Presently he broke out into a hearty laugh. Marion looked surprised.
"I beg pardon, general," said he: "but one cannot, you know, always command his conceits. I was thinking how drolly some of my brother officers would look, if our government were to give them such a bill of fare as this.""I suppose," replied Marion, "it is not equal to their style of dining.""No, indeed," quoth the officer; "and this, I imagine, is one of your accidental lent dinners; a sort of a `ban yan'.
In general, no doubt, you live a great deal better.""Rather worse," answered the general: "for often we don't get enough of this.""Heavens!" rejoined the officer. "But probably, what you lose in meal you make up in malt; though stinted in provisions, you draw noble pay?""Not a cent, sir," said Marion, "not a cent.""Heavens and earth! then you must be in a bad box. I don't see, general, how you can stand it.""Why, sir," replied Marion, with a smile of self-approbation, "these things depend on feeling."The Englishman said, he "did not believe that it would be an easy matter to reconcile his feelings to a soldier's life on general Marion's terms;all fighting and no pay! and no provisions but potatoes!""Why, sir," answered the general, "the heart is all; and, when that is much interested, a man can do any thing. Many a youth would think it hard to indent himself a slave for fourteen years. But let him be over head and ears in love, and with such a beauteous sweetheart as Rachael, and he will think no more of fourteen years' servitude than young Jacob did.
Well, now, this is exactly my case. I am in love; and my sweetheart is LIBERTY. Be that heavenly nymph my companion, and these wilds and woods shall have charms beyond London and Paris in slavery.
To have no proud monarch driving over me with his gilt coaches;nor his host of excise-men and tax-gatherers insulting and robbing me;but to be my own master, my own prince and sovereign, gloriously preserving my national dignity, and pursuing my true happiness; planting my vineyards, and eating their luscious fruits; and sowing my fields, and reaping the golden grain: and seeing millions of brothers all around me, equally free and happy as myself. This, sir, is what I long for."The officer replied, that both as a man and a Briton, he must certainly subscribe to this as a happy state of things.
"Happy!" quoth Marion; "yes, happy indeed! and I had rather fight for such blessings for my country, and feed on roots, than keep aloof, though wallowing in all the luxuries of Solomon. For now, sir, I walk the soil that gave me birth, and exult in the thought that I am not unworthy of it. I look upon these venerable trees around me, and feel that I do not dishonor them. I think of my own sacred rights, and rejoice that I have not basely deserted them. And when I look forward to the long ages of posterity, I glory in the thought that I am fighting their battles. The children of distant generations may never hear my name;but still it gladdens my heart to think that I am now contending for their freedom, and all its countless blessings."I looked at Marion as he uttered these sentiments, and fancied I felt as when I heard the last words of the brave De Kalb. The Englishman hung his honest head, and looked, I thought, as if he had seen the upbraiding ghosts of his illustrious countrymen, Sidney and Hampden.
On his return to Georgetown, he was asked by colonel Watson, why he looked so serious?
"I have cause, sir," said he, "to look serious.""What! has general Marion refused to treat?"
"No, sir."
"Well, then, has old Washington defeated sir Henry Clinton, and broke up our army?""No, sir, not that neither; but WORSE."
"Ah! what can be worse?"
"Why, sir, I have seen an American general and his officers, without pay, and almost without clothes, living on roots and drinking water;and all for LIBERTY! What chance have we against such men!"It is said colonel Watson was not much obliged to him for this speech.
But the young officer was so struck with Marion's sentiments, that he never rested until he threw up his commission, and retired from the service.
