andersonville-第74章

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the　hillside；　not　a　soul　nor　an　animal　could　be　seen　in　motion　outside
the　Stockade。　　The　hounds　were　panting　in　their　kennel；　the　Rebel
officers；　half　or　wholly　drunken　with　villainous　sorgum　whisky；　were
stretched　at　full　length　in　the　shade　at　headquarters；　the　half…caked
gunners　crouched　under　the　shadow　of　the　embankments　of　the　forts；　the
guards　hung　limply　over　the　Stockade　in　front　of　their　little　perches；
the　thirty　thousand　boys　inside　the　Stockade；　prone　or　supine　upon　the
glowing　sand；　gasped　for　breathfor　one　draft　of　sweet；　cool；　wholesome
air　that　did　not　bear　on　its　wings　the　subtle　seeds　of　rank　corruption
and　death。　　Everywhere　was　the　prostration　of　discomfortthe　inertia　of
sluggishness。

Only　the　sick　moved；　only　the　pain…racked　cried　out；　only　the　dying
struggled；　only　the　agonies　of　dissolution　could　make　life　assert　itself
against　the　exhaustion　of　the　heat。

Harvey　and　I；　lying　in　the　scanty　shade　of　the　trunk　of　a　tall　pine；　and
with　hearts　filled　with　solicitude　as　to　the　outcome　of　what　the　evening
would　bring　us；　looked　out　over　the　scene　as　we　had　done　daily　for　long
months；　and　remained　silent　for　hours；　until　the　sun；　as　if　weary　with
torturing　and　slaying；　began　going　down　in　the　blazing　West。　　The　groans
of　the　thousands　of　sick　around　us；　the　shrieks　of　the　rotting　ones　in
the　gangrene　wards　rang　incessantly　in　our　ears。

As　the　sun　disappeared；　and　the　heat　abated；　the　suspended　activity　was
restored。　　The　Master　of　the　Hounds　came　out　with　his　yelping　pack；　and
started　on　his　rounds；　the　Rebel　officers　aroused　themselves　from　their
siesta　and　went　lazily　about　their　duties；　the　fifer　produced　his　cracked
fife　and　piped　forth　his　unvarying　〃Bonnie　Blue　Flag；〃　as　a　signal　for
dress　parade；　and　drums　beaten　by　unskilled　hands　in　the　camps　of　the
different　regiments；　repeated　the　signal。　　In　time　Stockade　the　mass　of
humanity　became　full　of　motion　as　an　ant　hill；　and　resembled　it　very　much
from　our　point　of　view；　with　the　boys　threading　their　way　among　the
burrows；　tents　and　holes。

It　was　becoming　dark　quite　rapidly。　　The　moments　seemed　galloping　onward
toward　the　time　when　we　must　make　the　decisive　step。　　We　drew　from　the
dirty　rag　in　which　it　was　wrapped　the　little　piece　of　corn　bread　that　we
had　saved　for　our　supper；　carefully　divided　it　into　two　equal　parts；
and　each　took　one　and　ate　it　in　silence。　　This　done；　we　held　a　final
consultation　as　to　our　plans；　and　went　over　each　detail　carefully；　that
we　might　fully　understand　each　other　under　all　possible　circumstances；
and　act　in　concert。　　One　point　we　laboriously　impressed　upon　each　other；
and　that　was；　that　under　no　circumstances　were　we　to　allow　ourselves　to
be　tempted　to　leave　the　Creek　until　we　reached　its　junction　with　the
Flint　River。　　I　then　picked　up　two　pine　leaves；　broke　them　off　to　unequal
lengths；　rolled　them　in　my　hands　behind　my　back　for　a　second；　and
presenting　them　to　Harney　with　their　ends　sticking　out　of　my　closed　hand；
said：

〃The　one　that　gets　the　longest　one　goes　first。〃

Harvey　reached　forth　and　drew　the　longer　one。

We　made　a　tour　of　reconnaissance。　　Everything　seemed　as　usual；　and
wonderfully　calm　compared　with　the　tumult　in　our　minds。　　The　Hospital
guards　were　pacing　their　beats　lazily；　those　on　the　Stockade　were
drawling　listlessly　the　first　〃call　around〃　of　the　evening：

〃Post　numbah　foah！　　Half…past　seven　o'clock！　　and　a…l…l's　we…l…ll！〃

Inside　the　Stockade　was　a　Babel　of　sounds；　above　all　of　which　rose　the
melody　of　religious　and　patriotic　songs；　sung　in　various　parts　of　the
camp。　　From　the　headquarters　came　the　shouts　and　laughter　of　the　Rebel
officers　having　a　little　〃frolic〃　in　the　cool　of　the　evening。　　The　groans
of　the　sick　around　us　were　gradually　hushing；　as　the　abatement　of　the
terrible　heat　let　all　but　the　worst　cases　sink　into　a　brief　slumber；
from　which　they　awoke　before　midnight　to　renew　their　outcries。　　But　those
in　the　Gangrene　wards　seemed　to　be　denied　even　this　scanty　blessing。
Apparently　they　never　slept；　for　their　shrieks　never　ceased。　　A　multitude
of　whip…poor…wills　in　the　woods　around　us　began　their　usual　dismal　cry；
which　had　never　seemed　so　unearthly　and　full　of　dreadful　presages　as　now。

It　was；　now　quite　dark；　and　we　stole　noiselessly　down　to　the　Creek　and
reconnoitered。　　We　listened。　　The　guard　was　not　pacing　his　beat；　as　we
could　not　hear　his　footsteps。　　A　large；　ill…shapen　lump　against　the　trunk
of　one　of　the　trees　on　the　bank　showed　that　he　was　leaning　there　resting
himself。　　We　watched　him　for　several　minutes；　but　he　did　not　move；　and
the　thought　shot　into　our　minds　that　he　might　be　asleep；　but　it　seemed
impossible：　it　was　too　early　in　the　evening。

Now；　if　ever；　was　the　opportunity。　　Harney　squeezed　my　hand；　stepped
noiselessly　into　the　Creek；　laid　himself　gently　down　into　the　filthy
water；　and　while　my　heart　was　beating　so　that　I　was　certain　it　could　be
heard　some　distance　from　me；　began　making　toward　the　fence。　　He　passed
under　easily；　and　I　raised　my　eyes　toward　the　guard；　while　on　my　strained
ear　fell　the　soft　plashing　made　by　Harvey　as　he　pulled　himself　cautiously
forward。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　sentinel　must　hear　this；　he　could　not　help
it；　and　every　second　I　expected　to　see　the　black　lump　address　itself　to
motion；　and　the　musket　flash　out　fiendishly。　　But　he　did　not；　the　lump
remained　motionless；　the　musket　silent。

When　I　thought　that　Harvey　had　gained　a　sufficient　distance　I　followed。
It　seemed　as　if　the　disgusting　water　would　smother　me　as　I　laid　myself
down　into　it；　and　such　was　my　agitation　that　it　appeared　almost
impossible　that　I　should　escape　making　such　a　noise　as　would　attract　the
guard's　notice。　　Catching　hold　of　the　roots　and　limbs　at　the　side　of　the
stream；　I　pulled　myself　slowly　along；　and　as　noiselessly　as　possible。

I　passed　under　the　fence　without　difficulty；　and　was　outside；　and　within
fifteen　feet　of　the　guard。　　I　had　lain　down　into　the　creek　upon　my　right
side；　that　my　face　might　be　toward　the　guard；　and　I　could　watch　him
closely　all　the　time。

As　I　came　under　the　fence　he　was　still　leaning　motionless　against　the
tree；　but　to　my　heated　imagination　he　appeared　to　have　turned　and　be
watching　me。　　I　hardly　breathed；　the　filthy　water　rippling　past　me　seemed
to　roar　to　attract　the　guard's　attention；　I　reached　my　hand　out
cautiously　to　grasp　a　root　to　pull　myself　along　by；　and　caught　instead　a
dry　branch；　which　broke　with　a　loud　crack。　　My　heart　absolutely　stood
still。　　The　guard　evidently　heard　the　noise。　　The　black　lump　separated
itself　from　the　tree；　and　a　straight　line　which　I　knew　to　be　his　musket
separated　itself　from　the　lump。　　In　a　brief　instant　I　lived　a　year　of
mortal　apprehension。　　So　certain　was　I　that　he　had　discovered　me；　and　was
leveling　his　piece　to　fire；　that　I　could　scarcely　restrain　myself　from
springing　up　and　dashing　away　to　avoid　the　shot。　　Then　I　heard　him　take　a
step；　and　to　my　unutterable　surprise　and　relief；　he　walked　off　farther
from　the　Creek；　evidently　to　speak　to　the　man　whose　beat　joined　his。

I　pulled　away　more　swiftly；　but　still　with　the　greatest　caution；　until
after　half…an…hour's　painful　effort　I　had　gotten　fully　one　hundred　and
fifty　yards　away　from　the　Hospital　fence；　and　found　Harney　crouched　on　a
cypress　knee；　close　to　the　water's　edge；　watching　for　me。

We　waited　there　a　few　minutes；　until　I　could　rest；　and　calm　my　perturbed
nerves　down　to　something　nearer　their　normal　equilibrium；　and　then
started　on。　　We　hoped　that　if　we　were　as　lucky　in　our　next　step　as　in　the
first　one　we　would　reach　the　Flint　River　by　daylight；　and　have　a　good
long　start　before　the　morning　roll…call　revealed　our　absence。　　We　could
hear　the　hounds　still　baying　in　the　distance；　but　this　sound　was　too
customary　to　give　us　any　uneasiness。

But　our　progress　was　terribly　slow。　　Every　step　hurt　fearfully。　　The
Creek　bed　was　full　of　roots　and　snags；　and　briers；　and　vines　trailed
across　it。　　These　caught　and　tore　our　bare　feet　and　legs；　rendered
abnormally　tender　by　the　scurvy。　　It　seemed　as　if　every　step　was　marked
with　blood。　　The　vines　tripped　us；　and　we　frequently　fell　headlong。　　We
struggled　on　determinedly　for　nearly　an　hour；　and　w