the red acorn-第17部分

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〃I　do　wish　the　regiment　would　get　orders　to　move！〃　said　almost　hourly　each　one　of　a　half…million　impatient　youths　fretting　in　Camps　of　Instruction　through　the　long　Summer　of　1861。

〃I　do　wish　the　regiment　would　get　orders　to　move！〃　said　Harry　Glen　angrily　one　evening；　on　coming　into　the　Surgeon's　tent　to　have　his　blistered　hands　dressed。　　he　had　been　on　fatigue　duty　during　the　day；　and　the　Fatigue…Squad　had　had　an　obstinate　struggle　with　an　old　oak　stump；　which　disfigured　the　parade…ground；　and　resisted　removal　like　an　Irish　tenant。

〃I　am　willingyes；　I　can　say　I　am　anxious；　evento　go　into　battle；〃　he　continued；　while　Dr。　Paul　Denslow　laid　plasters　of　simple　cerate　on　the　abraded　palms；　and　then　swathed　them　in　bandages。　　〃Anything　is　preferable　to　this　chopping　tough　stumps　with　a　dull　ax；　and　drilling　six　hours　a　day　while　the　thermometer　hangs　around　the　nineties。〃

〃I　admit　that　there　are　things　which　would　seem　pleasanter　to　a　young　man　of　your　temperament　and　previous　habits；〃　said　the　Surgeon；　kindly。　　〃Shift　over　into　that　arm…stool；　which　you　will　find　easier；　and　reat　a　little　while。　　Julius；　bring　in　that　box　of　cigars。〃

While　Julius；　who　resembled　his　illustrious　namesake　as　little　in　celerity　of　movement　as　he　did　in　complexion；　was　coming；　the　Surgeon　prepared　a　paper；　which　he　presented　to　Harry；　saying：

〃There；　that'll　keep　you　off　duty　to…morrow。　　After　that；　we'll　see　what　can　be　done。〃

Julius　arrived　with　the　cigars　as　tardily　as　if　he　had　had　to　cross　a　Rubicon　in　the　back　room。　　Two　were　lighted；　and　the　Surgeon　settled　himself　for　a　chat。

〃Have　you　become　tired　of　soldier…life？〃　asked　he；　studying　Harry's　face　for　the　effect　of　the　question。

〃I　can　not　say　that　I　have　become　tired　of　it；〃　said　Harry；　frankly；　〃because　I　must　admit　that　I　never　had　the　slightest　inclination　to　it。　　I　had　less　fancy　for　becoming　a　soldier　than　for　any　other　honorable　pursuit　that　you　could　mention。〃

〃Then　you　only　joined　the　army〃

〃From　a　sense　of　duty　merely；〃　said　Harry；　knocking　the　ashes　from　his　cigar。

〃And　the　physical　and　other　discomforts　now　begin　to　weight　nearly　as　much　as　that　sense　of　duty？〃

〃Not　at　all。　　It　only　seems　to　me　that　there　are　more　of　them　than　are　absolutely　essential　to　the　performance　of　that　duty。　　I　want　to　be　of　service　to　the　country；　but　I　would　prefer　that　that　service　be　not　made　unnecessarily　onerous。〃

〃Quite　natural；　quite　natural。〃

〃For　example；　how　have　the　fatigues　and　pains　of　my　afternoon's　chopping　contributed　a　particle　toward　the　suppression　of　the　rebellion？　　What　have　my　blistered　hands　to　do　with　the　hurts　of　actual　conflict？〃

〃Let　us　admit　that　the　connection　is　somewhat　obscure；〃　said　Doctor　Denslow；　philosophically。

〃It　is　easier　for　you；　than　for　me；　to　view　the　matter　calmly。　　Your　hands　are　unhurt。　　I　am　the　galled　jade　whose　withers　are　wrung。〃

〃Body　and　spirit　both　bruised？〃　said　the　Surgeon；　half　reflectively。

Harry　colored。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　rather　defiantly。　　〃In　addition　to　desiring　to　serve　my　country；　I　want　to　vindicate　my　manhood　from　some　aspersions　which　have　been　cast　upon　it。〃

〃Quite　a　fair　showing　of　motives。　　Better；　perhaps；　than　usual；　when　a　careful　weighing　of　the　relative　proportions　of　self…esteem；　self…interest　and　higher　impulses　is　made。〃

〃I　am　free　to　say　that　the　discouragements　I　have　met　with　are　very　different；　and　perhaps　much　greater　than　I　contemplated。　　Nor　can　I　bring　myself　to　belived　tha　they　are　necessary。　　I　am　trying　to　be　entirely　willing　to　peril　life　and　limb　on　the　field　of　battle；　but　instead　of　placing　me　where　I　can　do　this；　and　allowing　me　to　concentrate　all　my　energies　upon　that　object；　I　am　kept　for　months　chafing　under　the　petty　tyrannies　of　a　bullying　officer；　and　deprived　of　most　of　the　comforts　that　I　have　heretofore　regarded　as　necessary　to　my　existence。　　What　good　can　be　accomplished　by　diverting　forces　which　should　be　devoted　to　the　main　struggle　into　this　ignoble　channel？　　That's　what　puzzles　and　irritates　me。〃

〃It　seems　to　be　one　of　the　inseperable　conditions　of　the　higher　forms　of　achievement　that　they　require　vastly　more　preparation　for　them　than　the　labor　of　doing　them。〃

〃That's　no　doubt　very　philosophical；　but　it's　not　satisfactory；　for　all　that。〃

〃My　dear　boy；　learn　this　grand　truth　now：　　That　philosophy　is　never　satisfactory；　it　is　only　mitigatory。　　It　consists　mainly　in　saying　with　many　fine　words：　　'What　can't　be　cured　must　be　endured。'〃

〃I　presume　that　is　so。　　I　wish；　though；　that　by　the　mere　syaing　so；　I　could　make　the　endurance　easier。〃

〃I　can　make　your　lot　in　the　service　easier。〃

〃Indeed！　how　so？〃

〃By　having　you　appointed　my　Hospital　Steward。　　I　have　not　secured　one　yet；　and　the　man　who　is　acting　as　such　is　so　intemperate　that　I　feel　a　fresh　sense　of　escape　with　every　day　that　passes　without　his　mistaking　the　oxalic　axid　for　Epsom　salts；　to　the　destruction　of　some　earnest　but　constipated　young　patriot's　whole　digestive　viscera。

〃If　you　accept　this　position；〃　continued　the　Surgeon；　flinging　away　his　refractory　cigar　in　disgust；　and　rising　to　get　a　fresh　one；　〃you　will　have　the　best　rank　and　pay　of　any　non…commissioned　officer　in　the　regiment；　better；　ineed；　than　that　of　a　Second　Lieutenant。　You　will　have　your　quarters　here　with　me；　and　be　compelled　to　associate　with　no　one　but　me；　thus　reducing　your　disagreeable　companions　at　a　single　stroke；　to　one。　　And　you　will　escape　finally　from　all　subserviency　to　Lieutenant　Alspaugh；　or　indeed　to　any　other　officer　in　the　regiment；　except　your　humble　servant。　　As　to　food；　you　will　mess　with　me。〃

〃Those　are　certainly　very　strong　inducements；〃　said　Harry；　meditating　upon　the　delightfulness　of　relief　from　the　myriad　of　rasping　little　annoyances　which　rendered　every　day　of　camp…life　an　infliction。

〃Yes；　and　still　farther；　you　will　never　need　to　go　under　fire；　or　expose　yourself　to　danger　of　any　kind；　unless　you　choose　to。〃

Harry's　face　crimsoned　to　the　hue　of　the　western　sky　where　the　sun　was　just　going　down。　　He　started　to　answer　hotly；　but　an　understanding　of　the　Surgeon's　evident　kindness　and　sincerity　interposed　to　deter　him。　　He　knew　there　was　no　shaft　of　sarcasm　hidden　below　this　plain　speech；　and　after　a　moment's　consideration　he　replied：

〃I　am　very　grateful；　I　assure　you；　for　your　kindness　in　this　matter。　　I　am　strongly　tempted　to　accept　your　offer；　bu　there　are　still　stronger　reasons　why　I　should　decline　it。〃

〃May　I　ask　your　reasons？〃

〃My　reasons　for　not　accepting　the　appointment？〃

〃Yes；　the　reasons　which　impel　you　to　prefer　a　dinner　of　bitter　herbs；　under　Mr。　Alspaugh's　usually　soiled　thumb；　to　a　stalled　ox　and　my　profitable　society；〃　said　the　Surgeon；　gayly。

Harry　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　decided　to　speak　frankly。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃your　kindness　gives　you　the　right　to　know。　　To　not　tell　you　would　show　a　lack　of　gratitude。　　I　made　a　painful　blunder　before　in　not　staying　unflinchingly　with　my　company。　　The　more　I　think　of　it；　the　more　I　regret　it；　and　the　more　I　am　decided　not　to　repeat　it；　but　abide　with　my　comrades　and　share　their　fate　in　all　things。　I　feel　that　I　no　longer　have　a　choice　in　the　matter；　I　must　do　it。　But　there　goes　the　drum　for　roll…ca