the red acorn-第7部分

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e　Colonel　made　him　a　Sergeant　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　tale；　and　regretted　much　that　he　could　not　imitate　the　example　of　the　great　Napoleon；　and　raise　him　to　a　commission；　on　the　scene　of　his　valiant　exploits。　　His　cot　at　the　hospital　was　daily　visited　by　numbers　of　admiring　comrades；　to　whom　he　repeated　his　glowing　account　of　the　fight；　with　marked　improvements　in　manner　and　detail　accompanying　every　repetition。

He　had　no　desire　to　leave　the　hospital　during　his　term　of　service；　but　his　hurts　were　all　superficial　and　healed　rapidly；　so　that　in　a　fortnight's　time　the　Surgeon　pronounced　him　fit　to　return　to　duty。　　He　cursed　inwardly　tha　officer's　zeal　in　keeping　the　ranks　as　full　as　possible；　and　went　back　to　his　company　to　find　it　preparing　to　go　into　another　fight。

〃Hello；　Jake；〃　said　his　comrades；　〃awful　glad　to　see　you　back。　　Now　you'll　have　a　chance　to　get　your　revenge　on　those　fellows。　　There'll　be　enough　of　us　with　you　to　see　that　you　get　a　fair　fight。〃

〃To　the　devil　with　their　revenge　and　a　fair　fight；〃　said　Jake　to　himself。　　That　evening　he　strolled　around　to　the　headquarters　tent；　and　said　to　the　commander　of　the　regiment：

〃Colonel；　the　doctor　seems　to　think　that　I'm　fit　to　return　to　duty；　but　I　don't　feel　all　right　yet。　　I've　a　numbness　in　my　legs；　so　that　I　kin　hardly　walk　sometims。　　It's　my　old　rheumatics；　stirred　up　by　sleeping　out　in　the　night　air。　　I　hear　that　the　man　who's　been　drivin'　the　headquarters　wagin　has　had　to　go　to　the　hospital。　I　want　to　be　at　something；　even　if　I　can't　do　duty　in　the　ranks；　and　I'd　like　to　take　his　place　till　him　and　me　gets　well。〃

〃All　right；　Sergeant。　　You　can　have　the　place　as　long　as　you　wish；　or　any　other　that　I　can　give　you。　　I　can't　do　too　much　for　so　brave　a　man。〃

So　it　happened　that　in　the　next　fight　the　regiment　was　not　gratified　by　any　thrilling　episodes　of　sanguinary；　single…handed　combats；　between　the　indomitable　Jake　and　bloodthirsty　Rebels。

He　had　deferred　his　〃revenge〃　indefinitely。





Chapter　IV。　　Disgrace。




For　of　fortune's　sharp　adversitie　　　The　worst　kind　of　infortune　is　this：　A　man　that　hath　been　in　prosperitie；　　　And　it　remember　when　it　passed　is。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chaucer。


Harry　Glen's　perfect　self…complacency　did　not　molt　a　feather　when　the　victors　returned　to　camp　flushed　with　their　triumph；　which；　in　the　eyes　of　those　inexperienced　three…months　men；　had　the　dimensions　of　Waterloo。　　He　did　not　know　that　in　proportion　as　they　magnified　their　exploit；　so　was　the　depth　of　their　contempt　felt　for　those　of　their　comrades　who　had　declined　to　share　the　perils　and　the　honors　of　the　expedition　with　them。　　He　was　too　thoroughly　satisfied　with　himself　and　his　motives　to　even　imagine　that　any　one　could　have　just　cause　for　complaint　at　anything　he　chose　to　do。

This　kept　him　from　understanding　or　appreciating　the　force　of　the　biting　innuendoes　and　sarcasms　which　were　made　to　his　very　face；　and　he　had　stood　so　aloof　from　all；　that　there　was　nobody　who　cared　to　take　the　friendly　trouble　of　telling　him　how　free　the　camp　conversation　was　making　with　his　reputation。

He　could　not　help；　however；　understanding　that　in　some　way　he　had　lost　caste　with　the　regiment：　　but　he　serenely　attributed　this　to　mean…spirited　jealousy　of　the　superior　advantages　he　was　enjoying；　and　it　only　made　him　more　anxious　for　the　coming　of　the　time　when　he　could　〃cut　the　whole　mob　of　beggars；〃　as　Ned　Burnleigh　phrased　it。〃

A　few　days　more　would　end　the　regiment's　term　of　service；　and　he　readily　obtained　permission　to　return　him　in　advance。

The　first　real　blow　his　confidence　received　was　when　he　walked　down　the　one　principal　street　of　Sardis；　and　was　forced　to　a　perception　of　the　fact　that　there　was　an　absence　of　that　effusive　warmth　with　which　the　Sardis　people　had　ever　before　welcomed　back　their　young　townsman；　of　whose　good　looks　and　gentlemanliness　they　had　always　been　proud。　　Now　people　looked　at　him　in　a　curious　way。　　They　turned　to　whisper　to　each　other；　with　sarcastic　smiles　and　knowing　winks；　as　he　came　into　view；　and　they　did　not　come　forward　to　offer　him　their　hands　as　of　old。　　It　astonished　him　that　nobody　alluded　to　the　company　or　to　anything　that　had　happened　to　it。

Turning　at　length　from　the　main　street；　he　entered　the　lateral　one　leading　to　his　home。　　As　he　did　so；　he　heard　one　boy　call　out　to　another　in　that　piercing　treble　which　boys　employ　in　making　their　confidential　communications　to　one　another；　across　a　street；

〃S…a…y…；　did　you　know　that　Hank　Glen　'd　got　back？　and　they　say　he　looks　pale　yet？〃

〃Has　he？〃　the　reply　came　in　high　falsetto；　palpably　tinged　with　that　fine　scorn　of　a　healthy　boy；　for　anything　which　does　not　exactly　square　with　his　young　highness's　ideas。　　〃Come　back　to　mammy；　eh？　Well；　it's　a　pity　she　ever　let　him　go　away　from　her。　　Hope　she'll　keep　him　with　her　now。　　He　don't　seem　to　do　well　out　of　reach　of　her　apron　strings。〃

The　whole　truth　flashed　upon　him：　　Envious　ones　had　slandered　him　at　home；　as　a　coward。

He　walked　onward　in　a　flurry　of　rage。　　The　thought　that　he　had　done　anything　to　deserve　criticism　could　not　obtrude　itself　between　the　joints　of　his　triple…plated　armor　of　self…esteem。

A　swelling　contempt　for　his　village　critics　flushed　his　heart。

〃Spiteful；　little…minded　country　boobies；〃　he　said　to　himself　with　an　impatient　shake　of　his　head；　as　if　to　adjust　his　hair；　which　was　his　usual　sign　of　excitement；　〃they've　always　hated　me　because　I　was　above　them。　　They　take　advantage　of　the　least　opportunity　to　show　their　mean　jealousy。〃

After　a　moment's　pause：　　〃But　I　don't　care。　　I'd　a　little　rather　have　their　dislike　than　their　good…will。　　It'll　save　me　a　world　of　trouble　in　being　polite　to　a　lot　of　curs　that　I　despise。　　I'm　going　to　leave　this　dull　little　burg　anyhow；　as　soon　as　I　can　get　away。　　I'm　going　to　Cincinnati；　and　be　with　Ned　Burnleigh。　　There　is　more　life　there　in　a　day　than　here　in　a　year。　　After　all；　there's　nobody　here　that　I　care　anything　for；　except　father　and　motherandRachel。〃

A　new　train　of　thought　introduced　itself　at　this　tardy　remembrance　of　his　betrothed。　　His　heat　abated。　　He　stopped；　and　leaning　against　a　shady　silver　maple　began　anew　a　meditation　that　had　occupied　his　mind　very　frequently　since　that　memorable　night　under　the　old　apple　tree　on　the　hill…top。

There　had　been　for　him　but　little　of　that　spiritual　exaltation　which　made　that　night　the　one　supreme　one　in　Rachel's　existence；　when　the　rapture　of　gratified　pride　and　love　blended　with　the　radiant　moonlight　and　the　subtle　fragrance　of　the　flowers　into　a　sweet　symphony　that　would　well　chord　with　the　song　the　stars　sang　together　in　the　morning。

He　was　denied　the　pleasure　that　comes　from　success；　after　harrowing　doubts　and　fears。　　His　unfailing　consciousness　of　his　own　worth　had　left　him　little　doubt　that　a　favorable　answer　would　promptly　follow　when　he　chose　to　propose　to　Rachel　Bond；　or　to　any　other　girl；　and　when　this　came　with　the　anticipated　readiness；　he　could　not　help　in　the　midst　of　his　gratification　at　her　assent　the　intrusion　of　the　disagreeable　suspicion　that；　peradventure；　he　had　not　done　the　best　with　his　personal　wares　that　he　might。　　Possibly　there　would　appear　in　time　some　other　girl；　wh