登陆注册
5694700000022

第22章 GENERAL ALISON TO MRS.

DRAKE,THE COLONEL'S WIFETo return,now,to where I was,and tell you the rest.We shall never know how she came to be there;there is no way to account for it.She was always watching for black and shiny and spirited horses -watching,hoping,despairing,hoping again;always giving chase and sounding her call,upon the meagrest chance of a response,and breaking her heart over the disappointment;always inquiring,always interested in sales-stables and horse accumulations in general.How she got there must remain a mystery.

At the point which I had reached in a preceding paragraph of this account,the situation was as follows:two horses lay dying;the bull had scattered his persecutors for the moment,and stood raging,panting,pawing the dust in clouds over his back,when the man that had been wounded returned to the ring on a remount,a poor blindfolded wreck that yet had something ironically military about his bearing -and the next moment the bull had ripped him open and his bowls were dragging upon the ground:and the bull was charging his swarm of pests again.Then came pealing through the air a bugle-call that froze my blood -"IT IS I,SOLDIER -COME!"Iturned;Cathy was flying down through the massed people;she cleared the parapet at a bound,and sped towards that riderless horse,who staggered forward towards the remembered sound;but his strength failed,and he fell at her feet,she lavishing kisses upon him and sobbing,the house rising with one impulse,and white with horror!Before help could reach her the bull was back again -She was never conscious again in life.We bore her home,all mangled and drenched in blood,and knelt by her and listened to her broken and wandering words,and prayed for her passing spirit,and there was no comfort -nor ever will be,I think.But she was happy,for she was far away under another sky,and comrading again with her Rangers,and her animal friends,and the soldiers.Their names fell softly and caressingly from her lips,one by one,with pauses between.She was not in pain,but lay with closed eyes,vacantly murmuring,as one who dreams.Sometimes she smiled,saying nothing;sometimes she smiled when she uttered a name -such as Shekels,or BB,or Potter.Sometimes she was at her fort,issuing commands;sometimes she was careering over the plain at the head of her men;sometimes she was training her horse;once she said,reprovingly,"You are giving me the wrong foot;give me the left -don't you know it is good-bye?"After this,she lay silent some time;the end was near.By-and-by she murmured,"Tired ...sleepy ...take Cathy,mamma."Then,"Kiss me,Soldier."For a little time,she lay so still that we were doubtful if she breathed.Then she put out her hand and began to feel gropingly about;then said,"I cannot find it;blow 'taps.'"It was the end.

End

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 叠殇传奇

    叠殇传奇

    身怀绝世武功“乾坤雨花掌”的叠云阁大护法武翌,为救疾苦百姓不惜对抗朝廷,无奈朝廷设计铲除叠云阁。武翌不听长老劝阻,深陷美人计陷阱,武功被全废,失去大护法神功佑护的叠云阁惨遭灭顶之灾。一直活在悔恨中的子雲,为救武翌委曲求全嫁给王子,求得王子秘密救出天牢中的武翌,并托贴身丫鬟丫兰带武翌隐姓埋名、终身不弃。逃难中遇神医武翌神功恢复,恶帮闯入藏身之地丫兰遇害,复仇之火彻底爆发。武翌祭出了“叠山地狱名单”复仇之路鸡犬不留,当曾经爱过、恨过、伤过他的子雲倒在他面前告诉他真相的时候,潜藏集聚在心底的怨意、怒气、爱恨和情仇彻底崩溃、爆发,随着一声撕心裂肺地长吼应声倒下,再也没能起来……
  • 老先生

    老先生

    本书是周实主编《书屋》杂志六年与部分作者的书信往来实录。作者如实记录、深情回忆与张中行、萧乾、李锐、舒芜、李慎之、资中筠、流沙河、蓝英年等28位老先生的交往始末,并首次公开了这些老先生的书信手迹。读者既能从这些文字交往中读到《书屋》杂志很多重量级稿件发表背后的故事,又能感受到这群老知识分子的“先生之风”。
  • 昱倾歌

    昱倾歌

    第一次见面,她是山间的小野猫,一伸手就差点捏爆他家小弟弟,当时,她虽羞赧却依然理直气壮地开口,“这……这个只是个意外,你给我安分点……别动!”,真是恨不得掐死这个可恶的小女人,然而火山还未爆发,自己就华丽丽地晕了过去……再次见面,她是无家可归的可怜虫,看着她水汪汪的大眼睛,一时心软收留她,却不想一留成瘾,再也不想放手……
  • 联邦法师

    联邦法师

    在圣迪亚大陆存在着五个联邦,每个联邦都有特定的守护法师。享用来之不易的和平才逾百年,癸门的势力又蠢蠢欲动。而正邪对抗又牵出多少兄弟情义,儿女情长。请跟随作者的创新笔触寻找深入你内心不一样的情感吧。
  • 我最想要的智慧成功书

    我最想要的智慧成功书

    希拉里是世界上少数极为成功的女人之一。从州长夫人到第一夫人,到国会参议员,到总统候选人,到国务卿,她走过的成功之路给予女人们很多启示。本书从塑造形象、调节心态、经营婚姻、成就事业、重视社交、珍惜亲情等方面,全面传达了希拉里用自身经历告诉我们的智慧成功箴言,告诉女人们如何用希拉里的方式去生活、走向成功。通过阅读此书,你会找到一条成为魅力与智慧并举、勇敢和幸运同兼的成功女性的捷径。
  • 倾城妖姬在作死

    倾城妖姬在作死

    你死了?不,我还活着!从此,那个高冷女神一去不复返,墨羽渐渐的在作死的路上越走越远。某天某男:黑土这小东西,又在整哪一出?墨羽:黑土黑土,看我不恁死你。属下:妖孽们的爱情,我们不配
  • 不老的北大荒

    不老的北大荒

    尽管知青返城已成往事,但北大荒有说不尽的知青故事。北大荒的精神残疾知青,这个独特群体中的独特群落,这个精神残疾的弱势群体,对于今天的人们来说,依然有着与众不同的人生命运。他们有痛苦的过去,却迎来了幸福安详的今天,来自五洲四海的善良的人们在关怀着他们。一群部分或完全丧失生活能力的可怜人,终于得到了人间的真情,其间的故事令人动容。本期推出的报告文学《不老的北大荒》,以作者的亲身见闻,带您进入北大荒精神残疾知青非同寻常的生活世界。
  • 柔弱病王冲喜妃

    柔弱病王冲喜妃

    本是二十一世纪的普通大学生,也是医学世家的传人,一次意外让她来到异世,庶母陷害,庶妹记恨,一纸婚约,让她成为病王的冲喜王妃,只是扮猪吃老虎的人,好像不止她一人……
  • 快穿女配:撩倒男神N次方

    快穿女配:撩倒男神N次方

    【1V1甜宠】鬼仙娘娘被系统绑定,去数个位面收集能量,互惠互利美名曰旅游。女主大手一挥:大好山河吾来了,上天入地唯我独尊。系统面无表情:你先崩人设后划浪,我要关门放主人了。男主啪飞系统:我自愿宠你上天入地,你只管无往不胜。女主勾唇:“我叫你一声,你敢应吗?应了就到我怀里来。”男主兴奋:“汪汪汪……”叮!您的奶狗/狼狗已到账。
  • 列那狐(中小学生必读丛书)

    列那狐(中小学生必读丛书)

    《列那狐》是法国一部以狐狸为主角的长篇动物故事诗,被视为法国文学中的珍品。作者所塑造的小狐狸——列那机警睿智的形象深入人心,以至于在法国“列那”这一专有名词成了“狐狸”的代称。就连美国作家马克·吐温都称这只火红火红的狐狸是他童年最爱的一个形象,并且是他创作灵感的源泉之一。相信,这样的一只小狐狸,也能成为你的朋友。