An Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeWord文档格式.docx
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An Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeWord文档格式.docx
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theymerelyblockadedthetwoendsofthefootplankingthattraversedit.
Beyondoneofthesentinelsnobodywasinsight;
therailroadranstraightawayintoaforestforahundredyards,then,curving,waslosttoview.Doubtlesstherewasanoutpostfartheralong.Theotherbankofthestreamwasopenground--agentleslopetoppedwithastockadeofverticaltreetrunks,loopholedforrifles,withasingleembrasurethroughwhichprotrudedthemuzzleofabrasscannoncommandingthebridge.Midwayuptheslopebetweenthebridgeandfortwerethespectators--asinglecompanyofinfantryinline,at"
paraderest,"
thebuttsoftheirriflesontheground,thebarrelsincliningslightlybackwardagainsttherightshoulder,thehandscrosseduponthestock.
Alieutenantstoodattherightoftheline,thepointofhisswordupontheground,hislefthandrestinguponhisright.Exceptingthegroupoffouratthecenterofthebridge,notamanmoved.Thecompanyfacedthebridge,staringstonily,motionless.Thesentinels,facingthebanksofthestream,mighthavebeenstatuestoadornthebridge.Thecaptainstoodwithfoldedarms,silent,observingtheworkofhissubordinates,butmakingnosign.
Deathisadignitarywhowhenhecomesannouncedistobereceivedwithformalmanifestationsofrespect,evenbythosemostfamiliarwithhim.Inthecodeofmilitaryetiquettesilenceandfixityareformsofdeference.
Themanwhowasengagedinbeinghangedwasapparentlyaboutthirty-fiveyearsofage.Hewasacivilian,ifonemightjudgefromhishabit,whichwasthatofaplanter.Hisfeaturesweregood--astraightnose,firmmouth,broadforehead,fromwhichhislong,darkhairwascombedstraightback,fallingbehindhisearstothecollarofhiswellfittingfrockcoat.Heworeamoustacheandpointedbeard,butnowhiskers;
hiseyeswerelargeanddarkgray,andhadakindlyexpressionwhichonewouldhardlyhaveexpectedinonewhoseneckwasinthehemp.Evidentlythiswasnovulgarassassin.Theliberalmilitarycodemakesprovisionforhangingmanykindsofpersons,andgentlemenarenotexcluded.
Thepreparationsbeingcomplete,thetwoprivatesoldierssteppedasideandeachdrewawaytheplankuponwhichhehadbeenstanding.Thesergeantturnedtothecaptain,salutedandplacedhimselfimmediatelybehindthatofficer,whointurnmovedapartonepace.Thesemovementsleftthecondemnedmanandthesergeantstandingonthetwoendsofthesameplank,whichspannedthreeofthecross-tiesofthebridge.Theenduponwhichthecivilianstoodalmost,butnotquite,reachedafourth.Thisplankhadbeenheldinplacebytheweightofthecaptain;
itwasnowheldbythatofthesergeant.Atasignalfromtheformerthelatterwouldstepaside,theplankwouldtiltandthecondemnedmangodownbetweentwoties.Thearrangementcommendeditselftohisjudgementassimpleandeffective.Hisfacehadnotbeencoverednorhiseyesbandaged.Helookedamomentathis"
unsteadfastfooting,"
thenlethisgazewandertotheswirlingwaterofthestreamracingmadlybeneathhisfeet.
Apieceofdancingdriftwoodcaughthisattentionandhiseyesfolloweditdownthecurrent.Howslowlyitappearedtomove!
Whatasluggishstream!
Heclosedhiseyesinordertofixhislastthoughtsuponhiswifeandchildren.Thewater,touchedtogoldbytheearlysun,thebroodingmistsunderthebanksatsomedistancedownthestream,thefort,thesoldiers,thepieceofdrift--allhaddistractedhim.Andnowhebecameconsciousofanewdisturbance.Strikingthroughthethoughtofhisdearoneswassoundwhichhecouldneitherignorenorunderstand,asharp,distinct,metallicpercussionlikethestrokeofablacksmith'
shammerupontheanvil;
ithadthesameringingquality.Hewonderedwhatitwas,andwhetherimmeasurablydistantornearby--itseemedboth.Itsrecurrencewasregular,butasslowasthetollingofadeathknell.Heawaitedeachnewstrokewithimpatienceand--heknewnotwhy--apprehension.Theintervalsofsilencegrewprogressivelylonger;
thedelaysbecamemaddening.Withtheirgreaterinfrequencythesoundsincreasedinstrengthandsharpness.Theyhurthisearlikethetrustofaknife;
hefearedhewouldshriek.Whatheheardwasthetickingofhiswatch.
Heunclosedhiseyesandsawagainthewaterbelowhim."
IfIcouldfreemyhands,"
hethought,"
Imightthrowoffthenooseandspringintothestream.BydivingIcouldevadethebulletsand,swimmingvigorously,reachthebank,taketothewoodsandgetawayhome.Myhome,thankGod,isasyetoutsidetheirlines;
mywifeandlittleonesarestillbeyondtheinvader'
sfarthestadvance."
Asthesethoughts,whichhaveheretobesetdowninwords,wereflashedintothedoomedman'
sbrainratherthanevolvedfromitthecaptainnoddedtothesergeant.Thesergeantsteppedaside.
II
PeytonFahrquharwasawelltodoplanter,ofanoldandhighlyrespectedAlabamafamily.Beingaslaveownerandlikeotherslaveownersapolitician,hewasnaturallyanoriginalsecessionistandardentlydevotedtotheSoutherncause.Circumstancesofanimperiousnature,whichitisunnecessarytorelatehere,hadpreventedhimfromtakingservicewiththatgallantarmywhichhadfoughtthedisastrouscampaignsendingwiththefallofCorinth,andhechafedundertheingloriousrestraint,longingforthereleaseofhisenergies,thelargerlifeofthesoldier,theopportunityfordistinction.Thatopportunity,hefelt,wouldcome,asitcomestoallinwartime.Meanwhilehedidwhathecould.NoservicewastoohumbleforhimtoperformintheaidoftheSouth,noadventuretoperilousforhimtoundertakeifconsistentwiththecharacterofacivilianwhowasatheartasoldier,andwhoingoodfaithandwithouttoomuchqualificationassentedtoatleastapartofthefranklyvillainousdictumthatallisfairinloveandwar.
OneeveningwhileFahrquharandhiswifeweresittingonarusticbenchneartheentrancetohisgrounds,agray-cladsoldierrodeuptothegateandaskedforadrinkofwater.
Mrs.Fahrquharwasonlytoohappytoservehimwithherownwhitehands.Whileshewasfetchingthewaterherhusbandapproachedthedustyhorsemanandinquiredeagerlyfornewsfromthefront.
"
TheYanksarerepairingtherailroads,"
saidtheman,"
andaregettingreadyforanotheradvance.TheyhavereachedtheOwlCreekbridge,putitinorderandbuiltastockadeonthenorthbank.Thecommandanthasissuedanorder,whichispostedeverywhere,declaringthatanyciviliancaughtinterferingwiththerailroad,itsbridges,tunnels,ortrainswillbesummarilyhanged.Isawtheorder."
HowfarisittotheOwlCreekbridge?
Fahrquharasked.
Aboutthirtymiles."
Istherenoforceonthissideofthecreek?
Onlyapicketposthalfamileout,ontherailroad,andasinglesentinelatthisendofthebridge."
Supposeaman--acivilianandstudentofhanging--
shouldeludethepicketpostandperhapsgetthebetterofthesentinel,"
saidFahrquhar,smiling,"
whatcouldheaccomplish?
Thesoldierreflected."
Iwasthereamonthago,"
hereplied."
Iobservedthatthefloodoflastwinterhadlodgedagreatquantityofdriftwoodagainstthewoodenpieratthisendofthebridge.Itisnowdryandwouldburnliketinder."
Theladyhadnowbroughtthewater,whichthesoldierdrank.
Hethankedherceremoniously,bowedtoherhusbandandrodeaway.Anhourlater,afternightfall,herepassedtheplantation,goingnorthwardinthedirectionfromwhichhehadcome.HewasaFederalscout.
III
AsPeytonFahrquharfellstraightdownwardthroughthebridgehelostconsciousnessandwasasonealreadydead.
Fromthisstatehewasawakened--ageslater,itseemedtohim--bythepainofasharppressureuponhisthroat,followedbyasenseofsuffocation.Keen,poignantagoniesseemedtoshootfromhisneckdownwardthrougheveryfiberofhisbodyandlimbs.Thesepainsappearedtoflashalongwelldefinedlinesoframificationandtobeatwithaninconceivablyrapidperiodicity.Theyseemedlikestreamsofpulsatingfireheatinghimtoanintolerabletemperature.Astohishead,hewasconsciousofnothingbutafeelingoffullness--ofcongestion.Thesesensationswereunaccompaniedbythought.Theintellectualpartofhisnaturewasalreadyeffaced;
hehadpoweronlytofeel,andfeelingwastorment.Hewasconsciousofmotion.
Encompassedinaluminouscloud,ofwhichhewasnowmerelythefieryheart,withoutmaterialsubstance,heswungthroughunthinkablearcsofoscillation,likeavastpendulum.Thenallatonce,withterriblesuddenness,thelightabouthimshotupwardwiththe
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