remember the alamo-第45章

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〃Then　he　will　learn　that　all　help　is　too　late。〃

But　Houston　had　learned　it　in　his　own　way　before　he　reached
Gonzales；　for　Travis　had　stated　that　as　long　as　the　Alamo
could　be　held；　signal　guns　would　be　fired　at　sunrising；　and　it
is　a　well…authenticated　fact　that　these　guns　were　heard　by
trained　ears　for　more　than　one　hundred　miles　across　the
prairie。　　Houston；　whose　senses　were　keen　as　the　Indians　with
whom　he　had　long　lived　knew　when　he　was　within　reach　of　the
sound；　and　he　rose　very　early；　and　with　his　ear　close　to　the
ground　waited　in　intense　anxiety　for　the　dull；　rumbling　murmur
which　would　tell　him　the　Alamo　still　held　out。　　His　companions
stood　at　some　distance；　still　as　statues；　intently　watching
him。　　The　sun　rose。　　He　had　listened　in　vain；　not　the　faintest
sound　did　his　ear　detect。

〃The　Alamo　has　fired　its　last　gun；〃　he　said；　on　rejoining　his
companions。

〃And　the　men；　General？〃

〃They　have　died　like　men。　　You　may　be　sure　of　that。〃

At　Gonzales　he　heard　the　particulars。　　And　he　saw　that　the
news　had　exerted　a　depressing　influence　upon　the　troops　there。　
He　called　them　together。　　He　spoke　to　them　of　the　brutal
tragedy；　and　he　invested　its　horrors　with　the　grandeur　of
eternal　purpose　and　the　glory　of　heroic　sacrifice。

〃They　were　soldiers；〃　he　cried；　〃and　they　died　like　soldiers。　
Their　names　will　be　the　morning　stars　of　American　history。　
They　will　live　for　ever　in　the　red　monument　of　the　Alamo。〃　　He
looked　like　a　lion；　with　a　gloomy　stare；　his　port　was　fierce；
and　his　eyes　commanded　all　he　viewed。　　〃Vengeance　remains　to
us！　　We　have　declared　our　independence；　and　it　must　be
maintained。〃

He　immediately　sent　off　another　express　to　Fannin；　apprised
him　of　the　fall　of　the　Alamo；　ordered　him　to　blow　up　Goliad
and　fall　back　upon　Gonzales。　　Then　he　sent　wagons　into　the
surrounding　country；　to　transport　the　women　and　children　to
the　eastern　settlements；　for　he　knew　well　what　atrocities
would　mark　every　mile　of　Santa　Anna's　progress　through　the
country。

These　wagons；　with　their　helpless　loads；　were　to
rendezvous　at　Peach　Creek；　ten　miles　from　Gonzales；　where　also
he　expected　Fannin　and　his　eight　hundred　and　sixty　men　to　join
him。　　This　addition　would　make　the　American　force　nearly
twelve　hundred　strong。　　Besides　which；　Fannin's　little　army
was　of　the　finest　material；　being　composed　mostly　of
enthusiastic　volunteers　from　Georgia　and　Alabama；　young　men；
who；　like　Dare　Grant　and　John　Worth；　were　inspired　with　the
idea　of　freedom；　or　the　spread　of　Americanism；　or　the
fanaticism　of　religious　liberty　of　conscienceperhaps；　even；
with　hatred　of　priestly　domination。　　Houston　felt　that　he
would　be　sufficient　for　Santa　Anna　when　the　spirit　of　this
company　was　added　to　the　moral　force　of　men　driven　from　their
homes　and　families　to　fight　for　the　lands　they　had　bought　and
the　rights　which　had　been　guaranteed　them。

So　he　watched　the　horizon　anxiously　for　Fannin's　approach；
often　laying　his　ear　to　the　ground　to　listen　for　what　he　could
not　　see。　　And；　impatient　as　he　was　for　their　arrival；　the
Senora　was　more　so。　　She　declared　that　her　sufferings　would　be
unendurable　but　for　this　hope。　　The　one　question　on　her　lips；
the　one　question　in　her　eyes；　was；　〃Are　they　coming？〃　
And　Antonia；　though　she　did　not　speak　of　her　private　hopes；
was　equally　anxious。　　Brother　and　lover　were　both　very　dear　to
her。　　And　to　have　the　whole　family　together　would　be　in　itself
a　great　help。　　Whatever　their　deprivations　and　fatigues；　they
could　comfort　each　other　with　their　affection。

Every　day　wagon…loads　of　women　and　children　joined　the　camp；
and　the　march　eastward　was　very　slow。　　But　no　circumstance
extols　more　loudly　the　bravery　and　tenderness　of　these
American　soldiers　than　the　patience　with　which　this
encumbrance　was　endured。　　Men　worn　out　with　watching　and
foraging　were　never　too　weary　to　help　some　mother　still　more
weary；　or　to　carry　some　little　child　whose　swollen　feet　would
no　longer　aid　it。

One　night　they　rested　at　a　little　place　on　the　Colorado。　　In
one　room　of　a　deserted　cabin　Houston　sat　with　Major　Hockly；
dictating　to　him　a　military　dispatch。　　They　had　no　candles；
and　Houston　was　feeding　the　fire　with　oak　splinters；　to
furnish　light　enough　for　their　necessity。　　In　the　other　room；
the　Worth　family　were　gathered。　　Antonia；　in　preparing
for　their　journey；　had　wisely　laid　a　small　mattress　and
a　couple　of　pillows　in　the　wagon；　and　upon　this　mattress　the
Senora　and　Isabel　were　resting。　　Doctor　Worth　and　Thomas　sat
by　the　fire　talking　of　Fannin's　delay；　and　Antonia　was　making
some　corn…meal　cakes　for　their　supper。

When　the　Senora's　portion　was　given　to　her　she　put　it　aside；
and　lifted　her　eyes　to　Antonia's　face。　　They　asked　the
question　forever　in　her　heart；　〃Is　Jack　coming？〃　and　Antonia
pitifully　shook　her　head。

Then　the　poor　woman　seemed　to　have　reached　the　last　pitch　of
endurance。　　〃Let　me　die！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　can　bear　life　no
longer。〃　　To　Mary　and　the　saints　she　appealed　with　a
passionate　grief　that　was　distressing　to　witness。　　All　the
efforts　of　her　husband　and　her　children　failed　to　sooth　her；
and；　as　often　happens　in　a　complication　of　troubles；　she
seized　upon　the　most　trifling　as　the　text　of　her　complaint。

〃I　cannot　eat　corn　bread；　I　have　always　detested　it。　　I　am
hungry。　　I　am　perishing　for　my　chocolate。　　And　I　have　no
clothing。　I　am　ashamed　of　myself。　　I　thank　the　saints　I
have　no　looking…glass。　　Oh；　Roberto！　　Roberto！　　What　have
you　done　to　your　Maria？〃

〃My　dear　wife！　　My　dear；　dear　wife！　　Be　patient　a　little
longer。　　Think；　love；　you　are　not　alone。　　There　are　women　here
far　more　weary；　far　more　hungry；　several　who；　in　the
confusion；　have　lost　their　little　children；　others　who　are
holding　dying　babes　in　their　arms。〃

〃Giver　of　all　good！　give　me　patience。　　I　have　to　say　to　you
that　other　women's　sorrows　do　not　make　me　grateful　for　my　own。　
And　Santa　Maria　has　been　cruel　to　me。　　Another　more　cruel；　who
can　find？　　I　have　confessed　to　her　my　heartache　about　Juan；
entreated　her　to　bring　my　boy　to　me。　　Has　she　done　it？〃

〃My　darling　Maria。〃

〃Grace　of　God；　Roberto！　　It　is　now　the　twenty…third　of　March；
I　have　been　seventeen　days　wandering　with　my　daughters　like
very　beggars。　　If　only　I　had　had　the　discretion　to　remain　in
my　own　house！〃

〃Maria；　Lopez　will　tell　you　that　Fray　Ignatius　and　the　brothers
are　in　possession　of　it。　　He　saw　them　walking　about　the　garden
reading　their　breviaries。〃

At　this　moment　General　Houston；　in　the　opposite　room　was
dictating：　　〃Before　God；　I　have　found　the　darkest　hours　of　my
life。　　For　forty…eight　hours　I　have　neither　eaten　an　ounce　of
anything；　nor　have　I　slept。〃　　The　Senora's　sobbing　troubled
him。　　He　rose　to　close　the　door；　and　saw　two　men　entering。　
One　leaned　upon　the　other；　and　appeared　to　be　at　the　point　of
death。

〃Where　is　there　a　doctor；　General？〃

〃In　that　room；　sir。　　Have　you　brought　news　of　Fannin？〃

〃I　have。〃

〃Leave　your　comrade　with　the　doctor；　and　report。〃

The　entrance　of　the　wounded　man　silenced　the　Senora。　　She
turned　her　face　to　the　wall　and　refused　to　eat。　　Isabel　sat　by
her　side　and　held　her　hand。　　The　doctor　glanced　at　it　as　he
turned　away。　　It　had　been　so　plump　and　dimpled　and　white。　　It
was　now　very　thin　and　white　with　exposure。　　It　told　him　far
better　than　complaining；　how　much　the　poor　woman　had　suffered。　
He　went　with　a　sigh　to　his　patient。

〃Stabbed　with　a　bayonet　through　the　shoulderhard　riding　from
Goliadno　foodno　restthat　tells　the　whole　story；　doctor。〃

It　was　all　he　could　say。　　A　fainting　fit　followed。　　Antonia
procured　some　stimulant；　and　when　consciousness　returned；
assisted　her　father　to　dress　the　wound。　　Their　own　coffee　was
gone；　but　she　begged　a　cup　from　some　one　more　fortunate；　and
after　the　young　man　had　drunk　it；　and　had　eaten　a　little
bread；　he　was　inclined　to　make　light　of　his　wound　and　his
sufferings。

〃Glad　to　be　here　at　all；〃　he　said。　　〃I　think　I　am　the　only　one
out　of　five　hundred。〃

〃You　cannot　mean　that　you　are　of　Fannin's　command？〃

〃I　WAS　of　Fannin's　command。　　Every　man　in　it　has　been　shot。　
I　escaped　by　a　kind　of　miracle。〃

The　doctor　looked　at　the　Senora。　　She　seemed　to　be　asleep。　
〃Speak