remember the alamo-第51章

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them。　　Houston　refused　any　part　in　them。　　‘My　share　of　the
honor　is　sufficient；'　he　said。　　Yet　the　spoils　were　very
valuable　ones　to　men　who　but　a　few　hours　before　had　nothing
but　the　clothing　they　wore　and　the　arms　they　carried。　　Among
them　were　nearly　one　thousand　stand　of　English　muskets；　three
hundred　valuable　mules；　one　hundred　fine　horses；　provisions；
clothing；　tents；　and　at　least　twelve　thousand　dollars　in
silver。〃

〃Were　you　on　the　field　all　the　time；　father？〃

〃I　was　near　Houston　from　first　to　last。　　When　he　saw　the
battle　was　won；　he　did　his　best　to　prevent　needless　slaughter。　
But　men　on　a　battle…field　like　San　Jacinto　cannot　be　reasoned
with；　after　a　certain　point；　they　could　not　even　be　commanded。　
The　majority　had　some　private　revenge　to　satisfy　after　the
public　welfare　had　been　served。　　We　met　one　old　man　in　a
frenzy；　covered　with　blood　from　his　white　beard　to　his　boots；
his　arms　bare　to　his　shoulders；　his　knife　dripping　from　haft
to　point。〃

〃Houston　looked　at　him；　and　said　something　about　mercy　and
valor。　　‘General；'　he　said；　‘they　killed　two　of　my　boys　at
Goliad；　and　my　brother　at　the　Alamo。　　I'll　not　spare　a　Mexican
while　I've　the　strength　to　kill　one。　　I'm　on　the　scent　for
Santa　Anna；　and；　by　G；　if　I　find　him；　I　will　spare　Texas　and
you　any　more　trouble　with　the　brute。'〃

At　this　moment　Thomas　Worth　entered　the　marquee；　and；　in　an
excited　manner；　said：

〃Santa　Anna　is　taken！　　Santa　Anna　is　taken！　〃

〃Taken！〃　cried　the　Senora　in　a　passion。

〃Taken！　　Is　it　possible　the　wretch　is　yet　in　this　world？　　I
was　assuring　myself　that　he　was　in　one　not　so　comfortable。　
Why　is　he　not　killed？　　It　is　an　inconceivable　insult　to
humanity　to　let　him　live。　　Have　you　thought　of　your　brother
Juan？　　Give　me　the　knife　in　your　belt；　Thomas；　if　you　cannot
use　it。〃

〃My　dear　mother〃

〃Maria；　my　life！　　Thomas　could　not　wisely　kill　so　important　a
prisoner。　　Texas　wants　him　to　secure　her　peace　and
independence。　　The　lives　of　all　the　Americans　in　Mexico　may
depend　upon　his。　　Mere　personal　vengeance　on　him　would　be　too
dear　a　satisfaction。　　On　the　battle…field　he　might　have　been
lawfully　slainand　he　was　well　looked　for；　but　now；　No。〃

〃Holy　Mary！　might　have　been　slain！　　He　ought　to　have　been
slain；　a　thousand　times　over。〃

〃Luis；　I　wish　that　you　had　been　a　hero；　and　killed　him。　　Then
all　our　life　long；　if　you　had　said；　‘Isabel；　I　slew　Santa
Anna；'　I　should　have　given　you　honor　for　it。　　I　should　be
obedient　to　your　wishes　for　that　deed。〃

〃But　my　charming　one；　I　prefer　to　be　obedient　to　your　wish。　
Let　us　not　think　of　the　creature；　he　is　but　a　dead　dog。〃

The　doctor　turned　to　his　son。　　〃Thomas；　tell　us　about　the
capture。〃

〃I　was　riding　with　a　young　lieutenant；　called　Sylvester；　from
Cincinnati；　and　he　saw　a　man　hiding　in　the　grass。　　He　was　in
coarsest　clothing；　but　Sylvester　noticed　under　it　linen　of
fine　cambric。　　He　said：　　‘You　are　an　officer；　I　perceive；
sir。'　　The　man　denied　it；　but　when　he　could　not　escape；　he
asked　to　be　taken　to　General　Houston。　　Sylvester　tied　him　to
his　bridle…rein；　and　we　soon　learned　the　truth；　for　as　we
passed　the　Mexican　prisoners　they　lifted　their　hats　and　said；
with　a　murmur　of　amazement；　‘El　Presidente！'

〃The　news　spread　like　wildfire。　　As　we　took　him　through　the
camp　he　trembled　at　the　looks　and　words　that　assailed　him；　and
prayed　us　continually；　‘for　the　love　of　God　and　the　saints；'
not　to　let　him　be　slain。　　We　took　him　to　Houston　in　safety。　
Houston　was　resting　on　the　ground；　having　had；　as　my　father
knows；　a　night　of　great　suffering。　　Santa　Anna　approached
him；　and；　laying　his　hand　on　his　heart；　said：　　‘I　am　General
Antonio　Lopez　de　Santa　Anna；　President　of　the　Mexican
Republic；　and　I　claim　to　be　your　prisoner　of　war。'　　Houston
pointed　to　a　seat；　and　then　sent　for　Santa　Anna's　secretary；
Almonte；　who　is　also　a　prisoner；　and　who　speaks　English
perfectly。'

〃When　Almonte　came；　he　embraced　Santa　Anna；　and　addressing
Houston；　said：　　‘General；　you　are　born　to　a　great　destiny。　
You　have　conquered　the　Napoleon　of　the　West。　　Generosity
becomes　the　brave　and　the　fortunate。'

〃Houston　answered；　sternly：　　‘You　should　have　remembered　that
sentiment　at　the　Alamo　and　at　Goliad。'

〃Then　the　following　conversation　occurred。　　Santa　Anna　said：

〃‘The　Alamo　was　taken　by　storm。　　The　usages　of　war　permitted
the　slaughter。'

〃‘We　live　in　the　nineteenth　century；　President。　　We　profess　to
be　Christians。'

〃‘I　have　to　remind　you；　General　Houston；　of　the　storming　of
San　Sebastian；　Ciudad；　Riego　and　Badajos；　by　the　Duke　of
Wellington。'

〃‘That　was　in　Spain。　　There　may　have　been　circumstances
demanding　such　cruelty。'

〃‘Permit　me　also　to　bring　to　your　intelligence　the　battles　at
Fort　Meigs　and　at　the　river　Raisin。　　American　prisoners　were
there　given　by　English　officers　to　their　Indian　allies　for
torture　and　death。　　The　English　war　cry　at　Sandusky　was；　〃Give
the　d　Yankees　no　quarter。〃'

〃‘Sir；　permit　me　to　say；　that　you　read　history　to　a　devilish
purpose；　if　you　read　it　to　search　after　brutal　precedents。　　At
Goliad　our　men　surrendered。　　They　were　promised　safe…conduct
out　of　Texas。　　The　massacre　at　Goliad　was　a　ferocious　crime。'

〃‘It　was　precisely　the　same　thing　as　the　wholesale　murder　of
Turkish　prisoners　at　Jaffa　by　the　great　Napoleon。　　Also　I　had
the　positive　orders　of　my　government　to　slay　all　Americans
found　with　arms。'

〃‘These　men　had　given　up　their　arms。'

〃‘All　Americansmy　government　said　so。'

〃‘Sir！　YOU　are　the　government　of　Mexico。　　You　obeyed　your
own　orders。'

〃‘You　will　at　least　allow　that；　in　the　eyes　of　recognized
nations；　your　army　was　but　a　band　of　desperadoes；　without
government；　and　fighting　under　no　flag。'

〃‘Sir；　you　show　a　convenient　ignorance。　　We　have　a　government；
and　as　soon　as　we　can　lay　down　our　rifles；　we　shall　probably
be　able　to　make　a　flag。　　I　say　to　you；　President　Santa　Anna；
that　the　butchery　at　Goliad　was　without　an　excuse　and　without
a　parallel　in　civilized　warfare。　　The　men　had　capitulated　to
General　Urrea。'

〃‘Urrea　had　no　right　to　receive　their　capitulation。'　　Then　his
mild；　handsome　face　became　in　a　moment　malicious　and　tigerish；
and　he　said　with　a　cruel　emphasis：　　‘If　I　ever　get　Urrea　into
my　hands；　I　will　execute　him！　　I　perceive；　however；　that　I
have　never　understood　the　American　character。　　For　the　few
thousands　in　the　country；　I　thought　my　army　an　overwhelming
one。　　I　underestimated　their　ability。'

〃‘I　tell　you；　sir；　an　army　of　millions　would　be　too　small　to
enslave　ten　thousand　free…born　anglo…Americans。　　Liberty　is
our　birthright。　　We　have　marched　four　days　on　an　ear　or　two　of
dry　corn；　and　then　fought　a　battle　after　it'；　and　Houston　drew
from　his　pocket　an　ear；　partially　consumed；　which　had
been　his　ration。　　‘We　have　had　no　tents；　no　music；　no
uniforms；　no　flag；　nothing　to　stimulate　us　but　the
determination　to　submit　to　no　wrong；　and　to　have　every　one　of
our　rights。'

〃Then　he　turned　to　Rusk　and　Sherman；　and　called　a　military
counsel　about　the　prisoner；　who　was　placed　in　an　adjoining
tent　under　a　sufficient　guard。　　But　the　excitement　is　intense；
and　the　wretch　is　suffering；　undoubtedly；　all　the　mortal
terrors　of　being　torn　to　pieces　by　an　infuriated　soldiery。　
Houston　will　have　to　speak　to　them。　　They　will　be　influenced
by　no　other　man。〃

The　discussion　upon　this　event　lasted　until　midnight。　　But　the
ladies　retired　to　their　own　tent　much　earlier。　　They　knelt
together　in　grateful　prayer；　and　then　kissed　each　other　upon
their　knees。　　It　was　so　sweet　to　lie　down　once　more　in　safety；
to　have　the　luxury　of　a　tent；　and　a　mattress；　and　pillow。

〃Blessed　be　the　hand　of　God！　my　children；〃　said　the　Senora；
〃and　may　the　angels　give　us　in　our　dreams　grateful　thoughts。〃

And　then；　in　the　dark；　Isabel　nestled　her　head　in　her　sister's
breast；　and　whispered：　　〃Forgive　me　for　being　happy；
sweet　Antonia。　　Indeed；　when　I　smiled　on　Luis；　I　was　often
thinking　of　you。　　In　my　joy　and　triumph　and　love；　I　do　not
forget　that　one　great　awful　grave　at　Goliad。　　But　a　woman　must
hide　so　many　things；　do　you　comprehend　me；　Antonia？〃

〃Querdita；〃　she　whispered；　〃I　comprehend　all。　　God　has　done
right。　　If　His　angel　had　said　to　me；　‘O