fascinated him。 Their shots into thickets
and at distant and prominent trees spoke to him of tragedieshid… den；
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mysterious； solemn。
Once the line encountered the body of a dead soldier。 He lay upon
his back staring at the sky。 He was d
