Stuart bellowed: 「Jeems!」 And after an interval a tall black boy of their own age ran breathlessly around the house and out toward the tethered horses. Jeems was their body servant and, like the dogs, accompanied them everywhere. He had been their childhood playmate and had been given to the twins for their own on their tenth birthday. At the sight of him, the Tarleton hounds rose up out of the red dust and stood waiting expectantly for their masters. The boys bowed, shook hands and told Scarlett they』d be over at the Wilkeses』 early in the morning, waiting for her. Then they were off down the walk at a rush, mounted their horses and, followed by Jeems, went down the avenue of cedars at a gallop, waving their hats and yelling back to her.
斯圖特一聲吼道：「吉姆士！」過了一會兒，就見一個跟他們年紀相仿的高大黑小子氣喘籲籲地從屋子拐角跑出來，朝拴著的馬跑去。吉姆士是他們的貼身伴當，像狗似的到處陪著他們。他是他們小時候的玩伴，在他們十歲生日那天就送給他們使喚了。塔爾頓家的獵狗一見到他，趕緊在紅土上跳起身，站好等候主人。哥兒倆跟斯佳麗點點頭，握握手，說明兒一早他們就到韋爾克斯家等她。說罷他們就匆匆走下小徑，騎上馬，後面跟著吉姆士，順著兩排雪松的林蔭道一溜小跑而去，一邊揮舞帽子，一邊朝她喊話。
When they had rounded the curve of the dusty road that hid them from Tara, Brent drew his horse to a stop under a clump of dogwood. Stuart halted, too, and the darky boy pulled up a few paces behind them. The horses, feeling slack reins, stretched down their necks to crop the tender spring grass, and the patient hounds lay down again in the soft red dust and looked up longingly at the chimney swallows circling in the gathering dusk. Brent’s wide ingenuous face was puzzled and mildly indignant.
但等繞過那條一片塵土的道路的拐彎，看不見塔拉莊園了，布倫特才在山茱萸樹叢下勒住馬。斯圖特也按馬不動，黑小子在後面幾步路外也停了下來。三匹馬感到韁繩鬆了，都往下伸長脖子去啃嫩青草，耐心的獵狗又在鬆軟的紅土上躺下，痴心仰望在蒼茫暮色中盤旋的燕子。布倫特那張一副老實相的臉上露出困惑和微微慍怒的神色。
「Look,」 he said. 「Don’t it look to you like she would of asked us to stay for supper?」
「I thought she would,」 said Stuart. I kept waiting for her to do it, but she didn’t. What do you make of it?」
「I don’t make anything of it But it just looks to me like she might of. After all, it’s our first day home and she hasn’t seen us in quite a spell. And we had lots more things to tell her.」
「It looked to me like she was mighty glad to see us when we came.」
「I thought so, too.」
「And then, about a half-hour ago, she got kind of quiet, like she had a headache.」
「I noticed that but I didn’t pay it any mind then. What do you suppose ailed her?」
「I dunno. Do you suppose we said something that made her mad?」
「聽我說，」他說，「你看，她像是會留我們吃飯的嗎？」
「我原還以為她會呢，」斯圖特說，「我一直等著她開口，誰知她沒開口。你明白是怎麼回事嗎？」
「我弄不明白。不過照我看來，她本來會請我們吃飯的。說到頭來，今兒畢竟是我們回家的頭一天啊，她有好一陣子沒看見我們了。我們也有好多事要跟她說呢。」
「照我看來，我們剛到時她看見我們還高興得不得了呢。」
「我也這麼想。」
「後來，大約半小時前，她就有點兒沉默了，像是頭痛了。」
「我也看到了，可我當時沒在意。你看她怎麼啦？」
「我不知道。你看我們說過惹她生氣的話嗎？」
They both thought for a minute.
「I can’t think of anything. Besides, when Scarlett gets mad, everybody knows it. She don’t hold herself in like some girls do.」
「Yes, that’s what I like about her. She don’t go around being cold and hateful when she’s mad—she tells you about it. But it was something we did or said that made her shut up talking and look sort of sick. I could swear she was glad to see us when we came and was aiming to ask us to supper.」
他倆想了一會兒。
「我想不出什麼話啊。再說，斯佳麗生起氣來，大家都有數。她可不像有些姑娘全擱在心裡。」
「是啊，我就是喜歡她這點。她生起氣來決不會冷冰冰，一副討厭相——她會跟你明說的。準是我們說的話，做的事裡有什麼地方得罪了她，她才閉上嘴，臉色難看了。我敢說，我們剛來的時候，她看見我們還是很高興的，還打算請我們吃飯呢。」
「You don’t suppose it’s because we got expelled?」
「Hell, no! Don’t be a fool. She laughed like everything when we told her about it. And besides Scarlett don’t set any more store by book learning than we do.」
Brent turned in the saddle and called to the negro groom.
「Jeems!」
「Suh?」
「You heard what we were talking to Miss Scarlett about?」
「Nawsuh, Mist』 Brent! Huccome you think Ah be spyin』 on w』ite folks?」 「Spying, my God! You darkies know everything that goes on. Why, you liar, I saw you with my own eyes sidle round the corner of the porch and squat in the cape jessamine bush by the wall.
Now, did you hear us say anything that might have made Miss Scarlett mad—or hurt her feelings?」
「你看，不見得是我們被開除的緣故吧？」
「才不呢！別傻了。我們告訴她這事，她聽了還樂得什麼似的呢。再說，斯佳麗跟我們也差不離，並不看重念書的。」
布倫特在鞍上回過頭去，叫那個黑小子。
「吉姆士！」
「少爺？」
「你聽到我們跟斯佳麗小姐談什麼了嗎？」
「沒，沒，布倫特少爺！你想我怎會偷聽白人說話呢？」
「偷聽，我的天哪！你們黑人什麼事情都知道。哼，你騙人，我親眼看見你側著身子挨到門廊拐角，蹲在牆腳一簇白茉莉樹那兒。得，你聽到我們說了什麼可能惹斯佳麗小姐生氣——或傷她心的話？」
Thus appealed to, Teems gave up further pretense of not having overheard the conversation and furrowed his black brow. 「Nawsuh, Ah din』 notice y』all say anything ter mek her mad. Look ter me lak she sho glad tersee you an』 sho had missed you, an』 she cheep along happy as a bird, tell 『bout de time y』all got tertalkin』 『bout Mist』 Ashley an』 Miss Melly Hamilton gittin』 mah』ied. Den she quiet down lak a birdw』en de hawk fly ober.」
The twins looked at each other and nodded, but without comprehension.
「Jeems is right. But I don’t see why,」 said Stuart. 「My Lord! Ashley don’t mean anything to her,『cept a friend. She’s not crazy about him. It’s us she’s crazy about.」
Brent nodded an agreement.
「But do you suppose,」 he said, 「that maybe Ashley hadn’t told her he was going to announce it tomorrow night and she was mad at him for not telling her, an old friend, before he told everybody else? Girls set a big store on knowing such things first.」
「Well, maybe. But what if he hadn’t told her it was tomorrow? It was supposed to be a secret and a surprise, and a man’s got a right to keep his own engagement quiet, hasn’t he? We wouldn’t have known it if Miss Melly’s aunt hadn’t let it out. But Scarlett must have known he was going to marry Miss Melly sometime. Why, we』ve known it for years. The Wilkes and Hamiltons always marry their own cousins. Everybody knew he』d probably marry her some day, just like Honey Wilkes is going to marry Miss Melly’s brother, Charles.」
「Well, I give it up. But I’m sorry she didn’t ask us to supper. I swear I don’t want to go home and listen to Ma take on about us being expelled. It isn’t as if this was the first time.」
「Maybe Boyd will have smoothed her down by now. You know what a slick talker that little varmint is. You know he always can smooth her down.」
「Yes, he can do it, but it takes Boyd time. He has to talk around in circles till Ma gets so confused that she gives up and tells him to save his voice for his law practice. But he ain’t had time to get good started yet. Why, I』ll bet you Ma is still so excited about the new horse that she』ll never even realize we’re home again till She sits down to supper tonight and sees Boyd. And before supper is over she』ll be going strong and breathing fire. And it』ll be ten o』clock before Boyd gets a chance to tell her that it wouldn’t have been honorable for any of us to stay in college after the way the Chancellor talked to you and me. And it』ll be midnight before he gets her turned around to where she’s so mad at the Chancellor she』ll be asking Boyd why he didn’t shoot him. No, we can’t go home till after midnight」
經這麼一求，吉姆士就不再裝作沒聽到談話了，只是皺皺黑眉頭。
「沒，少爺。我沒聽見你們說了什麼惹她生氣的話。照我看來，她看見你們好像很高興，的確很惦記你們哪，她一直唧唧喳喳，樂得像小鳥，到後來你們告訴她阿希禮先生和玫荔·漢密頓小姐要結婚了，那時她才像小鳥看見老鷹飛過去那樣安靜了下來。」
哥兒倆面面相覷，點點頭，不過還是沒明白過來。
「吉姆士說得對。可我看不出這是為什麼，」斯圖特說。「我的天哪！阿希禮對她又算不上什麼，只是個朋友罷了。她又沒愛上他。她愛上的是我們倆啊。」
布倫特點頭表示同意。
「你想會不會是阿希禮沒告訴過她明天晚上要宣布這事，她為了他在告訴大伙兒前沒先跟她這個老朋友說一聲，就此生他的氣了？姑娘家把先知道這類事情看得很重的。
「說起來倒也是。不過如果他沒告訴她明天宣布，那又怎麼樣？這種事原該是樁秘密事兒，是件意外喜訊，做男人的總有權利對自己訂婚的事保守秘密吧？要是玫荔小姐的姑媽沒透露，我們都還不知道呢。不過斯佳麗一定知道他總有一天要娶玫荔小姐的。嗐，我們都知道了好多年啦。韋爾克斯家和漢密頓家一向是表親通婚的。人人都知道他大概總有一天會娶她的，正像霍妮·韋爾克斯也要嫁給玫荔的哥哥查爾斯一樣。」
「得了，我不去想這事了。可她不請我們吃飯我總不大痛快。我發誓絕對不願回家去聽媽痛罵我們被開除的事。這可不見得是頭一回了。」
「不定這會兒博伊德已經把她的氣平下來了。你知道這小淘氣鬼一張嘴多麼能說會道。你知道他一向能把她的氣平下來的。」
「是啊，博伊德雖然能辦到，可也得花時間。他得繞著圈子說話，繞得她搞糊塗了，只好罷休，叫他留點說話力氣去當律師用。可是這會兒他還沒時間開個頭呢。嗐，我敢打賭，媽至今對那匹新馬還挺起勁，要到今晚坐下來吃飯，看見博伊德，她才會想起我們又回到家裡來了。晚飯沒吃完，她就越想越火，氣得七竅生煙。要到十點鐘，博伊德才有機會跟她說，自從校長對你我那樣訓話以後，我們留在學校裡臉上都不會光彩。要到半夜時分，博伊德才會說得她回心轉意，把火氣出到校長身上，問博伊德幹嗎不一槍把校長崩了。不行，我們要等到半夜過了才能回去。」
The twins looked at each other glumly. They were completely fearless of wild horses, shooting affrays and the indignation of their neighbors, but they had a wholesome fear of their red-haired mother’s outspoken remarks and the riding crop that she did not scruple to lay across their breeches.
「Well, look,」 said Brent. 「Let’s go over to the Wilkes』. Ashley and the girls』ll be glad to have us for supper.」
Stuart looked a little discomforted.
「No, don’t let’s go there. They』ll be in a stew getting ready for the barbecue tomorrow and besides—」
「Oh, I forgot about that,」 said Brent hastily. 「No, don’t let’s go there.」
哥兒倆怏怏不樂地面面相覷。他倆對馴養野馬、開槍鬧事、鄰居發火什麼的全都不怕，怕就怕紅頭髮的母親老實不客氣的數落，還怕她用馬鞭毫無顧忌地抽他們屁股。
「得了，聽我說，」布倫特說。「我們就上韋爾克斯家去吧。阿希禮兄妹一定願意留我們吃飯的。」
斯圖特看上去有點不安。
「不，還是別去吧。他們家準備明天的野宴一定忙得不可開交，再說——」
「噢，這我倒忘了。」布倫特匆匆說。「好，我們就別去。」
They clucked to their horses and rode along in silence for a while, a flush of embarrassment on Stuart’s brown cheeks. Until the previous summer, Stuart had courted India Wilkes with the approbation of both families and the entire County. The County felt that perhaps the cool and contained India Wilkes would have a quieting effect on him. They fervently hoped so, at any rate.
And Stuart might have made the match, but Brent had not been satisfied. Brent liked India but he hought her mighty plain and tame, and he simply could not fall in love with her himself to keep Stuart company. That was the first time the twins』 interest had ever diverged, and Brent was resentful of his brother’s attentions to a girl who seemed to him not at all remarkable.
他們對著馬一聲吆喝，就默默騎了一陣子，斯圖特那張棕色的臉不由臊紅了。原來，去年夏天以前，在雙方家裡和全縣的人一致首肯下，斯圖特就一直在追求印第亞·韋爾克斯。縣裡的人覺得印第亞·韋爾克斯性子冷靜沉著，對他可以起點安定的作用。總而言之，大家都熱心地抱著這希望。斯圖特興許找到了對象，布倫特可不滿意了。布倫特也喜歡印第亞，但他認為她長得太醜，性子又太溫順，斯圖特跟她談戀愛，他簡直無法奉陪，這是哥兒倆頭一回趣味不投。布倫特認為這姑娘絲毫也不出眾，而他兄弟卻對之大獻殷勤，不免心裡不痛快。
Then, last summer at a political speaking in a grove of oak trees at Jonesboro, they bothsuddenly became aware of Scarlett O』Hara. They had known her for years, and, since their childhood, she had been a favorite playmate, for she could ride horses and climb trees almost as well as they. But now to their amazement she had become a grown-up young lady and quite the most charming one in all the world.
They noticed for the first time how her green eyes danced, how deep her dimples were when she laughed, how tiny her hands and feet and what a small waist she had. Their clever remarks sent her into merry peals of laughter and, inspired by the thought that she considered them a remarkable pair, they fairly outdid themselves.
後來，到了去年夏天，在瓊斯博羅橡樹林舉行的一次政治講演會上，他們倆忽然一下子都注意到斯佳麗·奧哈拉了。他們認識她多年了，打小時候起，她就是最討人喜歡的玩伴，因為她會騎馬，會爬樹，幾乎跟他們一樣。誰知叫他們大吃一驚的是她竟出落成一個妙齡少女了，而且也算得上天下最嬌媚的姑娘。
他們頭一回注意到她笑的時候那對綠眼睛多麼靈活，那對酒窩多麼深，她的手腳多麼纖巧，她的腰肢多麼苗條。他們一番花言巧語哄得她發出一串銀鈴般的歡笑聲，他們就此以為她把他們看成一對稀世至寶，益發使出了渾身解數。
It was a memorable day in the life of the twins. Thereafter, when they talked it over, they always wondered just why they had failed to notice Scarlett’s charms before. They never arrived at the correct answer, which was that Scarlett on that day had decided to make them notice. She was constitutionally unable to endure any man being in love with any woman not herself, and the sight of India Wilkes and Stuart at the speaking had been too much for her predatory nature. Not content with Stuart alone, she had set her cap for Brent as well, and with a thoroughness that overwhelmed the two of them.
Now they were both in love with her, and India Wilkes and Letty Munroe, from Lovejoy, whom Brent had been half-heartedly courting, were far in the back of their minds. Just what the loser would do, should Scarlett accept either one of them, the twins did not ask. They would cross that bridge when they came to it. For the present they were quite satisfied to be in accord again about one girl, for they had no jealousies between them. It was a situation which interested the neighbors and annoyed their mother, who had no liking for Scarlett.
這是哥兒倆一生中值得紀念的一天。因此，他們一談起這事，總是想知道他們為什麼早先沒注意到斯佳麗的魅力。他們根本得不出正確的答案，原來那一天斯佳麗是存心引他們注目的。她生來就容不得任何男人同任何女人談戀愛，而不是同她，她一看見印第亞同斯圖特說話，她那副強橫的脾氣就受不了。她看上了斯圖特還不滿足，連布倫特也看上了，乾脆把哥兒倆一起拉攏了。
布倫特原來半心半意地追求過洛夫喬伊一個姑娘，萊蒂·芒羅，現在他們倆都同她談上了戀愛，乾脆把印第亞和萊蒂都拋到九霄雲外了。哥兒倆可沒問如果斯佳麗接受他們其中一個的愛，失意的那個怎麼辦。反正船到橋頭自會直。目前他們對一致追求一個姑娘十分滿意，因為兄弟間倒沒有爭風吃醋。鄰居看到這個情況都很感興趣，他們的母親卻很煩惱，因為她並不喜歡斯佳麗。
「It will serve you right if that sly piece does accept one of you,」 she said. 「Or maybe she』ll accept both of you, and then you』ll have to move to Utah, if the Mormons』ll have you—which I doubt. ... All that bothers me is that some one of these days you’re both going to get lickered up and jealous of each other about that two-faced, little, green-eyed baggage, and you』ll shoot each other. But that might not be a bad idea either.」
Since the day of the speaking, Stuart had been uncomfortable in India’s presence. Not that India ever reproached him or even indicated by look or gesture that she was aware of his abruptly changed allegiance. She was too much of a lady. But Stuart felt guilty and ill at ease with her. He knew he had made India love him and he knew that she still loved him and, deep in his heart, he had the feeling that he had not played the gentleman. He still liked her tremendously and respected her for her cool good breeding, her book learning and all the sterling qualities she possessed. But,damn it, she was just so pallid and uninteresting and always the same, beside Scarlett’s bright and changeable charm. You always knew where you stood with India and you never had the slightest notion with Scarlett. That was enough to drive a man to distraction, but it had its charm.
「如果那個鬼丫頭相中你們哪一個，誰就活該，」她說，「也許她兩個都相中，那你們就只好搬到猶他州去，當地摩門教徒〔18〕肯不肯收留你們——我可不知道……我傷腦筋的只是總有一天你們倆都要給那個兩面三刀的綠眼珠小妖精害得喝個爛醉，爭風吃醋，那時就開槍決鬥。不過那麼著倒也不壞。」
自從那天講演會以後，斯圖特見了印第亞就不自在。倒不是印第亞責罵過他突然變了心，也不是在眼色裡或舉止中流露出她看出他變了心。她這位小姐賢惠得要命。可是斯圖特對她總感到內疚不安。他知道他已經使印第亞愛上了他，他知道她內心還愛著他，他心裡感到自己做事不像堂堂男子漢。他依然非常愛她，尊重她有較好的教養，有學問，還有種種優良品德。可是，真見鬼，同斯佳麗那活潑善變的魅力相比，她總顯得呆板、乏味，而且老是一成不變。碰到印第亞你總是知道該怎麼湊她的興，碰到斯佳麗你就一點兒都摸不著邊。這點真夠叫男人掉了魂似的，可是魅力就在這兒。
「Well, let’s go over to Cade Calvert’s and have supper. Scarlett said Cathleen was home from Charleston. Maybe she』ll have some news about Fort Sumter that we haven’t heard.」
「Not Cathleen. I』ll lay you two to one she didn’t even know the fort was out there in the harbor,much less that it was full of Yankees until we shelled them out. All she』ll know about is the ballsshe went to and the beaux she collected.」
「Well, it’s fun to hear her gabble. And it』ll be somewhere to hide out till Ma has gone to bed.」
「Well, hell! I like Cathleen and she is fun and I』d like to hear about Caro Rhett and the rest of the Charleston folks; but I’m damned if I can stand sitting through another meal with that Yankee stepmother of hers.」 「Don’t be too hard on her, Stuart. She means well.」
「I’m not being hard on her. I feel sorry for her, but I don’t like people I』ve got to feel sorry for.
And she fusses around so much, trying to do the right thing and make you feel at home, that she always manages to say and do just exactly the wrong thing. She gives me the fidgets! And she thinks Southerners wild barbarians. She even told Ma so. She’s afraid of Southerners. Whenever we’retheres(are) he always looks scared to death. She reminds me of a skinny hen perched on a chair, her eyes kind of bright and blank and scared, all ready to flap and squawk at the slightest move anybody makes.」
「Well, you can’t blame her. You did shoot Cade in the leg.」
「Well, I was lickered up or I wouldn’t have done it,」 said Stuart. 「And Cade never had any hardfeelings. Neither did Cathleen or Raiford or Mr. Calvert. It was just that Yankee stepmother who squalled and said I was a wild barbarian and decent people weren’t safe around uncivilized Southerners.」
「Well, you can’t blame her. She’s a Yankee and ain’t got very good manners; and, after all, you did shoot him and he is her stepson.」
「Well, hell! That’s no excuse for insulting me! You are Ma’s own blood son, but did she take on that time Tony Fontaine shot you in the leg? No, she just sent for old Doc Fontaine to dress it and asked the doctor what ailed Tony’s aim. Said she guessed licker was spoiling his marks manship. Remember how mad that made Tony?」
Both boys yelled with laughter.
「Ma’s a card!」 said Brent with loving approval. 「You can always count on her to do the right thing and not embarrass you in front of folks.」 「Yes, but she’s mighty liable to talk embarrassing in front of Father and the girls when we gethome tonight,」 said Stuart gloomily. 「Look, Brent. I guess this means we don’t go to Europe. Youknow Mother said if we got expelled from another college we couldn’t have our Grand Tour.」 「Well, hell! We don’t care, do we? What is there to see in Europe? I』ll bet those foreigners can’t show us a thing we haven’t got right here in Georgia. I』ll bet their horses aren’t as fast or their girls as pretty, and I know damn well they haven’t got any rye whisky that can touch Father’s.」
「Ashley Wilkes said they had an awful lot of scenery and music. Ashley liked Europe. He’s always talking about it.」
「Well—you know how the Wilkes are. They are kind of queer about music and books and scenery. Mother says it’s because their grandfather came from Virginia. She says Virginians set quite a store by such things.」
「They can have 『em. Give me a good horse to ride and some good licker to drink and a good girlto court and a bad girl to have fun with and anybody can have their Europe. ... What do we care about missing the Tour? Suppose we were in Europe now, with the war coming on? We couldn’t get home soon enough. I』d heap rather go to a war than go to Europe.」
「So would I, any day. ... Look, Brent! I know where we can go for supper. Let’s ride across the swamp to Abel Wynder’s place and tell him we’re all four home again and ready for drill.」
「That’s an idea!」 cried Brent with enthusiasm. 「And we can hear all the news of the Troop and find out what color they finally decided on for the uniforms.」
「If it’s Zouave, I’m damned if I』ll go in the troop. I』d feel like a sissy in those baggy red pants.
They look like ladies』 red flannel drawers to me.」
「Is y』all aimin』 ter go ter Mist』 Wynder’s? 『Cause ef you is, you ain』 gwine git much supper,」 said Jeems.
「Dey cook done died, an』 dey ain』 bought a new one. Dey got a fe』el han』 cookin』, an』 de niggers tells me she is de wustest cook in de state.」
「Good God! Why don’t they buy another cook?」
「Huccome po』 w』ite trash buy any niggers? Dey ain』 never owned mo』n fo』 at de mostes』.」
There was frank contempt in Jeems』 voice. His own social status was assured because the Tarletons owned a hundred negroes and, like all slaves of large planters, he looked down on small farmers whose slaves were few.
「I’m going to beat your hide off for that,」 cried Stuart fiercely. 「Don’t you call Abel Wynder『po』 white.』 Sure he’s poor, but he ain’t trash; and I’m damned if I』ll have any man, darky or White, throwing off on him. There ain’t a better man in this County, or why else did the Troopelect him lieutenant?」
「Ah ain』 never figgered dat out, mahseff,」 replied Jeems, undisturbed by his master’s scowl.
「Look ter me lak dey』d 『lect all de awficers frum rich gempmum, 『stead of swamp trash.」
「He ain’t trash! Do you mean to compare him with real white trash like the Slatterys? Abel justain’t rich. He’s a small farmer, not a big planter, and if the boys thought enough of him to elect him lieutenant, then it’s not for any darky to talk impudent about him. The Troop knows what it’sdoing.」
The troop of cavalry had been organized three months before, the very day that Georgia secededfrom the Union, and since then the recruits had been whistling for war. The outfit was as yetunnamed, though not for want of suggestions. Everyone had his own idea on that subject and wasloath to relinquish it, just as everyone had ideas about the color and cut of the uniforms. 「ClaytonWild Cats,」 「Fire Eaters,」 「North Georgia Hussars,」 「Zouaves,」 「The Inland Rifles」 (although theTroop was to be armed with pistols, sabers and bowie knives, and not with rifles), 「The ClaytonGrays,」 「The Blood and Thunderers,」 「The Rough and Readys,」 all had their adherents. Untilmatters were settled, everyone referred to the organization as the Troop and, despite the high-sounding name finally adopted, they were known to the end of their usefulness simply as 「TheTroop.」
The officers were elected by the members, for no one in the County had had any militaryexperience except a few veterans of the Mexican and Seminole wars and, besides, the Troop wouldhave scorned a veteran as a leader if they had not personally liked him and trusted him. Everyone liked the four Tarleton boys and the three Fontaines, but regretfully refused to elect them, becausethe Tarletons got lickered up too quickly and liked to skylark, and the Fontaines had such quick, murderous tempers. Ashley Wilkes was elected captain, because he was the best rider in theCounty and because his cool head was counted on to keep some semblance of order. RaifordCalvert was made first lieutenant, because everybody liked Raif, and Abel Wynder, son of aswamp trapper, himself a small farmer, was elected second lieutenant.
Abel was a shrewd, grave giant, illiterate, kind of heart, older than the other boys and with asgood or better manners in the presence of ladies. There was little snobbery in the Troop. Too manyof their fathers and grandfathers had come up to wealth from the small farmer class for that.
Moreover, Abel was the best shot in the Troop, a real sharpshooter who could pick out the eye of asquirrel at seventy-five yards, and, too, he knew all about living outdoors, building fires in the rain,tracking animals and finding water. The Troop bowed to real worth and moreover, because theyliked him, they made him an officer. He bore the honor gravely and with no untoward conceit, asthough it were only his due. But the planters』 ladies and the planters』 slaves could not overlook thefact that he was not born a gentleman, even if their men folks could.
In the beginning, the Troop had been recruited exclusively from the of planters, a gentleman’s outfit, each supplying his own horse,arms,equipment,unif(sons) orm and body servant. But rich planters were(man) few in the young county of Clayton, and, in order to muster a full-strength troop, it had been necessary to raise more recruits among the sons of small farmers,hunters in the backwoods, swamp trappers, Crackers and, in a very few cases, even poor whites, if they were above the average of their class.
These latter young men were as anxious to fight the Yankees, should war come, as were their richer neighbors; but the delicate question of money arose. Few small farmers owned horses. Theycarried on their farm operations with mules and they had no surplus of these, seldom more thanfour. The mules could not be spared to go off to war, even if they had been acceptable for the Troop, which they emphatically were not. As for the poor whites, they considered themselves welloff if they owned one mule. The backwoods folks and the swamp dwellers owned neither horsesnor mules. They lived entirely off the produce of their lands and the game in the swamp,conducting their business generally by the barter system and seldom seeing five dollars in cash ayear, and horses and uniforms were out of their reach. But they were as fiercely proud in their poverty as the planters were in their wealth, and they would accept nothing that smacked of charity from their rich neighbors. So, to save the feelings of all and to bring the Troop up to full strength,Scarlett’s father, John Wilkes, Buck Munroe, Jim Tarleton, Hugh Calvert, in fact every large planter in the County with the one exception of Angus Macintosh, had contributed money to completelyoutfit the Troop, horse and man. The upshot of the matter was that every planter agreed topay for equipping his own sons and a certain number of the others, but the manner of handling the arrangements was such that the less wealthy members of the outfit could accept horses anduniforms without offense to their honor. The Troop met twice a week in Jonesboro to drill and to pray for the war to begin. Arrangements had not yet been completed for obtaining the full quota of horses, but those who had horsesperformed what they imagined to be cavalry maneuvers in the field behind the courthouse, kickedup a great deal of dust, yelled themselves hoarse and waved the Revolutionary-war swords that had been taken down from parlor walls. Those who, as yet, had no horses sat on the curb in front ofBullard’s store and watched their mounted comrades, chewed tobacco and told yarns. Or else engaged in shooting matches. There need to teach any of the men to shoot. Most Southerners were born with guns in their ha(was) nds,(no) and lives spent in hunting had made marksmen of them all.
From planters』 homes and swamp cabins, a varied array of firearms came to each muster. Therewere long squirrel guns that had been new when first the Alleghenies were crossed, old muzzle-loaders that had claimed many an Indian when Georgia was new, horse pistols that had seenservice in 1812, in the Seminole wars and in Mexico, silver-mounted dueling pistols, pocketderringers, double-barreled hunting pieces and handsome new rifles of English make with shiningstocks of fine wood.
Drill always ended in the saloons of Jonesboro, and by nightfall so many fights had broken outthat the officers were hard put to ward off casualties until the Yankees could inflict them. It wasduring one of these brawls that Stuart Tarleton had shot Cade Calvert and Tony Fontaine had shotBrent. The twins had been at home, freshly expelled from the University of Virginia, at the timethe Troop was organized and they had joined enthusiastically; but after the shooting episode, twomonths ago, their mother had packed them off to the state university, with orders to stay there.
They had sorely missed the excitement of the drills while away, and they counted education welllost if only they could ride and yell and shoot off rifles in the company of their friends.
「Well, let’s cut across country to Abel’s,」 suggested Brent. 「We can go through Mr. O』Hara’sriver bottom and the Fontaine’s pasture and get there in no time.」
「We ain』 gwine git nothin』 ter eat 『cept possum an』 greens,」 argued Jeems.
「You ain’t going to get anything,」 grinned Stuart 「Because you are going home and tell Ma thatwe won’t be home for supper.」
「No, Ah ain』!」 cried Jeems in alarm. 「No, Ah ain』! Ah doan git no mo』 fun outer havin』 MissBeetriss lay me out dan y』all does. Fust place she』ll ast me huccome Ah let y』all git expelled agin.
An』 nex』 thing, huccome Ah din』 bring y』all home ternight so she could lay you out An』 den she』lllight on me lak a duck on a June bug, an』 fust thing Ah know Ah』ll be ter blame fer it all. Ef y』alldoan tek me ter Mist』 Wynder’s, Ah』ll lay out in de woods all night an』 maybe de patterollers gitme, 『cause Ah heap ruther de patterollers git me dan Miss Beetriss when she in a state.」
The twins looked at the determined black boy in perplexity and indignation.
「He』d be just fool enough to let the patterollers get him and that would give Ma something elseto talk about for weeks. I swear, darkies are more trouble. Sometimes I think the Abolitionists havegot the right idea.」
「Well, it wouldn’t be right to make Jeems face what we don’t want to face. We』ll have to takehim. But, look, you impudent black fool, if you put on any airs in front of the Wynder darkies andhint that we all the time have fried chicken and ham, while they don’t have nothing but rabbit andpossum, I』ll—I』ll tell Ma. And we won’t let you go to the war with us, either.」
「Airs? Me put on airs fo』 dem cheap niggers? Nawsuh, Ah got better manners. Ain』 MissBeetriss taught me manners same as she taught y』all?」
「She didn’t do a very good job on any of the three of us,」 said Stuart. 「Come on, let’s get going.」
He backed his big red horse and then, putting spurs to his side, lifted him easily over the splitrail fence into the soft field of Gerald O』Hara’s plantation. Brent’s horse followed and then Jeems』,with Jeems clinging to pommel and mane. Jeems did not like to jump fences, but he had jumpedhigher ones than this in order to keep up with his masters. As they picked their way across the red furrows and down the hill to the river bottom in thedeepening dusk, Brent yelled to his brother: 「Look, Stu! Don’t it seem like to you that Scarlett would have asked us to supper?」
「I kept thinking she would,」 yelled Stuart 「Why do you suppose ...」
「得，我們就上凱德·卡爾弗特家吃晚飯吧。斯佳麗說凱思琳從查爾斯頓回來了。也許她會談些我們沒聽說過的蘇姆特堡消息。」
「凱思琳才不知道呢。我跟你打賭，兩塊賭一塊，她連港口外有沒有炮臺都不知道，更別說炮臺裡全是北佬，給我們一頓炮轟打光這事了。她只知道自己跑舞會，找情人罷了。」
「得，聽聽她說廢話也有趣。總得有個地方躲躲，等到媽上床睡覺了再說啊。」
「嗐，媽的！我喜歡凱思琳，她很有趣，也想聽聽卡羅·瑞特和查爾斯頓其他一些熟人的消息；可我死也受不了跟她那個北方後娘同桌吃飯。」
「斯圖特，別讓她太難堪。她是一片好意。」
「我不是讓她難堪。我是可憐她，但要我可憐的人我並不喜歡。她拼命想討好人家，讓人家感到舒服自在，弄得手忙腳亂的，結果反而說錯話，做錯事，落不到個好。她讓我感到坐立不安！她把南方人當成蠻子。她甚至還跟媽這麼說。她怕南方人。每逢我們在場，她總是怕得要死。她真叫我想起一隻瘦得皮包骨的母雞，歇在椅子上，眼睛有點骨溜溜，發著愣，嚇壞了，只要誰有點兒動靜，它就準備拍拍翅膀，咯咯亂叫。」
「得了，你不能怪她。你的確開過槍打中凱德的腿。」
「嗐，當時我喝醉了，要不我才不會開槍呢，」斯圖特說。「凱德也從沒記什麼仇。凱思琳啊、賴福啊、卡爾弗特先生啊，都沒記過仇。只不過是那個北方後娘雞毛子喊叫說我是個蠻子，正經人家在沒開化的南方人身邊不太平啊。」
「得了，你不能怪她。她是個北方人，沒什麼禮貌；何況，你畢竟開槍打了他，他又是她的繼子。」
「嗐，媽的！那也不能成為侮辱我的理由啊！你還是媽媽的親生兒子呢，可是那回湯尼·方丹開槍打傷你的腿，她有沒有大發脾氣呢？沒有，她只是把方丹大夫請來包紮傷口，問大夫說湯尼眼力怎麼啦。說她猜想大概是他喝了酒槍法才不準吧。記得當時湯尼聽了多氣嗎？」
哥兒倆都樂得哈哈大笑。
「媽真是個厲害腳色！」布倫特用充滿愛意的讚許口氣說。「她當著大伙兒的面總是舉止得體，決不讓你下不了臺。」
「是啊，不過今晚我們回到家裡，她八成兒會當著父親和姐妹的面說些叫我們下不了臺的話。」斯圖特悶悶不樂地說。「聽我說，布倫特，我猜這回我們可去不成歐洲了。你知道母親說過，要是我們再給一家大學開除了，就休想到歐洲去觀光旅行〔19〕。」
「嗐，媽的！我們才不在乎呢，是嗎？歐洲有什麼好看的？我敢說，那些外國人拿不出一樣東西是我們喬治亞這裡沒有的。我敢說，他們的馬跑得沒我們的快，姑娘長得沒我們的漂亮，裸麥威士忌也比不上父親自己釀的夠味。」
「阿希禮說過歐洲有不少好風景，不少好音樂。阿希禮喜歡歐洲。他一張嘴老是離不開歐洲。」
「嗐，你知道韋爾克斯家裡人的脾氣。他們對音樂、書本和風景都有點兒著迷。母親說因為他們的祖父是維吉尼亞人。她說維吉尼亞人非常看重這類玩藝兒。」
「讓他們去著迷好了。給我一匹好馬騎騎，一些好酒喝喝，一個好姑娘追追，一個壞姑娘開開心，誰要到歐洲去玩儘管去好了……錯過歐洲旅行有什麼可惜？眼看就要打仗了，要是我們眼下在歐洲怎麼辦？我們就不能趕快回家了。我倒很願意去打仗，不願去歐洲。」
「我也一樣，改天……聽我說，布倫特！我知道我們能上哪兒去吃飯了。我們就騎到沼澤地對面埃伯·溫德那兒，跟他說我們四兄弟又回來了，準備受軍訓。」
「好主意！」布倫特起勁地說。「我們就可以聽到騎兵連的種種消息，打聽到他們最後決定用什麼顏色的軍服了。」
「如果是穿阿拉伯式軍服的義勇兵〔20〕，我可決不入伍。穿上那種鼓鼓囊囊的紅褲子，我覺得娘娘腔。活像女人穿的紅絨布襯褲。」
「你們打算上溫德先生那兒去嗎？去的話，可吃不上晚飯，」吉姆士說。「他們家廚子死了，還沒買新廚子。他們叫個幹農活的黑奴做飯，那些黑人跟我說她是全州最糟的廚娘。」
「天哪！他們幹嗎不再買個廚子呢？」
「窮白佬家怎麼買得起什麼黑奴呢？他們家的黑奴至多不過四個罷了。」
吉姆士聲音裡坦然露出一副瞧不起的口氣。因為塔爾頓家有一百個黑奴，他跟大莊園主的所有奴隸一樣，自己的社會地位牢靠，所以並不把蓄奴少的小農場主放在眼裡。
「你這麼說話我要剝下你的皮，」斯圖特惡狠狠說。「不準你叫埃伯·溫德窮白佬。他窮雖窮，但不是窮白佬。不管黑人白人，任何人都決不容許說他一句壞話。縣裡可找不出第二個比他好的人了，要不騎兵連怎麼選他當少尉呢？」
「這個我可根本弄不明白，」吉姆士聽到主子責罵還是若無其事，逕自答腔說。「照我看來，他們都是從有錢的白人老爺裡頭挑選軍官的，決不從窮白佬裡頭挑。」
「他不是窮白佬！你想拿他同斯萊特裡家這種真正的窮白佬相比嗎？埃伯只是不算有錢罷了。他是個小農場主，不是大莊園主，要是哥們兒看重他，推選他當少尉，那麼就不準任何黑人對他說三道四。騎兵連知道好歹。」
騎兵連是三個月前喬治亞州脫離聯邦那一天剛成立的。從此新兵就一直在待命打仗。雖然主意不少，但這支隊伍至今還未命名。大家對連隊命名各有各的主意，而且都不願輕易放棄，對軍服顏色和式樣也同樣如此。有叫「克萊頓野貓」的，有叫「霹靂火」的，有叫「北喬治亞輕騎兵」的，有叫「朱阿夫義勇兵」的，有叫「內地火槍連」的（雖然騎兵連裡的武器只是手槍、馬刀和長獵刀，不用火槍），有的叫「克萊頓灰衣連」，有的叫「暴力連」，還有的叫「大刀闊斧連」，各種叫法都有人附和。在事情定下來之前，大家都叫這支隊伍為「騎兵連」，儘管後來終於採用了響亮的名稱，但始終還是以叫慣的「騎兵連」聞名。
軍官都是連隊裡的人推選的，因為縣裡除了三兩個參加過墨西哥戰爭〔21〕和塞米諾爾戰爭〔22〕的老兵外，沒一個人有過打仗經驗。再說，如果一個老兵當了長官，沒有人緣，沒有士兵信賴，騎兵連裡也瞧他不起。大家都喜歡塔爾頓家四兄弟和方丹家三兄弟，但可惜不肯推選他們當官，因為塔爾頓家四兄弟都是一喝就醉，喜歡尋歡作樂，方丹家三兄弟呢，又是脾氣暴戾殘忍。於是阿希禮·韋爾克斯就此被選為上尉，一來他是全縣騎術最高明的一個，二來他頭腦冷靜，可以指望他來維持點兒軍紀。賴福·卡爾弗特被選為中尉，因為大家都喜歡賴福。埃伯·溫德被選為少尉，他父親是沼澤地一個捕獸的〔23〕，他本人是小農場主。
埃伯是個精明、嚴肅的大力士，目不識丁，心地善良，比其他哥兒們年紀大些，當著婦女的面跟大家一樣彬彬有禮，也許更有禮些。騎兵連裡倒不大講究勢利。其實他們的父輩祖輩有好多好多人都是從小農階級發跡致富的呢。況且，埃伯又是騎兵連裡槍法最好的一個，是個真正的神槍手。在七十五碼外可以打中松鼠的眼睛，他還精通野外生活的種種知識，比如在雨中生個火啊，追蹤動物啊，尋找水源啊，樣樣都會。騎兵連裡對有真本事的人都口服心服，而且因為大家都喜歡他，就請他當軍官。他也名正言順地當之無愧，絲毫沒有不當的自負神氣。儘管莊園主對他不是上等人出身能眼開眼閉，莊園主的女眷和奴隸卻不能。
最初，騎兵連專門招募莊園主的子弟，算是一支鄉紳隊伍，人人都自備馬匹、武器、裝備、軍服和貼身勤務兵。可是克萊頓縣歷史不長，有錢的莊園主寥寥無幾，為了充實隊伍兵員，不得不招募小農場主的子弟，偏僻林地的獵戶，沼澤地的捕獸人，喬治亞州的山地人，在個別情況下，連窮苦白人也招，只要水平高過一般就行。
一旦開戰，這些年輕人同有錢的鄰居一樣，都巴不得去打北佬呢；不過經費的微妙問題來了。有馬的小農場主不多。他們都是用騾子幹農活的，而且也沒多餘的騾子，往往不到四頭。騎兵連堅決不收騾子，即使收，也捨不得用來打仗的。至於窮苦白人要是有頭騾子的話，就當自己富裕了。偏僻林地人家和沼澤地住戶，既沒馬，也沒騾。全靠地裡的出產和沼澤地的野物過日子。通常做生意都是以貨易貨，一年到頭也見不大到五塊錢的，自然也出不起馬和軍服。他們窮雖窮，卻傲氣十足，倒跟莊園主仗著自己有錢一樣傲，他們不肯接受有錢的鄰居任何帶點施捨味兒的東西。所以，為了不傷大家的感情，保持騎兵連兵員充實，斯佳麗的父親，約翰·韋爾克斯，布克·芒羅，吉姆·塔爾頓，休·卡爾弗特，實際上是除了安古斯·麥金託什以外，每個大莊園主都捐出錢來做連隊人馬全副配備的費用了。結果等於每個莊園主都出錢來裝備自家子弟和一定數目的人員了，不過這種做法倒可以使隊裡那些不大有錢的人不傷體面地收受人家捐助的馬匹和軍服。
騎兵連每星期兩次在瓊斯博羅集合訓練，祈求早日開戰。湊足馬匹的籌備工作雖然還沒完成，可是那些有馬的人已經在縣政府後面那塊場子進行想像中的騎兵演習了，揚起了滿地塵土，喊得聲嘶力竭，還揮舞著從客廳牆上摘下的獨立戰爭時用的軍刀。暫時還沒有馬的人就在布拉德的鋪子面前街沿石上坐著，眼睜睜望著騎馬的戰友，嘴裡嚼著菸草，談天說地。要不就參加射擊比賽。開槍可誰也不用教。多半南方人都是生來手不離槍的，打獵生涯把他們個個都磨練成神槍手了。
莊園主的府邸，沼澤地的木棚，都拼拼湊湊拿出了五花八門的火器。有打松鼠的長桿槍，當初首次翻越阿勒根尼山脈〔24〕時，這些槍還是新式槍；有老式前膛槍，當初喬治亞州剛成立時，好多印第安人都需要這種槍；有馬槍，1812年戰爭時〔25〕，塞米諾爾戰爭時，墨西哥戰爭時都使用過這種槍；還有鑲銀柄的決鬥手槍，有袖珍大口徑短筒手槍，有雙筒獵槍，也有漂亮的英國貨全新來復槍，槍把都是用亮光光的上等木料做的。
操練總是在瓊斯博羅的酒館裡收場，到了傍晚打架的事層出不窮，北佬還沒給他們大吃苦頭，軍官就擋不住傷亡事故了。就是在這些毆鬥中，斯圖特·塔爾頓開槍打了凱德·卡爾弗特，湯尼·方丹開槍打中布倫特。騎兵連成立那時哥兒倆剛巧被維吉尼亞大學開除，在家裡閒著，出於一股熱誠，就此入伍；誰知過了兩個月，出了開槍傷人的事，他們的母親就匆匆打發他們上喬治亞州立大學，命令他們待在那兒。他們出門那陣子，非常想念操練那股興奮勁兒，只要他們能跟朋友結伴騎馬，叫喊，開槍，他們認為不念書也沒關係。
「得了，我們就抄近路穿過田野到埃伯家去吧。」布倫特提出道，「我們穿過奧哈拉先生的河谷和方丹家的牧場，很快就到了。」
「除了負鼠和蔬菜，我們什麼吃的也撈不到，」吉姆士分辯說。
「你本來就什麼吃的也撈不到，」斯圖特咧開嘴笑道。「因為你要回去稟告媽說我們不在家吃晚飯。」
「不，我不去，」吉姆士驚呼道。「不，我不去！讓貝特麗絲小姐把我揍扁，還不如讓你們揍更有趣呢。先不先她就會問我怎麼又讓你們被開除了。接下來就會問我今晚怎麼不帶你們回去挨揍。問完她就會像鴨子撲蟲子似的突然對我撲上來，不知不覺就把一切罪名統統堆在我頭上。如果你們不帶我上溫德先生家，那我情願躺在林子裡過夜，讓巡邏隊把我抓起來，因為貝特麗絲小姐正在火頭上，讓她抓住我，還不如讓巡邏隊抓去呢。」
哥兒倆看著這個鐵了心的黑小子，心裡又為難又氣憤。
「他真混透了，竟要讓巡邏隊把他抓去，那還不給媽多個話柄談上幾星期的。我敢說，黑人淨惹事。有時候我想廢奴主義者的主意倒也有道理。」
「得了，我們自己不願去挨罵，勉強吉姆士去也不好。我們只好帶他去了。可是，聽著，你這個不要臉的黑傻瓜，如果你在溫德的黑人面前擺什麼架子，露出口風說我們家一年到頭吃炸雞和火腿，而他們光吃兔子和負鼠，我就——我就告訴媽。我們也不讓你陪我們去打仗。」
「擺架子？我給那些賤黑人擺架子？不，少爺，我可懂規矩。貝特麗絲小姐教我學規矩，不是跟教你們倆一樣教嗎？」
「她對我們三個誰都沒教好，」斯圖特說。「來，我們快走吧。」
他勒住大紅馬，用靴刺踢踢馬肚子，輕而易舉就躍馬跳過橫欄，落在奧哈拉的莊園裡那片軟軟的地裡。布倫特的馬也跟著跳過去，接著吉姆士死死抓住鞍頭和馬鬃也跳了。吉姆士不喜歡跳圍欄，可是為了趕上主子，再高的圍欄也跳過了。
他們在暮色蒼茫中挑著道兒，穿過紅紅的犁溝，沿著山腳到了河谷，布倫特對他兄弟叫道：
「聽我說，斯圖！你看，斯佳麗像是會留我們吃晚飯的嗎？」
「我一直在想她會請的，」斯圖特叫道。「你為什麼以為……」
本章注釋
〔1〕塔拉是愛爾蘭米斯郡一個村子，公元六世紀前，塔拉山一直是古代愛爾蘭國王的駐地。斯佳麗的父親是愛爾蘭人，所以把莊園取名塔拉，以志不忘故土。
〔2〕負鼠是一種能夠爬樹的北美小袋鼠，母鼠往往將幼仔放在袋中，一旦被抓住後就裝死。
〔3〕產於南斯拉夫的一種狗，瘦削，短毛，白色帶黑斑，一般訓練來跟隨馬車。
〔4〕奧古斯塔，美國喬治亞州東部城市，在薩凡納河畔。
〔5〕薩凡納，美國喬治亞州東部港口城市，在薩凡納河口。
〔6〕查爾斯頓，美國南卡羅來納州港口城市。
〔7〕費耶特維爾女子學院，美國北卡羅來納州東南部小城費耶特維爾的一座著名女子學院，創建於十九世紀上半葉。
〔8〕亞伯拉罕·林肯（1809—1865），美國總統，主張聯邦統一，逐步廢除奴隸制度。當選總統後，南方各州相繼脫離聯邦，內戰爆發。內戰結束後，被奴隸主指使的暴徒刺殺。
〔9〕1861年，美國南方十一州先後宣布獨立，脫離聯邦，組成「南部邦聯」，並發動內戰。1865年4月南軍戰敗投降後即解散。
〔10〕比埃爾·古·圖·博勒加爾（1818—1893），美國南北戰爭時期南軍將領。
〔11〕蘇姆特堡，美國南卡羅來納州查爾斯頓的港口要塞之一，1861年4月12日南部邦聯成立後，南軍要求北軍羅伯特·安德遜少校投降，北軍堅拒，南軍連續炮轟34小時，從此南北戰爭開始。
〔12〕瓊斯博羅，美國喬治亞州小鎮，與亞特蘭大市相距二十英裡。
〔13〕指燒烤全牲的野外宴會。
〔14〕牆花指舞會中沒有舞伴、坐在牆邊的單身女子。
〔15〕斯圖是斯圖特的愛稱。
〔16〕查理是查爾斯的愛稱。
〔17〕玫荔是玫蘭妮的愛稱。
〔18〕美國猶他州為摩門教徒聚居地，盛行一夫多妻制與一妻多夫制。
〔19〕此處指十八、十九世紀英美上流社會把子女送到歐洲大陸各大城市旅遊觀光，開拓眼界，作為紳士教育的一部分。
〔20〕原指法國的朱阿夫兵，大多為阿爾及利亞人編成，後亦用本國人充當，穿五顏六色的阿拉伯服裝，以強悍著稱。美國1861—1865年南北戰爭時義勇兵所穿軍服類似朱阿夫兵，故亦稱為朱阿夫兵。
〔21〕墨西哥戰爭，1845年，美國與墨西哥因德克薩斯歸屬問題，發生邊界爭端，1846年爆發戰爭，1848年以美軍獲勝結束。
〔22〕塞米諾爾戰爭，塞米諾爾是印第安人的一支，十八世紀定居佛羅裡達。1835年美軍發動圍剿，遭到英勇抵抗，未能徵服。但終因寡不敵眾，於1852年潰敗，少數留居沼澤地，多數遷居俄克拉何馬。
〔23〕指專用捕獸器誘捕野獸取得皮毛或肉的人。
〔24〕阿勒根尼山脈，美國東部山脈，為阿帕拉契亞山脈西邊山脈，從賓夕法尼亞北部經西維吉尼亞、維吉尼亞，此處指北美洲第一批移民翻越阿勒根尼山脈。
〔25〕1812年戰爭，1812年6月18日，美國在英法關係緊張情況下，要求中立航運權未遂，宣布同英國開戰，初期取得幾次海戰的勝利，經過幾年苦戰，傑克遜將軍取得決定性的勝利，終於1815年1月結束戰爭。