the red acorn-第53部分

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〃I'll　take　some　hours　to　think　this　matter　over；〃　said　Rachel；　〃and　give　you　your　answer　this　afternoon。　　That'll　be　time　enough；　will　it　not？〃

〃Heaps　an'　plenty；　ma'am；〃　he　answered；　as　he　rose　to　go。　　〃She'll　go；〃　he　added　to　himself。　　〃I'm　not　fooled　a　mite　on　thet　'ere　stock。　　I'll　jest　go　to　headquarters　an'　git　things　ready　for　her。〃

He　was　right。　　The　prospect　of　doing　an　important　service　on　a　grand　occasion　was　stimulous　enough　for　Rachel's　daring　spirit；　to　make　her　undertake　anything；　and　when　Fortner　returned　in　the　afternoon　he　found　her　eager　to　set　out　upon　the　enterprise。

But　as　the　evening　came　on　with　its　depressing　shadows　and　silence；　she　felt　the　natural　reaction　that　follows　taking　an　irrevocable　step。　　The　loneliness　of　her　unlighted　room　was　peopled　with　ghostly　memories　of　the　horrors　inflicted　upon　spies；　and　of　tales　she　had　heard　of　the　merciless　cruelty　of　the　Rebels　among　whom　she　was　going。　　She　had　to　hold　her　breath　to　keep　from　shrieking　aloud　at　the　terrors　conjured　up　before　her　vision。　　Then　the　spasm　passed；　and　braver　thoughts　reasserted　themselves。　　Fortner's　inadvertent　words　of　praise　of　Harry　Glen　were　recalled；　and　began　glowing　like　pots　of　incense　to　sweeten　and　purify　the　choking　vapors　in　her　imagination。

Could　it　be　that　Harry　had　really　retrieved　himself？　　He　had　certainly　gained　the　not…easily…won　admiration　of　this　brave　man；　and　it　had　all　been　to　render　himself　worthy　of　her！　　There　was　rapture　in　the　thought。　　Then　her　own　heroic　aspirations　welled　up　again；　bringing　intoxication　at　the　prospect　of　ending　the　distasteful　routine　of　nursing；　by　taking　an　active　part　in　what　would　be　a　grand　event　of　history。　　Fears　and　misgivings　vanished　like　the　mists　of　the　morning。　　She　thought　only　of　how　to　accomplish　her　mission。

She　lighted　a　candle　and　wrote　four　lettersone　to　her　mother；　one　to　Dr。　Denslow；　one　to　Harry　Glen　in　care　of　his　mother；　and　one　to　the　Hospital　Steward；　asking　him　to　mail　the　letters　in　case　he　did　not　receive　any　contrary　request　from　her　before　the　10th　of　January。

She　was　too　excited　to　sleep　in　the　early　part　of　the　night；　and　busied　her　waking　hours　in　packing　her　clothing　and　books；　and　maturing　her　plans。

She　had　much　concern　about　her　wardrobe。　　Never　in　all　the　days　of　her　village　belleship　had　she　been　so　anxious　to　be　well…dressed　as　now；　when　about　to　embark　upon　the　greatest　act　of　her　life。　　She　planned　and　schemed　as　women　will　in　such　times；　and　rising　early　the　next　morning　she　visited　the　stores　in　the　city；　and　procured　the　material　for　a　superb　riding　habit。　　A　cutter　form　a　fashionable　establishment　in　Cincinnati　was　found　in　an　Orderly　Sergeant　in　one　of　the　convalescent　wards；　and　enough　tailors　responded　to　the　call　for　such　artisans；　to　give　him　all　the　help　required。　　By　evening　she　was　provided　with　a　habit　that；　in　material　and　that　sovereign　but　indescribable　quality　called　〃style；〃　was　superior　to　those　worn　by　the　young　ladies　who　cantered　about　the　streets　of　Nashville　on　clean…limbed　throroughbreds。

As　she　stood　surveying　the　exquisite　〃set〃　of　the　garment　in　such　mirrors　as　she　could　procure；　she　said　to　herself　quizzically：

〃I　feel　now　that　the　expedition　is　going　to　be　a　grand　success。　　No　woman　could　fail　being　a　heroine　in　such　an　inspiration　of　dress。　There　is　a　moral　support　and　encouragement　about　a　perfectly　made　garment　that　is　hardly　equaled　by　a　clear　conscience　and　righteousness　of　motive。〃

The　next　morning　she　came　forth　from　her　room　attired　for　the　journey。　A　jaunty　hat　and　feather　sat　gracefully　above　her　face；　to　which　excitement　had　given　a　striking　animation。　　One　trimly…gauntleted　hand　carried　a　dainty　whip；　the　other　supported　the　long　skirts　of　her　riding　habit　as　she　moved　through　the　ward　with　such　a　newly…added　grace　and　beauty　that　the　patients；　to　whom　her　appearance　had　become　familiar；　raised　in　their　beds　to　follow　the　lovely　spectacle　with　their　eyes；　and　then　turned　to　each　other　to　comment　upon　her　beauty。

At　the　door　she　found　an　orderly；　holding　a　spirited　young　mare；　handsome　enough　for　a　Queen's　palfrey；　and　richly　caparisoned。

She　sprang　into　the　saddle　and　adjusted　her　seat　with　the　easy　grace　of　an　accomplished　horsewoman。

A　squad　of　〃Convalescents〃　standing　outside；　and　a　group　of　citizes　watched　her　with　an　admiration　too　palpable　for　her　to　be　unconscious　of　it。

She　smiled　pleasantly　upon　the　soldiers；　and　gave　them　a　farewell　bow　as　she　turned　the　mare's　head　away；　to　which　they　responded　with　cheers。

A　few　hundred　yards　further；　where　an　angle　in　the　street　would　take　her　from　their　view；　she　turned　around　again　and　waved　her　handkerchief　to　them。　　The　boys　gave　her　another　ringing　cheer；　with　waving　hats　and　handkerchiefs；　her　steed　broke　into　a　canter　and　she　disappeared　from　view。

〃Where　is　she　going？〃　asked　one　of　the　soldiers。

〃I　don't　know；〃　responded　another　gallantly；　〃but　wherever　it　is；　it　will　be　better　than　here；　just　because　she's　there。〃

The　sight　of　an　orderly；　coming　with　the　morning　mail；　ended　the　discussion　by　scattering　the　squad　in　a　hurry。

Rachel　cantered　on；　her　spirits　rising　continually。

It　was　a　bright；　crisp　morninga　Tennessee　Winter　morningwhen　the　air　is　as　wine　to　the　blood；　and　sets　every　pulse　to　leaping。　Delicate　balsamic　scents　floated　down　from　groves　of　shapely　cedars。　Gratefully…astringent　odors　were　wafted　from　the　red　oaks；　ranked　upon　the　hillsides　and　still　covered　with　their　leaves；　now　turned　bright…brown；　making　them　appear　like　serried　phalanges　of　giant　knights；　clad　in　rusted　scale　armor。　　The　spicy　smell　of　burning　cedar　rose　on　the　lazily…curling　smoke　from　a　thousand　camp…fires。　The　red…berried　holly　looked　as　fresh　and　bright　as　rose…bushes　in　June；　and　the　　magnolias　still　wore　their　liveries　of　Spring。　　The　sun　shone　down　with　a　tender　fervor；　as　if　wooing　the　sleeping　buds　and　flowers　to　wake　from　a　slumber　of　which　he　had　grown　weary；　and　start　with　him　again　through　primrose　paths　on　the　pilgrimage　of　blossoming　and　fruitage。

Rachel's　nostrils　expanded；　and　she　drank　deeply　of　the　exhilarating　draughts　of　mountain　air；　with　its　delicious　woodsy　fragrance。　Her　steed　did　the　same；　and　the　hearts　of　both　swelled　with　the　inspiration。

Away　she　sped　over　the　firm；　smooth　Murfreesboro　Pike；　winding　around　hillsides　and　through　valleys　filled　with　infantry；　cavalry　and　artillery；　through　interminable　masses　of　wagons；　hers　of　braying　mules；　and　crowds　of　unarmed　soldiers　trudging　back　to　Nashville；　on　leave　of　absence；　to　spend　the　day　seeing　the　sights　of　the　historic　Tennessee　capital。　　In　the　camps　the　soldiers　were　busy　with　evergreen　and　bunting；　and　the　contents　of　boxes　received　from　the　North；　preparing　for　the　celebration　of　Christmas　in　something　like　the　manner　of　the　old　days　of　home　and　peace。

Like　the　sweet　perfume　of　rose…attar　from　a　bundle　of　letters　unwittingly　stirred　in　a　drawer；　rose　the　fragrant　memory　of　the　last　of　those　Christmases　in　Sardis　before　the　war；　when　winged　on　he　scent　of　evergreens；　and　the　merry　laughter　of　the　church　decorators；　came　to　her　the　knowledge　that　she　had　found　a　lodgment　in　the　heart　of　Harry　Glen。

Was　memor