remember the alamo-第41部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

I　escaped　by　a　kind　of　miracle。〃

The　doctor　looked　at　the　Senora。　　She　seemed　to　be　asleep。　
〃Speak　low；〃　he　said；　〃but　tell　me　all。〃

The　man　sat　upon　the　floor　with　his　back　against　the　wall。　　　
The　doctor　stooped　over　him。　　Antonia　and　Isabel　stood　beside
their　father。

〃We　heard　of　Urrea's　approach　at　San　Patricio。　　The　Irish
people　of　that　settlement　welcomed　Urrea　with　great　rejoicing。　
He　was　a　Catholica　defender　of　the　faith。　　But　the
American　settlers　in　the　surrounding　country　fled；　and　Fannin
heard　that　five　hundred　women　and　children；　followed　by　the
enemy；　were　trying　to　reach　the　fortress　of　Goliad。　　He
ordered　Major　Ward；　with　the　Georgia　battalions；　to　go　and
meet　the　fugitives。　　Many　of　the　officers　entreated　him　not　to
divide　his　men　for　a　report　which　had　come　by　way　of　the
faithless　colony　of　San　Patricio。

〃But　Fannin　thought　the　risk　ought　to　be　taken。　　He　took　it；
and　the　five　hundred　women　and　children　proved　to　be　a
regiment　of　Mexican　dragoons。　　They　surrounded　our　infantry　on
every　side；　and　after　two　days'　desperate　fighting；　the
Georgia　battalions　were　no　more。　　In　the　meantime；　Fannin　got
the　express　telling　him　of　the　fall　of　the　Alamo；　and　ordering
him　to　unite　with　General　Houston。　　That　might　have　been　a
possible　thing　with　eight　hundred　and　sixty　men；　but　it　was
not　possible　with　three　hundred　and　sixty。　　However；　we　made
the　effort；　and　on　the　great　prairie　were　attacked　by　the
enemy　lying　in　ambush　there。　　Entirely　encircled　by　them；　yet
still　fighting　and　pressing　onward；　we　defended　ourselves
until　our　ammunition　gave　out。　　Then　we　accepted　the
terms　of　capitulation　offered　by　Urrea；　and　were　marched　back
to　Goliad　as　prisoners　of　war。　　Santa　Anna　ordered　us　all　to
be　shot。〃

〃But　you　were　prisoners　of　war？〃

〃Urrea　laughed　at　the　articles；　and　said　his　only　intention　in
them　was　to　prevent　the　loss　of　Mexican　blood。　　Most　of　his
officers　remonstrated　with　with｛sic｝　him；　but　he　flew　into　a
passion　at　Miralejes。　　‘The　Senor　Presidente's　orders　are　not
to　be　trifled　with。　　By　the　Virgin　of　Guadelupe！'　he　cried；
‘it　would　be　as　much　as　my　own　life　was　worth　to　disobey
them。'

〃It　gave　the　Mexican　soldiers　pleasure　to　tell　us　these
things；　and　though　we　scarcely　believed　such　treachery
possible；　we　were　very　uneasy。　　On　the　eighth　day　after　the
surrender；　a　lovely　Sunday　morning；　we　were　marched　out　of　the
fort　on　pretence　of　sending　us　to　Louisiana；　according　to　the
articles　of　surrender；　and　we　were　in　high　spirits　at　the
prospect。

〃But　I　noticed　that　we　were　surrounded　by　a　double　row　of
soldiers；　and　that　made　me　suspicious。　　In　a　few　moments；
Fannin　was　marched　into　the　centre；　and　told　to　sit　down
on　a　low　stool。　　He　felt　that　his　hour　had　come。　　He　took
his　watch　and　his　purse；　and　gave　them　to　some　poor　woman　who
stood　outside　lamenting　and　praying　for　the　poor　Americans。　
I　shall　never　forget　the　calmness　and　brightness　of　his　face。　
The　Mexican　colonel　raised　his　sword；　the　drums　beat；　and　the
slaughter　began。　　Fifty　men　at　a　time　were　shot；　and　those
whom　the　guns　missed　or　crippled；　were　dispatched　with　the
bayonet　or　lance。〃

〃You　escaped。　　How？〃

〃When　the　lips　of　the　officer　moved　to　give　the　order：　　Fire！　
I　fell　upon　my　face　as　if　dead。　　As　I　lay；　I　was　pierced　by　a
bayonet　through　the　shoulder；　but　I　made　no　sign　of　life。　
After　the　execution；　the　camp　followers　came　to　rob　the　dead。　
A　kind…hearted　Mexican　woman　helped　me　to　reach　the　river。　　I
found　a　horse　tied　there；　and　I　took　it。　　I　have　been　on　the
point　of　giving　up　life　several　times；　but　I　met　a　man　coming
here　with　the　news　to　Houston；　and　he　helped　me　to　hold　out。〃

The　doctor　was　trembling　with　grief　and　anger；　and　he　felt
Antonia's　hand　on　his　shoulder。


〃My　friend；〃　he　whispered；　〃did　you　know　JOHN　WORTH？〃

〃Who　did　not　know　him　in　Fannin's　camp？　　Any　of　us　would　have
been　glad　to　save　poor　Jack；　and　he　had　a　friend　who　refused
to　live　without　him。〃

〃Dare　Grant？〃

〃That　was　the　man；　young　lady。　　Grant　was　a　doctor；　and　the
Mexicans　wanted　doctors。　　They　offered　him　his　life　for　his
services；　but　he　would　not　have　it　unless　his　friend's　life
also　was　spared。　　They　were　shot　holding　each　other's　hands；
and　fell　together。　　I　was　watching　their　faces　at　the　moment。　
There　wasn't　a　bit　of　fear　in　them。〃

The　Senora　rose；　and　came　as　swiftly　as　a　spirit　to　them。　　She
looked　like　a　woman　walking　in　her　sleep。　　She　touched　the
stranger。　　〃I　heard　you。　　You　saw　Dare　Grant　die。　　But　my　boy！　
My　boy！　　Where　is　my　Juan？〃

〃Maria；　darling。〃

〃Don't　speak；　Roberto。　　Where　is　my　Juan？　　Juan　Worth？〃

〃Madam。　　I　am　sorry　enough；　God　knows。　　Juan　Worthwas　shot。〃

Then　the　wretched　mother　threw　up　her　hands；　and　with　an
awful　cry　fell　to　the　ground。　　It　was　hours　ere　she　recovered
consciousness；　and　consciousness　only　restored　her　to　misery。

The　distress　of　the　father；　the　brother　and　sisters　of　the
dead　youth　was　submerged　in　the　speechless　despair　of　the
mother。　　She　could　not　swallow　food；　she　turned　away　from　the
the｛sic｝　sympathy　of　all　who　loved　her。　　Even　Isabel's
caresses　were　received　with　an　apathy　which　was　terrifying。　
With　the　severed　curl　of　her　boy's　hair　in　her　fingers；　she
sat　in　tearless；　voiceless　anguish。

Poor　Antonia；　weighed　down　with　the　double　loss　that　had　come
to　her；　felt；　for　the　first　time；　as　if　their　condition　was
utterly　hopeless。　　The　mental　picture　of　her　brother　and　her
lover　meeting　their　tragic　death　hand　in　hand；　their　youth　and
beauty；　their　courage　and　fidelity；　was　constantly　before　her。　
With　all　the　purity　and　strength　of　her　true　heart；　she　loved
Dare；　but　she　did　not　for　a　moment　wish　that　he　had　taken　a
different　course。　　〃It　is　just　what　I　should　have　expected
from　him；〃　she　said　to　Isabel。　　〃If　he　had　let　poor　Jack　die
alone；　I　could　never　have　loved　him　in　the　same　way
again。　　But　oh；　Isabel；　how　miserable　I　am？〃

〃Sweet　Antonia；　I　can　only　weep　with　you。　　Think　of　this；　it
was　on　last　Sunday　morning。　　Do　you　remember　how　sad　you
were？〃

〃I　was　in　what　seemed　to　be　an　unreasonable　distress。　　I　went
away　to　weep。　　My　very　thoughts　were　tired　with　their
sorrowful　journeys　up　and　down　my　mind；　trying　to　find　out
hope　and　only　meeting　despair。　　Oh；　my　brave　Jack！　　Oh；　my
dear　Dare；　what　a　cruel　fate　was　your's！〃

〃And　mi　madre；　Antonia？　　I　fear；　indeed；　that　she　will　lose
her　senses。　　She　will　not　speak　to　Thomas；　nor　even　to　me。　
She　has　not　said　a　prayer　since　Jack's　death。　　She　cannot
sleep。　　I　am　afraid　of　her；　Antonia。〃

〃To…night　we　are　to　move　further　east；　perhaps　the　journey　may
waken　her　out　of　this　trance　of　grief。　　I　can　see　that　our
father　is　wretched　about　her；　and　Thomas　wanders　in　and　out　of
the　room　as　if　his　heart　was　broken。〃

〃Thomas　loved　Jack。　　Luis　told　me　that　he　sat　with　him　and
Lopez；　and　that　he　sobbed　like　a　woman。　　But；　also；　he　means
a　great　revenge。　　None　of　the　men　slept　last　night。　　They
stood　by　the　camp…fires　talking。　　Sometimes　I　went　to　the　door
and　looked　out。　　How　awful　they　were　in　the　blaze　and
darkness！　　I　think；　indeed；　they　could　have　conquered　Santa
Anna　very　easily。〃

Isabel　had　not　misjudged　the　spirit　of　the　camp。　　The　news　of
the　massacre　at　Goliad　was　answered　by　a　call　for　vengeance
that　nothing　but　vengeance　could　satisfy。　　On　the　following
day　Houston　addressed　his　little　army。　　He　reminded　them　that
they　were　the　children　of　the　heroes　who　fought　for　liberty　at
Yorktown；　and　Saratoga；　and　Bunker　Hill。　　He　made　a　soul…
stirring　review　of　the　events　that　had　passed；　he　explained　to
them　their　situation；　and　the　designs　of　the　enemy；　and　how　he
proposed　to　meet　them。

His　voice；　loud　as　a　trumpet　with　a　silver　sound；　inspired　all
who　heard　it　with　courage。　　His　large；　bright　visage；　serious
but　hopeful；　seemed　to　sun　the　camp。　　〃They　live　too　long；〃　he
cried；　〃who　outlive　freedom。　　And　I　promise　you　that　you　shall
have　a　full　cup　of　vengeance。　　For　every　man　that　fell
fighting　at　the　Alamo；　for　every　one　treacherously
slaughtered　at　Goliad；　you　shall　be　satisfied。　　If　I　seem
to　be　flying　before　the　enemy　now；　it　is　for　his　destruction。　
Three　Mexican　armies　united；　we　cannot　fight。　　We　can　fight
them　singly。　　And　every　mile　we　make　them　follow　us　weakens
them；　separates　them；　confuses　them。　　The　low　lands　of　the
Brazos；　the　unfordable　streams；　the　morasses；　the　pathless
woods；　are　in　league　with　us。　　And　we　must　place　our　women　and
children　in　safety。　　Even　if　we　have　to　carry　them　to　General
Gaines　and　the　United　States　troops；　we　must　protect　them；
first　of　all。　　I　believe　that　we　shall　win　our　freedom　with
our　own　hands；　but　if　the　worst　come；　and　we　have　to　fall　back
to　the　Sabine；　we　shall　find　friends　and　backers　there。　　I
know　President　Jackson；　my　old　general；　the　unconquered
Christian　Mars！　　Do　you　think　he　will　desert　his　countrymen？　
Never！　　If　we　should　need　help；　he　has　provided　it。　　And　the
freedom　of　Texas　is　sure　and　certain。　　It　is　at　hand。　　Prepare
to　achieve　it。　　We　shall　take　up　our　march　eastward　in　three
hours。〃

Ringing　shouts　answered　the　summons。　　The　camp　was　in　a　tumult
of　preparation　immediately；　Houston　was　lending　his