登陆注册
5697000000115

第115章 A MENACING PAUSE(3)

Home beyond the fortifications.Stanton,in whom there was a reminiscence at least of the hysterical Secretary of 1862,sent after him post haste and insisted on his returning.The next day,the eleventh of July,1864,Washington was invested by the Confederate forces.There was sharp firing in front of several forts.Lincoln--and for that matter,Mrs.Lincoln also--made a tour of the defenses.While Fort Stevens was under fire,he stood on the parapet,"apparently unconscious of danger,watching with that grave and passive countenance the progress of the fight,amid the whizzing bullets of the sharp shooters,until an officer fell mortally wounded within three feet of him,and General Wright peremptorily represented to him the needless risk he was running."Hay recorded in his diary "the President in good feather this evening ...not concerned about Washington's safety ...only thought,can we bag or destroy the force in our front.'"He was much disappointed when Early eluded the forces which Grant hurried to the Capitol.

Mrs.Lincoln was outspoken to the same effect.The doughty little lady had also been under fire,her temper being every whit as bold as her husband's.When Stanton with a monumental playfulness proposed to have her portrait painted in a commanding attitude on the parapet of Fort Stevens,she gave him the freedom of her tongue,because of the inadequacy of his department.[9]

This incident had its aftermath.A country-place belonging to the Postmaster General had been laid waste.its owner thought that the responsibility for permitting Early to come so near to Washington fell chiefly on General Halleck.He made some sharp criticisms which became public the General flew into a rage and wrote to the Secretary of War:"The Postmaster General ought to be dismissed by the President from the Cabinet."Stanton handed his letter to the President,from whom the next day the General received this note:"Whether the remarks were made I do not know,nor do I suppose such knowledge is necessary to a correct response.if they were made,I do not approve them;and yet,under the circumstances,I would not dismiss a member of the Cabinet therefor.I do not consider what may have been hastily said in a moment of vexation at so severe a loss is sufficient ground for so grave a step.Besides this,truth is generally the best vindication against slander.I propose continuing to be myself the judge as to when a member of the Cabinet shall be dismissed."Lincoln spoke of the affair at his next conference with his Ministers."I must,myself,be the judge,"said he,"how long to retain in and when to remove any of you from his position.It would greatly pain me to discover any of you endeavoring to procure another's removal,or in any way to prejudice him before the public.Such an endeavor would be a wrong to me,and much worse,a wrong to the country.My wish is that on this subject no remark be made nor question asked by any of you,here or elsewhere,now or hereafter."[10]

Not yet had anything resulted either from the Canadian mission of Greeley,or from the Richmond adventure of Gilmore and Jaquess.There was a singular ominous pause in events.

Lincoln could not be blind to the storm signals that had attended the close of Congress.What were the Vindictives about?As yet they had made no Sign.But it was incredible that they could pass over his defiance without a return blow.

When would it come?What would it be?

He spent his nights at the Soldiers'Home.As a rule,his family were with him.Sometimes,however,Mrs.Lincoln and his sons would be absent and his only companion was one of the ardent young secretaries.Then he would indulge in reading Shakespeare aloud,it might be with such forgetfulness of time that only the nodding of the tired young head recalled him to himself and brought the reading to an end.A visitor has left this charming picture of Lincoln at the Soldiers'Home in the sad sweetness of a summer night:

"The Soldiers'Home is a few miles out of Washington on the Maryland side.It is situated on a beautiful wooded hill,which you ascend by a winding path,shaded on both sides by wide-spread branches,forming a green arcade above you.When you reach the top you stand between two mansions,large,handsome and substantial,but with nothing about them to indicate the character of either.That on the left is the Presidential country house;that directly before you,is the 'Rest,'for soldiers who are too old for further service ..

.in the graveyard near at hand there are numberless graves--some without a spear of grass to hide their newness--that hold the bodies of volunteers.

"While we stood in the soft evening air,watching the faint trembling of the long tendrils of waving willow,and feeling the dewy coolness that was flung out by the old oaks above us,Mr.Lincoln joined us,and stood silent,too,taking in the scene.

"'How sleep the brave who sink to rest,By all their country's wishes blest,"he said,softly...

"Around the 'Home'grows every variety of tree,particularly of the evergreen class.Their branches brushed into the carriage as we passed along,and left us with that pleasant woody smell belonging to leaves.One of the ladies,catching a bit of green from one of these intruding branches,said it was cedar,and another thought it spruce.

"'Let me discourse on a theme I understand,'said the President.'I know all about trees in right of being a backwoodsman.I'll show you the difference between spruce,pine and cedar,and this shred of green,which is neither one nor the other,but a kind of illegitimate cypress.He then proceeded to gather specimens of each,and explain the distinctive formation of foliage belonging to each."[11]

同类推荐
  • 飞鸟集·新月集

    飞鸟集·新月集

    泰戈尔,印度著名诗人、作家,第一位获得诺贝尔文学奖的亚洲人。世界上最杰出的诗集之一,由名家郑振铎翻译,意境优美、文笔隽永。引领世人探寻真理和智慧的源泉。如同在暴风雨过后的初夏清晨,推开卧室的窗户,看到一个淡泊清透的世界,一切都是那样的清新、亮丽,可是其中的韵味却很厚实,耐人寻味。
  • 商务英语情景口语王

    商务英语情景口语王

    语言的学习是一个循序渐进的过程。它需要我们牢记单词的含义,理解常用句型及其应用,更需要我们把所学到的语言知识,灵活自如地应用到各种现实场景中,发挥语言的交际作用。最好的方法,莫过于提前了解这些场景,知道母语使用者在这些场景中是如何使用语言的,模仿他们的语言,最后在不知不觉中提高了自己的语言表达能力。
  • 汤姆叔叔的小屋(英文版)

    汤姆叔叔的小屋(英文版)

    《汤姆叔叔的小屋》,19世纪极具影响力的小说(其销量仅次于《圣经》),并被认为是刺激1850年废奴主义兴起的一大因素。在其发表的头一年里,仅美国本土便销售出了三十多万册,这在19世纪中叶可是天文数字。《汤姆叔叔的小屋》对美国社会的影响如此巨大,以致在南北战争爆发的初期,当林肯接见斯托夫人时,曾说到:“你就是那位引发了一场大战的小妇人。”后来,这句话为众多作家竞相引用。
  • 珍珠谜案

    珍珠谜案

    随着时间的推移,简姨妈的三位侄女——贝丝、帕齐和露易丝都在成长的道路上收获着属于各自的快乐与淡淡的烦恼。在这本书中,贝丝、帕齐和约翰叔叔共同来到了加利福尼亚的南部。年纪大的侄女露易丝和丈夫亚瑟?威尔登搬来与大家共同生活。在聚会上,亚瑟遇见了旧识蒙特罗斯太太和她的两个侄女——莫德? 斯坦顿和弗洛?斯坦顿。在圣塔莫尼卡海滩,勇敢的莫德救起了几乎被海浪吞噬的陌生男孩。从此,大家的生活就与这位名叫A?琼斯的年轻男孩产生了千丝万缕的联系,并卷入了一桩奇特的珍珠谜案之中。
  • 流行文化篇(老外最想和你聊的101个英语话题)

    流行文化篇(老外最想和你聊的101个英语话题)

    不流行的话不说,不地道的英语不讲!遇到老外开口就“哑火”?不知道从什么话题开始交流?没有关系,本书帮你告别难堪!阅读本书,让你了解当下最流行的欧美文化主题,使你能够轻松开始与老外的交流。本书精选全世界最热议的101个流行文化主题,内容覆盖音乐文化、影视文化、商业文化、体育文化、民族文化等多方面。每个话题都包括背景介绍、常用句子、重点词汇以及一段情景对话。对话涵盖生活的方方面面,有校园生活、日常生活和社会热点问题等。语言通俗易懂,话题生动而不失深刻。
热门推荐
  • 再忙也要会理财

    再忙也要会理财

    读书要趁早,理财别趁闲。你不理财,财不理你,你若理财,财可生财。钱是挣出来的,更是理出来的。只有理财才能让小钱变大钱,让死钱变活钱,让钱生出更多的钱。《再忙也要会理财》告诉你最时髦的赚钱、花钱、省钱、存钱方法,让你轻轻松松理财,明明白白花钱,快快乐乐生活。全书主要包括基金、股票、房地产、保险、黄金、收藏、外汇、*、期货、典当、储蓄等不同的理财内容,方法实用、指导性强,一看就懂、一学就会,上手就能用。从今天开始,让我们每一个人树立起正确的投资理财观念,并且掌握科学的、正确的方法,积极地投入到丰富多彩的理财活动中去,通过努力告别拮据的生活,从此过上富裕的生活。
  • 英雄联盟意识王者

    英雄联盟意识王者

    玩好LOL的关键是什么?你肯定会说,那是技术!可史翟有着和你不同的理解,技术自然关键,可如果遇到和你技术差不多的玩家,秀不起来呢?也许你说,那也没啥,快乐就行了!可史翟不会那么想,你的队友同样不会这么想,电竞的关键,是不管顺风逆风,都得想办法赢下比赛!开挂?在真正的意识面前,那根本上不了台面!秀操作?你能带领团队一起秀么?技术不如人,就不能打了么?史翟轻轻摆手,No!No!No!这是一个团队游戏,比拼的不只是技术,还有精神,思维和意识!
  • 江南鱼鲜品

    江南鱼鲜品

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 社会热点面对面(三)

    社会热点面对面(三)

    由人民日报出版社推出的《社会热点面对面》系列图书已经出版了两本。广大读者一直给与了持续的关注与讨论。今年出版社延续其“直指百姓最关注的社会热点很接地气”的风格,推出《社会热点面对面(三)》,继续对最近以来发生的各种社会事件、关涉民生的社会问题、大家热议的现象作出反应,并从社会学的角度提供解释,探讨解决之道。
  • 皇后不称职:朕的霸道女人

    皇后不称职:朕的霸道女人

    光溜溜的穿越,有木有搞错!虽然自己的男人跟那种人跑了但也不至于光溜溜的穿越到另一个男人的床上吧!美男美男不准过来!敢过来偶就!….…错乱的时空;错乱的国家;错乱的感情,当一切秘密随之解开的时候,我是不是也该离开?
  • 体育文化学

    体育文化学

    《体育文化学》意在构架一个相对合理的体育文化学框架的基础上,依据一般文化学的理论和方法挖掘体育的文化意义,探索体育文化产生、发展和兴盛的原因、机制和意义,对体育文化结构与功能、类型与模式、比较与交流、冲突与变迁等进行了阐释,并结合当前实际对体育文化传统与现代化、体育文化整合与全球化背景下的当代世界体育文化作了一番文化学的审视。
  • 圣堂

    圣堂

    一次裸奔捡到半神神格,圣堂底层的新嫩弟子王猛开始了华丽的传说,拥有五行体,逆藏神格,横行三界,有装逼有热血有妹纸。
  • 通天邪帝

    通天邪帝

    “林云,你把我宗圣女拐到哪里去了?”蓬莱宗宗主须发皆张,怒不可喝。“林云,我要你为我魔教少主偿命!”血气滔天的魔教太上长老披头散发,双目赤红。“林云,你这个混蛋,竟然偷了我的造化丹。”药老脸色铁青,拳头吱吱的响。“什么什么?这些事都是我做的?我怎么不知道?你们不要被小人利用了,像我这么善良的人,岂会做这种事?”林云恬不知耻的辩解。
  • 时光易老,我心不变

    时光易老,我心不变

    纵使时光一去不复返,我心永恒不变到江边。结婚三年,当她终于成为他的女人,他却甩来离婚协议:“你想要的给你了,离婚。”
  • 我家王妃超厉害

    我家王妃超厉害

    推荐小哥新书《豪门童养媳:hello,总裁大人》第一次见面,她彪悍强上邪魅王爷,吃干净不抹嘴,丢钱跑人!他千里追凶,咬死不放!“凤凌云,钱债肉偿。肉债,你打算怎么偿?”“不偿!”都说将军府五小姐,瘸子又废物,茹毛饮血,残忍毒辣。——他曰放屁!都夸上华大陆尊上,神秘又高贵,强悍无匹,惊才绝艳。——她说扯淡!不是冤家不聚头,一聚宠到没尽头~在高手遍地走,妖兽多如狗的地方,当天才穿越成废物,冷血瘸子杠上暴力邪王,强强互宠,谁与争锋?!金麟岂是池中物,一朝飞凤耀九天!【宠文+1V1+绝对身心纯+萌宠+傲娇男主】加量不加价~