下载辰思小说免费APP
observedtwolargeants，theonered，theothermuchlarger，nearlyhalfaninchlong，andblack，fiercelycontendingwithoneanother。
Havingoncegotholdtheyneverletgo，butstruggledandwrestledandrolledonthechipsincessantly。Lookingfarther，Iwassurprisedtofindthatthechipswerecoveredwithsuchcombatants，thatitwasnotaduellum，butabellum，awarbetweentworacesofants，theredalwayspittedagainsttheblack，andfrequentlytworedonestooneblack。ThelegionsoftheseMyrmidonscoveredallthehillsandvalesinmywood-yard，andthegroundwasalreadystrewnwiththedeadanddying，bothredandblack。ItwastheonlybattlewhichIhaveeverwitnessed，theonlybattle-fieldIevertrodwhilethebattlewasraging；internecinewar；theredrepublicansontheonehand，andtheblackimperialistsontheother。Oneverysidetheywereengagedindeadlycombat，yetwithoutanynoisethatIcouldhear，andhumansoldiersneverfoughtsoresolutely。Iwatchedacouplethatwerefastlockedineachother’sembraces，inalittlesunnyvalleyamidthechips，nowatnoondaypreparedtofighttillthesunwentdown，orlifewentout。
Thesmallerredchampionhadfastenedhimselflikeavicetohisadversary’sfront，andthroughallthetumblingsonthatfieldneverforaninstantceasedtognawatoneofhisfeelersneartheroot，havingalreadycausedtheothertogobytheboard；whilethestrongerblackonedashedhimfromsidetoside，and，asIsawonlookingnearer，hadalreadydivestedhimofseveralofhismembers。
Theyfoughtwithmorepertinacitythanbulldogs。Neithermanifestedtheleastdispositiontoretreat。Itwasevidentthattheirbattle-crywas“Conquerordie。“Inthemeanwhiletherecamealongasingleredantonthehillsideofthisvalley，evidentlyfullofexcitement，whoeitherhaddespatchedhisfoe，orhadnotyettakenpartinthebattle；probablythelatter，forhehadlostnoneofhislimbs；whosemotherhadchargedhimtoreturnwithhisshieldoruponit。OrperchancehewassomeAchilles，whohadnourishedhiswrathapart，andhadnowcometoavengeorrescuehisPatroclus。Hesawthisunequalcombatfromafar——fortheblackswerenearlytwicethesizeofthered——hedrewnearwithrapidpacetillbestoodonhisguardwithinhalfaninchofthecombatants；then，watchinghisopportunity，hesprangupontheblackwarrior，andcommencedhisoperationsneartherootofhisrightforeleg，leavingthefoetoselectamonghisownmembers；andsotherewerethreeunitedforlife，asifanewkindofattractionhadbeeninventedwhichputallotherlocksandcementstoshame。Ishouldnothavewonderedbythistimetofindthattheyhadtheirrespectivemusicalbandsstationedonsomeeminentchip，andplayingtheirnationalairsthewhile，toexcitetheslowandcheerthedyingcombatants。Iwasmyselfexcitedsomewhatevenasiftheyhadbeenmen。Themoreyouthinkofit，thelessthedifference。AndcertainlythereisnotthefightrecordedinConcordhistory，atleast，ifinthehistoryofAmerica，thatwillbearamoment’scomparisonwiththis，whetherforthenumbersengagedinit，orforthepatriotismandheroismdisplayed。FornumbersandforcarnageitwasanAusterlitzorDresden。ConcordFight！Twokilledonthepatriots’side，andLutherBlanchardwounded！WhyhereeveryantwasaButtrick——“Fire！forGod’ssakefire！“——andthousandssharedthefateofDavisandHosmer。Therewasnotonehirelingthere。Ihavenodoubtthatitwasaprincipletheyfoughtfor，asmuchasourancestors，andnottoavoidathree-pennytaxontheirtea；andtheresultsofthisbattlewillbeasimportantandmemorabletothosewhomitconcernsasthoseofthebattleofBunkerHill，atleast。
ItookupthechiponwhichthethreeIhaveparticularlydescribedwerestruggling，carrieditintomyhouse，andplaceditunderatumbleronmywindow-sill，inordertoseetheissue。
Holdingamicroscopetothefirst-mentionedredant，Isawthat，thoughhewasassiduouslygnawingatthenearforelegofhisenemy，havingseveredhisremainingfeeler，hisownbreastwasalltornaway，exposingwhatvitalshehadtheretothejawsoftheblackwarrior，whosebreastplatewasapparentlytoothickforhimtopierce；andthedarkcarbunclesofthesufferer’seyesshonewithferocitysuchaswaronlycouldexcite。Theystruggledhalfanhourlongerunderthetumbler，andwhenIlookedagaintheblacksoldierhadseveredtheheadsofhisfoesfromtheirbodies，andthestilllivingheadswerehangingoneithersideofhimlikeghastlytrophiesathissaddle-bow，stillapparentlyasfirmlyfastenedasever，andhewasend
