the red badge of courage(红色英勇勋章)-第7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！
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；
20
… Page 21…
The Red Badge of Courage
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
21
… Page 22…
The Red Badge of Courage
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；
22
… Page 23…
The Red Badge of Courage
mysterious； solemn。
Once the line encountered the body of a dead soldier。 He lay upon
his back staring at the sky。 He was dressed in an awkward suit of
yellowish brown。 The youth could see that the soles of his shoes had
been worn to the thinness of writing paper； and from a great rent in one the
dead foot projected piteously。 And it was as if fate had betrayed the
soldier。 In death it exposed to his enemies that poverty which in life he
had perhaps concealed from his friends。
The ranks opened covertly to avoid the corpse。 The invulnerable dead
man forced a way for him… self。 The youth looked keenly at the ashen
face。 The wind raised the tawny beard。 It moved as if a hand were
stroking it。 He vaguely desired to walk around and around the body and
stare； the impulse of the living to try to read in dead eyes the answer to the
Question。
During the march the ardor which the youth had acquired when out of
view of the field rapidly faded to not
