with lee in virginia-第46章

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broad　stream　crossing　the　road。



Here　they　drew　aside　into　a　thick　grove；　and　determined　to　get　a

few　hours'　sleep　before　proceeding。　　It　was　nearly　midday　before

they　woke　and　proceeded　to　the　edge　of　the　trees。　　Vincent

reconnoitered　the　position。



〃It　is　just　as　well　we　did　not　try　to　cross；　Dan。　　I　see　the　tents　of　at

least　a　regiment　on　the　other　bank。　　No　doubt　they　are　stationed

there　to　guard　the　road　and　railway　bridge。　　This　part　of　the

country　is　pretty　equally　divided　in　opinion；　though　more　of　the

people　are　for　the　South　than　for　the　North；　but　I　know　there　are

guerrilla　parties　on　both　sides　moving　about；　and　if　a　Confederate

band　was　to　pounce　down　on　these　bridges　and　destroy　them　it

would　cut　the　communication　with　their　army　in　front；　and　put

them　in　a　very　ugly　position　if　they　were　defeated。　　No　doubt　that's

why　they　have　stationed　that　regiment　there。　　Anyhow；　it　makes　it

awkward　for　us。　We　should　be　sure　to　be　questioned　where　we　are

going；　and　as　I　know　nothing　whatever　of　the　geography　of　the

place　we　should　find　it　very　difficult　to　satisfy　them。　　We　must

cross　the　river　somewhere　else。　　There　are　sure　to　be　some　boats

somewhere　along　the　banks；　at　any　rate；　the　first　thing　to　do　is　to

move　further　away　from　the　road。〃



They　walked　for　two　or　three　miles　across　the　country。　The　fields

for　the　most　part　were　deserted；　and　although　here　and　there　they

saw　cultivated　patches；　it　was　evident　that　most　of　the　inhabitants

had　quitted　that　part　of　the　country；　which　had　been　the　scene　of

almost　continued　fighting　from　the　commencement　of　the　war；　the

sufferings　of　the　inhabitants　being　greatly　heightened　by　the　bands

of　marauders　who　moved　about　plundering　and　destroying　under

the　pretense　of　punishing　those　whom　they　considered　hostile　to

the　cause　in　whose　favor…nominally；　at　least…they　had　enrolled

themselves。　　The　sight　of　ruined　farms　and　burned　houses　roused

Vincent's　indignation；　for　in　Virginia　private　property　had；　up　to

the　time　of　Pope's　assuming　command　of　the　army；　been　respected；

and　this　phase　of　civil　war　was　new　and　very　painful　to　him。



〃It　would　he　a　good　thing；〃　he　said　to　Dan；　〃if　the　generals　on　both

sides　in　this　district　would　agree　to　a　month's　truce；　and　join　each

other　in　hunting　down　and　hanging　these　marauding　scoundrels。　

On　our　side　Mosby　and　a　few　other　leaders　of　hands　composed

almost　entirely　of　gentlemen；　have　never　been　accused　of　practices

of　this　kind；　but；　with　these　exceptions；　there　is　little　to　choose

between　them。〃



After　walking　for　four　or　five　miles　they　again　sat　down　till

evening；　and　then　going　down　to　the　river　endeavored　to　find　a

boat　by　which　they　could　cross；　but　to　their　disappointment　no

craft　of　any　kind　was　visible；　although　in　many　places　there　were

stages　by　the　riverside；　evidently　used　by　farmers　for　unloading

their　produce　into　boats。　Vincent　concluded　at　last　that　at　some

period　of　the　struggle　all　the　boats　must　have　been　collected　and

either　sunk　or　carried　away　by　one　of　the　parties　to　prevent　the

other　crossing　the　river。



Hitherto　they　had　carefully　avoided　all　the　farmhouses　that

appeared　to　be　inhabited；　but　Vincent　now　determined　to　approach

one　of　them　and　endeavor　to　gain　some　information　as　to　the

distance　from　the　next　bridge；　and　whether　it　was　guarded　by

troops；　and　to　find　out　if　possible　the　position　in　which　the

Northern　forces　in　Tennessee　were　at　present　posted…all　of　which

points　he　was　at　present　ignorant　of。　　He　passed　two　or　three　large

farmhouses　without　entering；　for　although　the　greater　part　of　the

male　population　were　away　with　one　or　other　of　the　armies；　he

might　still　find　two　or　three　hands　in　such　buildings。　Besides；　it

was　now　late；　and　whatever　the　politics　of　the　inmates　they　would

be　suspicious　of　such　late　arrivals；　and　would　probably　altogether

refuse　them　admittance。　　Accordingly　another　night　was　spent　in

the　wood。



The　next　morning；　after　walking　a　mile　or　two；　they　saw　a　house　at

which　Vincent　determined　to　try　their　fortune。　　It　was　small；　but

seemed　to　have　belonged　to　people　above　the　class　of　farmer。　　It

stood　in　a　little　plantation；　and　was　surrounded　by　a　veranda。　　Most

of　the　blinds　were　down；　and　Vincent　judged　that　the　inmates

could　not　be　numerous。



〃You　remain　here；　Dan；　and　I　will　go　and　knock　at　the　door。　　It　is

better　that　we　should　not　be　seen　together。〃　Vincent　accordingly

went　forward　and　knocked　at　the　door。　　An　old　negress　opened　it。



〃We　have　nothing　for　tramps；〃　she　said。　　〃De　house　am　pretty　well

cleared　out　oh　eberyting。〃　　She　was　about　to　shut　the　door　when

Vincent　put　his　foot　forward　and　prevented　it　closing。　　〃Massa

Charles；〃　the　negress　called　out；　〃bring　yo'　shot…gun　quick；　here　am

tief　want　to　break　into　the　house。〃



〃I　am　neither　a　thief　nor　a　tramp；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　I　do　not　want

anything；　except　that　I　should　be　glad　to　buy　a　loaf　of　bread　if　you

have　one　that　you　could　spare。　I　have　lost　my　way；　and　I　want　to

ask　directions。〃



〃Dat　am　pretty　likely　story；〃　the　old　woman　said。　〃Bring　up　dat

shot…gun　quick；　Massa　Charles。〃



〃What　is　it；　Chloe？〃　another　female　voice　asked。



〃Here　am　a　man　pretend　he　hab　lost　his　way　and　wants　to　buy　a

loaf。　　You　stand　back；　Miss　Lucy；　and　let　your　broder　shoot　de

villain　dead。〃



〃I　can　assure　you　that　I　am　not　a　robber；　madam；〃　Vincent　said

through　the　partly　opened　door。　　〃I　am　alone；　and　only　beg　some

information；　which　I　doubt　not　you　can　give　me。〃



〃Open　the　door；　Chloe；〃　the　second　voice　said　inside；　〃that　is　not

the　voice　of　a　robber。〃



The　old　woman　reluctantly　obeyed　the　order　and　opened　the　door；

and　Vincent　saw　in　the　passage　a　young　girl　of　some　sixteen　years

old。　　He　took　off　his　hat。



〃I　am　very　sorry　to　disturb　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　an　entire

stranger　here；　and　am　most　desirous　of　crossing　the　river；　but　can

find　no　boat　with　which　to　do　so。〃



〃Why　did　you　not　cross　by　the　bridge？〃　the　girl　asked。　〃How　did

you　miss　the　straight　road？〃



〃Frankly；　because　there　were　Northern　troops　there；〃　Vincent　said；

〃and　I　wish　to　avoid　them　if　possible。〃



〃You　are　a　Confederate？〃　the　girl　asked；　when　the　old　negress

interrupted　her：



〃Hush！　Miss　Lucy；　don't　you　talk　about　dem　tings；　der　plenty　of

mischief　done　already。　　What　hab　you　to　do　wid　one　side　or　do

oder？〃



The　girl　paid　no　attention　to　her　words；　but　stood　awaiting

Vincent's　answer。　　He　did　not　hesitate。　　There　was　something　in

her　face　that　told　him　that；　friend　or　foe；　she　was　not　likely　to

betray　a　fugitive；　and　he　answered：



〃I　am　a　Confederate　officer；　madam。　　I　have　made　my　escape　from

Elmira　prison；　and　am　trying　to　find　my　way　back　into　our　lines。〃



〃Come　in；　sir；〃　the　girl　said；　holding　out　her　hand。　〃We　are

Secessionists；　heart　and　soul。　　My　father　and　my　brother　are　with

our　troops…that　is；　if　they　are　both　alive。　I　have　little　to　offer　you；

for　the　Yankee　bands　have　been　here　several　times；　have　driven　off

our　cattle；　emptied　our　barns；　and　oven　robbed　our　hen…nests；　and

taken　everything　in　the　house　they　thought　worth　carrying　away。　

But　whatever　there　is；　sir；　you　are　heartily　welcome　to。　　I　had　a

paper　yesterday…it　is　not　often　I　get　one…and　I　saw　there　that　three

of　our　officers　had　escaped　from　Elmira。　Are　you　one　of　them？〃



〃Yes；　madam。　　I　am　Lieutenant　Wingfield。〃



〃Ah！　then　you　are　in　the　cavalry。　　You　have　fought　under　Stuart；〃

the　girl　said。　　〃The　paper　said　so。　　Oh；　how　I　wish　we　had　Stuart

and　Stonewall　Jackson　on　this　side！　we　should　soon　drive　the

Yankees　out　of　Tennessee。〃



〃They　would　try　to；　anyhow；〃　Vincent　said；　smiling；　〃and　if　it　were

possible　they　would　assuredly　do　it。　　I　was　in　Ashley's　horse　with

the　Stonewall　division　through　the　first　campaign　in　the

Shenandoah　Valley　and　up　to　Bull　Run；　and　after　that　under　Stuart。　

But　is　not　your　brother　here？　　Your　servant　called　to　him。〃