第 28 节
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changed each week; Maryland! With Northern Vandals thou wast meek;
With sympathizers thou wouldst shriek; I know theeO; 'twas like thy
cheek! Maryland! my Maryland!〃
After committing the act described in the preceding chapter; which
every English reader will pardon; I went up stairs; put on a clean pair of
stockings; and; placing a rose in my lustrous black hair; proceeded at once
to the camp of Generals Price and Mosby to put them in possession of
information which would lead to the destruction of a portion of the Federal
Army。 During a great part of my flight I was exposed to a running fire
from the Federal pickets of such coarse expressions as; 〃Go it; Sally Reb;〃
〃Dust it; my Confederate beauty;〃 but I succeeded in reaching the glorious
Southern camp uninjured。
In a week afterwards I was arrested; by a lettre de cachet of Mr。
Stanton; and placed in the Bastile。 British readers of my story will express
surprise at these terms; but I assure them that not only these articles but
tumbrils; guillotines; and conciergeries were in active use among the
Federals。 If substantiation be required; I refer to the Charleston Mercury;
the only reliable organ; next to the New York Daily News; published in the
country。 At the Bastile I made the acquaintance of the accomplished and
elegant author of Guy Livingstone;* to whom I presented a curiously
carved thigh…bone of a Union officer; and from whom I received the
following beautiful acknowledgment:
〃Demoiselle:Should I ever win hame to my ain countrie; I make
mine avow to enshrine in my reliquaire this elegant bijouterie and offering
of La Belle Rebelle。 Nay; methinks this fraction of man's anatomy were
some compensation for the rib lost by the 'grand old gardener;' Adam。〃
* The recent conduct of Mr。 Livingstone renders him unworthy of my
notice。 His disgusting praise of Belle Boyd; and complete ignoring of my
claims; show the artfulness of some females and puppyism of some men。
M。 McG。
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CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER VI。
Released at last from durance vile and placed on board of an Erie
canal…boat; on my way to Canada; I for a moment breathed the sweets of
liberty。 Perhaps the interval gave me opportunity to indulge in certain
reveries which I had hitherto sternly dismissed。 Henry Breckinridge Folair;
a consistent copperhead; captain of the canal… boat; again and again
pressed that suit I had so often rejected。
It was a lovely moonlight night。 We sat on the deck of the gliding craft。
The moonbeam and the lash of the driver fell softly on the flanks of the off
horse; and only the surging of the tow…rope broke the silence。 Folair's arm
clasped my waist。 I suffered it to remain。 Placing in my lap a small but not
ungrateful roll of checkerberry lozenges; he took the occasion to repeat
softly in my ear the words of a motto he had just unwrappedwith its
graceful covering of the tissue paperfrom a sugar almond。 The heart of
the wicked little rebel; Mary McGillup; was won!
The story of Mary McGillup is done。 I might have added the journal of
my husband; Henry Breckinridge Folair; but as it refers chiefly to his
freights; and a schedule of his passengers; I have been obliged; reluctantly;
to suppress it。
It is due to my friends to say that I have been requested not to write
this book。 Expressions have reached my ears; the reverse of
complimentary。 I have been told that its publication will probably insure
my banishment for life。 Be it so。 If the cause for which I labored have
been subserved; I am content。
LONDON; May; 1865。
End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Condensed Novels; by Bret
Harte
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