remember the alamo-第38章

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meal。　　He　sat　patiently　waiting　his　sombre　eyes　fixed　upon　the
mental　visions　which　circled　in　the　enchanted　incense　of　his
cigarette。

Presently　Thomas　Worth　turned　toward　the　hearth；　pushed　the
cedar　logs　on　it　to　a　focus；　and　at　their　leaping
blaze　lighted　the　pipe　which　he　took　from　his　pocket。　
〃Lopez；〃　he　said；　〃it　strikes　me　that　I　am　just　in　time　to
prevent　some　infamous　plan　of　Fray　Ignatius　and　my　uncle
Gonzaga。〃

〃I　should　not　have　lost　sight　of　the　Senora　and　your　sisters。　
I　have　watched　them　faithfully；　though　for　many　good　reasons
it　has　been　best　to　appear　indifferent。　　Will　you　now　remain
in　San　Antonio？〃

〃I　have　come　with　orders　to　Travis　to　blow　up　the　Alamo；　and
fall　back　upon　Houston；　who　is　at　Gonzales。　　But　I　do　not
think　the　men　will　permit　him　to　do　so。〃

〃You　have　too　many　leaders。　　Also；　they　undervalue　the　Mexican
soldiers。　　I　assure　you　they　do。　　They　fought　Spain　for　ten
years；　they　do　not　want；　then；　the　persistence　of　true　valor。　
The　Americans　may　die　in　the　Alamo；　but　they　cannot　hold　it
against　the　thousands　Santa　Anna　will　bring　with　him。〃

〃They　will　die；　then。　　They　have　no　thought　of　retreat；　nor　of
any　deed　that　argues　fear。　　Every　man　relies　on　himself；　as　if
in　his　hand　the　moment　of　victory　lay。〃

〃Every　man　will　perish。〃

〃They　will　not　perish　in　vain。　　Defeat　is　only　a　spur　to　the
American　soldier。　　Every；　one　makes　him　a　better　fighter。　　If
Santa　Anna　massacres　the　men　in　the　Alamo；　he　seals　the
freedom　of　Texas。〃

〃Houston　should　have　come　himself。〃

〃Houston　is　biding　his　time。　　He　is　doing　at　present　the
hardest　duty　a　great　man　can　do：　setting　an　example　of
obedience　to　a　divided　and　incompetent　government。　　Lopez；　you
said　rightly　that　we　had　too　many　leaders。　　When　those
appointed　for　sacrifice　have　been　offered　upwhen　we　are　in
the　extremity　of　danger　and　ruin；　then　Houston　will　hear　the
word　he　is　waiting　for。〃

〃And　he　will　lead　you　on　to　victory。　　Indeed；　I　know　it。　　I
have　seen　him。　　He　has　the　linethe　fortunate　line　on　the
forehead。　　He　is　the　loadstone　in　the　breast　of　your　cause；
the　magnet　who　can　draw　good　fortune　to　it。　　If　fate　be
against　you；　he　will　force　fate　to　change　her　mind。　　If　fate
weave　you　a　common　thread；　he　will　change　it　into　purple。　
Victory；　which　she　gives　to　others　reluctantly；　he　will　take
like　a　master　from　her　hand　HOUSTON！　　What　essence！　　What
existence！　　What　honor！　　What　hope　there　is　in　those
seven　letters。　　Consider　this：　　He　will　find　a　way　or　make　a
way　for　freedom。〃

Subsequent　events　proved　the　opinion　of　Thomas　Worth　correct
with　regard　to　the　garrison　in　the　Alamo。　　David　Crockett！　
James　Bowie！　　Barret　Travis！　　The　names　were　a　host　in
themselves；　one　　　and　all　refused　to　couple　them　with　retreat。

〃Military　defeats　may　be　moral　victories；　young　man；〃　said
Crockett　to　Thomas　Worth；　〃and　moral　victories　make　national
greatness。　　The　Roman　that　filled　the　gulf　with　his　own　body
the　men　who　died　at　Thermopylaethey　live　to…day；　and　they
have　been　talking　with　us。〃

〃But　if　you　join　Houston　you　will　save　many　lives。〃

〃That　isn't　always　the　point；　sir。　　Jim　Bowie　was　saying　there
was　once　a　lover　who　used　to　swim　two　miles　every　night　to　see
a　young　woman　called　Hero。　　Now；　he　might　have　waited　for　a
boat　and　gone　dry…shod　to　his　sweetheart；　but　if　he　had；　who
would　have　cared　whether　he　lived　or　died？　　The　Alamo　is
our　Hero。　　If　we　can't　keep　her；　we　can　die　for　her。〃

The　same　spirit　moved　every　soul　at　Goliad。　　Fanning　was　there
with　nearly　nine　hundred　men；　and　he　had　named　the　place　Fort
Defiance；　and　asserted　his　determination　to　hold　it。　　In　the
mean　time；　Houston　was　using　his　great　personal　influence　to
collect　troops；　to　make　treaties　with　the　Indians；　and　to　keep
together　some　semblance　of　a　provisional　government。

But　it　had　become　evident　to　all　the　leading　spirits　of　the
revolution　that　no　half…way　measures　would　now　do。　　They　only
produced　half…way　enthusiasm。　　For　this　end；　Houston　spoke　out
with　his　accustomed　boldness：

〃Gentlemen；　we　must　declare　the　independence　of　Texas；　and
like　our　fore…elders；　sink　or　swim　by　that　declaration。　
Nothing　else；　nothing　less；　can　save　us。　　The　planters　of
Texas　must　feel　that　they　are　fighting　for　their　own
constitution；　and　not　for　Mexican　promises　made　to　them　twelve
years　ago　and　never　yet　kept。〃

The　simple　proposition　roused　a　new　enthusiasm；　for　while
Urrea　was　hastening　towards　Goliad；　and　Santa　Anna
towards　San　Antonio；　and　Filisola　to　Washington；　the　divided
people　were　becoming　more　and　more　embittered。　　The　American
soldiers；　who　had　hitherto　gone　in　and　out　among　the　citizens
of　San　Antonio　during　the　day；　and　only　slept　in　the　Alamo；
were　conscious　of　an　ominous　change　in　the　temper　of　the　city。　
They　gathered　their　recruits　together　and　shut　themselves　in
the　fortress。

Again　Thomas　Worth　urged　them　to　fall　back　either　upon　the
line　of　Houston　at　Gonzales；　or　Fanning　at　Goliad；　but　in　the
indecision　and　uncertainty　of　all　official　orders；　Crockett
thought　it　best　to　make　the　first　stand　at　the　Mexican　city。

〃We　can；　at　least；〃　he　said；　〃keep　Santa　Anna　busy　long　enough
to　give　the　women　and　children　of　our　own　settlements　time　to
escape；　and　the　men　time　to　draw　together　with　a　certain
purpose。〃

〃The　cry　of　Santa　Anna　has　been　like　the　cry　of　wolf！　wolf！〃
said　Bowie。　　〃I　hear　that　great　numbers　that　were　under　arms
have　gone　home　to　plant　their　corn　and　cotton。　　Do　you　want
Santa　Anna　to　murder　them　piecemealhouse　by　house；
family　by　family？　　Great　George！　　Which　of　us　would
accommodate　him　with　a　prolonged　pleasure　like　that？　　No！　he
shall　have　a　square　fight　for　every　life　lie　gets〃；　and　the
calm；　gentlemanly　Bowie　was　suddenly　transformed　into　a
flashing；　vehement；　furious　avenger。　　He　laid　his　knife　and
pistols　on　the　table；　his　steel…blue　eyes　scintillated　as　if
they　were　lightning；　his　handsome　mouth；　his　long；　white
hands；　his　whole　person　radiated　wrath　and　expressed　the
utmost　lengths　of　invincible　courage　and　insatiable　hatred。

〃Gentlemen；〃　answered　Travis；　〃I　go　with　Crockett　and　Bowie。　
If　we　hold　the　Alamo；　it　is　a　deed　well　done。　　If　we　fall　with
it；　it　is　still　a　deed　well　done。　　We　shall　have　given　to
Houston　and　Fanning　time　to　interpose　themselves　between　Santa
Anna　and　the　settlements。〃

〃We　have　none　of　us　lived　very　well；〃　said　Bowie；　〃but　we　can
die　well。　　I　say　as　an　American；　that　Texas　is　ours　by　right
of　natural　locality；　and　by　right　of　treaty；　and；　as　I　live；
I　will　do　my　best　to　make　it　American　by　right　of　conquest！　
Comrades；　I　do　not　want　a　prettier　quarrel　to　die　in〃and
looking　with　a　brave；　unflinching　gaze　around　the　grim
fortress〃I　do　not　want　a　better　monument　than　the　Alamo！〃

The　speech　was　not　answered　with　any　noisy　hurrahing；　but　the
men　around　the　bare；　long　table　clasped　hands　across　it；　and
from　that　last　interview　with　the　doomed　men　Thomas　Worth　came
away　with　the　knowledge　that　he　had　seen　the　battle　begun。　　He
felt　now　that　there　was　no　time　to　delay　longer　his　plans　for
the　safety　of　his　mother　and　sisters。　　These　were；　indeed；　of
the　simplest　and　most　uncertain　character；　for　the　condition
of　the　country　and　its　few　resources　were　such　as　to　make
flight　the　only　way　that　promised　safety。　　And　yet　flight　was
environed　with　dangers　of　every　kindhunger；　thirst；
exhaustion；　savage　beasts；　Indians；　and　the　triple　armies　of
Mexico。

The　day　after　his　arrival　he　had　begun　to　prepare；　as　far　as
possible；　for　this　last　emergency；　but　the　Senora's
unconquerable　aversion　to　leave　her　native　city　had　constantly
hampered　him。　　Until　Santa　Anna　really　appeared　she　would　not
believe　in　the　necessity　of　such　a　movement。　　The　proposal　of
Fray　Ignatius；　even　if　it　did　end　in　a　convent；　did　not
seem　so　terrible　as　to　be　a　wanderer　without　a　roof　to　cover
her。　　She　felt　aggrieved　and　injured　by　Antonia's　and　Isabel's
positive　refusal　to　accept　sanctuary　from　the　priest；　and　with
the　underhand　cunning　of　a　weak　woman　she　had　contrived　to　let
Fray　Ignatius　know　that　SHE　was　not　to　blame　for　the
refusal。

All　the　same　the　priest　hated　her　in　conjunction　with　her
children。　　On