第 27 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2024-04-14 09:14      字数:9321
  Highness       the   Prince   of   Wales;    her   immediate      successor。    It  would     be
  unnecessary to state that suspicion would at once point to the real culprit;
  which would of course be his Royal Highness。 This is logic。
  But I have done。 After having thus stated my opinion in favor of the
  South; I would merely remark that there is One who judgeth all things;
  who weigheth the   cause between brother   and brother;and awardeth   the
  perfect   retribution;   and   whose   ultimate   decision   I;   as   a   British   subject;
  have only anticipated。
  G。 A。 S。
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  CONDENSED NOVELS
  CHAPTER I。
  Every reader of Belle Boyd's narrative will remember an allusion to a
  〃lovely;    fragile…looking      girl  of  nineteen;〃    who    rivalled   Belle   Boyd     in
  devotion   to   the   Southern   cause;   and   who;   like   her;   earned   the   enviable
  distinction of being a 〃rebel spy。〃
  I am that 〃fragile〃 young creature。 Although on friendly terms with the
  late   Miss   Boyd;   now   Mrs。   Hardinge;   candor   compels   me   to   state   that
  nothing      but   our   common       politics    prevents    me    from     exposing     the
  ungenerous spirit she has displayed in this allusion。 To be dismissed in a
  single paragraph after years of But I anticipate。 To put up with this feeble
  and forced acknowledgment of services rendered would be a confession of
  a craven spirit; which; thank God; though 〃fragile〃 and only 〃nineteen;〃 I
  do not possess。 I may not have the 〃blood of a Howard〃 in my veins; as
  some people; whom I shall not disgrace myself by naming; claim to have;
  but I have yet to learn that the race of McGillup ever yet brooked slight or
  insult。 I shall not say that attention in certain quarters seems to have turned
  SOME   PEOPLE'S   heads;   nor   that   it   would   have   been   more   delicate   if
  certain   folks   had   kept   quiet   on   the   subject   of   their   courtship;   and   the
  rejection of certain offers; when it is known that their forward conduct was
  all   that   procured   them   a   husband!   Thank   heaven;   the   South   has   some
  daughters   who   are   above   such   base   considerations!   While   nothing   shall
  tempt   me   to   reveal   the   promises   to   share   equally   the   fame   of   certain
  enterprises; which were made by one who shall now be nameless; I have
  deemed it only just to myself to put my own adventures upon record。 If
  they   are   not   equal   to   those   of   another   individual;   it   is   because;   though
  〃fragile;〃 my education has taught me to have some consideration for the
  truth。 I am done。
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  CONDENSED NOVELS
  CHAPTER II。
  I  was   born    in  Missouri。    My    dislike   for  the   Northern     scum    was
  inherent。     This   was   shown;     at  an  early   age;   in  the  extreme     distaste   I
  exhibited for Webster's spelling…book;the work of a well…known Eastern
  Abolitionist。 I cannot be too grateful for the consideration shown by  my
  chivalrous father;a gentleman of the old school;who resisted to the last
  an   attempt   to   introduce   Mitchell's   Astronomy   and   Geography   into   the
  public school of our district。 When I state that this same Mitchell became
  afterward a hireling helot in the Yankee Army; every intelligent reader will
  appreciate the prophetic discrimination of this true son of the South。
  I was eight years old when I struck the first blow for Southern freedom
  against   the   Northern   Tyrant。   It   is   hardly   necessary   to   state   that   in   this
  instance      the    oppressor      was     a   pale;    overworked        New      England
  〃schoolmarm。〃 The principle for which I was contending; I felt; however;
  to   be   the   same。   Resenting   an   affront   put   upon   me;   I   one   day   heaved   a
  rock*     at  the   head    of  the   Vandal     schoolmistress。      I  was    seized   and
  overpowered。  My  pen   falters   as   I   reach   the   climax。  English   readers   will
  not   give   credit   to   this   sickening   story;the   civilized   world   will   avert   its
  head;but I; Mary McGillup; was publicly SPANKED!
  * NOTE; BY G。 A。 S。In the Southwest; any stone larger than a pea
  is termed 〃a rock。〃
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  CONDENSED NOVELS
  CHAPTER III。
  But the chaotic vortex of civil war approached; and fell destruction;
  often procrastinated; brooded in storm。* As the English people may like to
  know what was really the origin of the rebellion; I have no hesitation in
  giving   them  the   true   and   only  cause。   Slavery  had   nothing   to   do   with   it;
  although the violation of the Declaration of Independence; in the disregard
  by   the   North   of   the   Fugitive   Slave   Law;**   might   have   provoked   a   less
  fiery  people   than the   Southrons。 At   the  inception   of the  struggle   a  large
  amount of Southern indebtedness was held by the people of the North。 To
  force     payment      from     the   generous      but   insolvent     debtorto     obtain
  liquidation      from    the   Southern      planterwas     really    the   soulless    and
  mercenary   object   of   the   craven   Northerners。   Let   the   common   people   of
  England      look    to  this。  Let   the  improvident      literary   hack;    the  starved
  impecunious   Grub   Street   debtor;   the   newspaper   frequenter   of   sponging…
  houses; remember this in their criticisms of the vile and slavish Yankee。
  *   I   make   no   pretension   to   fine   writing;   but   perhaps   Mrs。   Hardinge
  can lay over that。 O; of course! M。 McG。
  ** The Declaration of Independence grants to each subject 〃the pursuit
  of life; liberty; and happiness。〃 A fugitive slave may be said to personify
  〃life; liberty; and happiness。〃 Hence his pursuit is really legal。 This is logic。
  G。 A。 S。
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  CONDENSED NOVELS
  CHAPTER IV。
  The   roasting   of   an Abolitionist;   by   a   greatly   infuriated   community;
  was my first taste of the horrors of civil war。 Heavens! Why will the North
  persist in this fratricidal warfare? The expulsion of several Union refugees;
  which soon followed; now fairly plunged my beloved State in the seething
  vortex。
  I was sitting at the piano one afternoon; singing that stirring refrain; so
  justly   celebrated;   but   which   a   craven   spirit;   unworthy   of   England;   has
  excluded   from  some   of   her   principal   restaurants;  and   was   dwelling   with
  some enthusiasm on the following line:
  〃Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum!〃
  when a fragment of that scum; clothed in that detestable blue uniform
  which   is   the   symbol   of   oppression;   entered   the   apartment。   〃I   have   the
  honor   of   addressing   the   celebrated   rebel   spy;   Miss   McGillup;〃   said   the
  Vandal officer。
  In   a   moment   I   was   perfectly   calm。   With   the   exception   of   slightly
  expectorating twice in the face of the minion; I did not betray my agitation。
  Haughtily; yet firmly; I replied:
  〃I am。〃
  〃You looked as if you might be;〃 the brute replied; as he turned on his
  heel to leave the apartment。
  In   an   instant   I   threw   myself   before   him。   〃You   shall   not   leave   here
  thus;〃 I shrieked; grappling him with an energy which no one; seeing my
  frail figure; would have believed。 〃I know the reputation of your hireling
  crew。   I   read   your   dreadful   purpose   in   your   eye。   Tell   me   not   that   your
  designs are not sinister。 You came here to insult me;to kiss me; perhaps。
  You sha'n't;you naughty man。 Go away!〃
  The blush of conscious degradation rose to the cheek of the   Lincoln
  hireling as he turned his face away from mine。
  In an instant I drew my pistol from my belt; which; in anticipation of
  some such outrage; I always carried; and shot him。
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  CONDENSED NOVELS
  CHAPTER V。
  〃Thy forte was less to act than speak;           Maryland! Thy politics were
  changed each week;          Maryland! With Northern Vandals thou wast meek;
  With   sympathizers   thou   wouldst   shriek;   I   know