remember the alamo-第6部分

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self…preservation。　　The　very　bravery　of　the　Americans　made　the
men　whom　they　had　defended　hate　and　fear　them；　and　there　was
a　continual　influx　of　young　men　from　the　States。　　The　Mexicans
said　to　each　other：　　‘There　is　no　end　to　these　Americans。　
Very　soon　they　will　make　a　quarrel　and　turn　their　arms　against
us。　　They　do　not　conform　to　our　customs；　and　they　will　not
take　an　order　from　any　officer　but　their　own。'〃

Houston　smiled。　　〃It　is　away　the　Saxon　race　has；〃　he　said。　
〃The　old　Britons　made　the　same　complaint　of　them。　　They　went
first　to　England　to　help　the　Britons　fight　the　Romans；　and
they　liked　the　country　so　well；　they　determined　to　stay　there。　
If　I　remember　rightly　the　old　Britons　had　to　let　them　do　so。〃

〃It　is　an　old　political　situation。　　You　can　go　back　to　Genesis
and　find　Pharaoh　arguing　about　the　Jews　in　the　same　manner。〃

〃What　happened　after　this　forcible　expulsion　of　the　American
element　from　Texas？〃

〃Mexican　independence　was　for　a　time　abandoned；　and　the
Spanish　viceroys　were　more　tyrannical　than　ever。　　But
Americans　still　came；　though　they　pursued　different　tactics。　
They　bought　land　and　settled　on　the　great　rivers。　　In　eighteen
twenty…one；　Austin；　with　the　permission　of　the　Spanish　viceroy
in　Mexico；　introduced　three　hundred　families。〃

〃That　was　a　step　in　the　right　direction；　but　I　am　astonished
the　viceroy　sanctioned　it。〃

〃Apodoca；　who　was　then　viceroy；　was　a　Spaniard　of　the　proudest
type。　　He　had　very　much　the　same　contempt　for　the　Mexicans
that　an　old　English　viceroy　in　New　York　had　for　the　colonists
he　was　sent　to　govern。　　I　dare　say　any　of　them　would　have
permitted　three　hundred　German　families　to　settle　in　some　part
of　British　America；　as　far　from　New　York　as　Texas　is　from
Mexico。　　I　do　not　need　to　tell　you　that　Austin's　colonists　are
a　band　of　choice　spirits；　hardy　working　men；　trained　in　the
district　schools　of　New　England　and　New　Yorknearly　every　one
of　them　a　farmer　or　mechanic。〃

〃They　were　the　very　material　liberty　needed。　　They　have　made
homes。〃

〃That　is　the　truth。　　The　fighters　who　preceded　them　owned
nothing　but　their　horses　and　their　rifles。　　But　these　men
brought　with　them　their　wives　and　their　children；　their
civilization；　their　inborn　love　of　freedom　and　national　faith。　
They　accepted　the　guarantee　of　the　Spanish　government；　and
they　expected　the　Spanish　government　to　keep　its　promises。〃

〃It　did　not。〃

〃It　had　no　opportunity。　　The　colonists　were　hardly　settled
when　the　standard　of　revolt　against　Spain　was　again　raised。　
Santa　Anna　took　the　field　for　a　republican　form　of　government；
and　once　more　a　body　of　Americans；　under　the　Tennesseean；
Long；　joined　the　Mexican　army。〃

〃I　remember　that；　well。〃

〃In　eighteen　twenty…four；　Santa　Anna；　Victoria　and　Bravo　drove
the　Spaniards　forever　from　Mexico；　and　then　they　promulgated
the　famous　constitution　of　eighteen　twenty…four。　　It　was　a
noble　constitution；　purely　democratic　and　federal；　and　the
Texan　colonists　to　a　man　gladly　swore　to　obey　it。　　The　form
was　altogether　elective；　and　what　particularly　pleased　the
American　element　was　the　fact　that　the　local　government　of
every　State　was　left　to　itself。〃

Houston　laughed　heartily。　　〃Do　you　know；　Worth；〃　he　said；
〃State　Rights　is　our　political　religion。　　The　average　American
citizen　would　expect　the　Almighty　to　conform　to　a　written
constitution；　and　recognize　the　rights　of　mankind。〃

〃I　don't　think　he　expects　more　than　he　gets；　Houston。　　Where
is　there　a　grander　constitution　than　is　guaranteed　to　us　in
His　Word；　or　one　that　more　completely　recognizes　the　rights　of
all　humanity？〃

〃Thank　you；　Worth。　　I　see　that　I　have　spoken　better　than　I
knew。　　I　was　sitting　in　the　United　States　Congress；　when　this
constitution　passed；　and　very　much　occupied　with　the　politics
of　Tennessee。〃

〃I　will　not　detain　you　with　Mexican　politics。　　It　may　be
briefly　said　that　for　the　last　ten　years　there　has　been　a
constant　fight　between　Pedraza；　Guerrero；　Bustamante　and　Santa
Anna　for　the　Presidency　of　Mexico。　　After　so　much　war　and
misery　the　country　is　now　ready　to　resign　all　the　blessings
the　constitution　of　eighteen　twenty…four　promised　her。　　For
peace　she　is　willing　to　have　a　dictator　in　Santa　Anna。〃

〃If　Mexicans　want　a　dictator　let　them　bow　down　to　Santa　Anna！　
But　do　you　think　the　twenty　thousand　free…born　Americans　in
Texas　are　going　to　have　a　dictator？　　They　will　have　the
constitution　of　eighteen　twenty…fouror　they　will　have
independence；　and　make　their　own　constitution！　　Yes；　sir！〃

〃You　know　the　men　for　whom　you　speak？〃

〃I　have　been　up　and　down　among　them　for　two　years。　　Just　after
I　came　to　Texas　I　was　elected　to　the　convention　which　sent
Stephen　Austin　to　Mexico　with　a　statement　of　our　wrongs。　　Did
we　get　any　redress？　　No；　sir！　　And　as　for　poor　Austin；　is　he
not　in　the　dungeons　of　the　Inquisition？　　We　have　waited　two
years　for　an　answer。　　Great　heavens　Doctor；　surely　that　is
long　enough！〃

〃Was　this　convention　a　body　of　any　influence？〃

〃Influence！　　There　were　men　there　whose　names　will　never　be
forgotten。　　They　met　in　a　log　house；　they　wore　buckskin　and
homespun；　but　I　tell　you；　sir；　they　were　debating　the　fate　of
unborn　millions。〃

〃Two　years　since　Austin　went　to　Mexico？〃

〃A　two　years'　chapter　of　tyranny。　　In　them　Santa　Anna　has
quite　overthrown　the　republic　of　which　we　were　a　part。　　He　has
made　himself　dictator。　and；　because　our　authorities　have
protested　against　the　change；　they　have　been　driven　from
office　by　a　military　force。　　I　tell　you；　sir；　the　petty
outrages　everywhere　perpetrated　by　petty　officials　have　filled
the　cup　of　endurance。　　It　is　boiling　over。　　Now；　doctor；　what
are　you　going　to　do？　　Are　you　with　us；　or　against　us？〃

〃I　have　told　you　that　I　have　been　with　my　countrymen　always
heart　and　soul　with　them。〃

The　doctor　spoke　with　some　irritation；　and　Houston　laid　his
closed　hand　hard　upon　the　table　to　emphasize　his　reply：

〃Heart　and　soul！　　Very　good！　　But　we　want　your　body　now。　　You
must　tuck　your　bowie…knife　and　your　revolvers　in　your　belt；
and　take　your　rifle　in　your　hand；　and　be　ready　to　help　us
drive　the　Mexican　force　out　of　this　very　city。〃

〃When　it　comes　to　that　I　shall　be　no　laggard。〃

But　he　was　deathly　pale；　for　he　was　suffering　as　men　suffer
who　feel　the　sweet　bonds　of　wife　and　children　and　home；
and　dread　the　rending　of　them　apart。　　In　a　moment；　however；
the　soul　behind　his　white　face　made　it　visibly　luminous。　
〃Houston；〃　he　said；　〃whenever　the　cause　of　freedom　needs　me；
I　am　ready。　　I　shall　want　no　second　call。　　But　is　it　not
possible；　that　even　yet〃

〃It　is　impossible　to　avert　what　is　already　here。　　Within　a　few
days；　perhaps　to…morrow；　you　will　hear　the　publication　of　an
edict　from　Santa　Anna；　ordering　every　American　to　give　up　his
arms。〃

〃What！　　Give　up　our　arms！　　No；　no；　by　Heaven！　　I　will　die
fighting　for　mine；　rather。〃

〃Exactly。　　That　is　how　every　white　man　in　Texas　feels　about
it。　　And　if　such　a　wonder　as　a　coward　existed　among　them；　he
understands　that　he　may　as　well　die　fighting　Mexicans；　as　die
of　hunger　or　be　scalped　by　Indians。　　A　large　proportion　of　the
colonists　depend　on　their　rifles　for　their　daily　food。　　All　of
them　know　that　they　must　defend　their　own　homes　from　the
Comanche；　or　see　them　perish。　　Now；　do　you　imagine　that
Americans　will　obey　any　such　order？　　By　all　the　great　men
of　seventeen　seventy…five；　if　they　did；　I　would　go　over　to　the
Mexicans　and　help　them　to　wipe　the　degenerate　cowards　out　of
existence！〃

He　rose　as　he　spoke；　he　looked　like　a　flame；　and　his　words　cut
like　a　sword。　　Worth　caught　fire　at　his　vehemence　and　passion。　
He　clasped　his　hands　in　sympathy　as　he　walked　with　him　to　the
door。　　They　stood　silently　together　for　a　moment　on　the
threshold；　gazing　into　the　night。　　Over　the　glorious　land　the
full　moon　hung；　enamoured。　　Into　the　sweet；　warm　air
mockingbirds　were　pouring　low；　broken　songs　of　ineffable
melody。　　The　white　city　in　the　mystical　light　looked　like　an
enchanted　city。　　It　was　so　still　that　the　very　houses　looked
asleep。

〃It　is　a　beautiful　land；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃It　is　worthy　of　freedom；〃　answered　Houston。　　Then　he　went
with　long；　swinging　steps　down　the　garden；　and　into　the
shadows　beyond；　and　Worth　turned　in　and　closed　the　door。

He　had　been　watching　for　this　very　hour　for　twenty　years；　and
yet　he　found　himself　wholly　unprepared　for　it。　　Like　one　led
by　confused　and　uncertain　thoughts；　he　went　about　the　room
mechanically　locking　up　his　papers；　and　the　surgical
instruments　he　valued　so　highly。　　As　he　did　so　he　perceived
the　book　he　had　been　reading　when　Houston　entered。　　It　was
lying　open　where　he　had　laid　it　down。　　A　singular　smile
flitted　over　his　face。　　He　lifted　it　and　carried　it　closer　to
the　light。　　It　was　his　college　Cicero。

〃I　was　nineteen　years　old　when　I　marked　that　passage；〃　he
said；　〃and　I　do　not　think　I　have　ever　read　it　since；　until　to…
night。　　I　was　reading　it　when　Houston　came　into　the　room。　　Is
it　a　message；　I　wonder？

〃‘But　when　thou　considerest　everything　carefully　and
thoughtfully；　of　all　societies　none　is　of　more　importance；
none　more　dear；　than　that　which　unites　us　with　the
commonwealth。　　Our　parents；　children；　relation