第74章

SoIturnedmyattentiontothem，andthoughtnomoreoffighting。

Havingsomanywoundedmen，andsomanydeadamongus，weloiteredatthecavern’smouth，andlookedatoneanother，wishingonlyforsomebodytocomeandtakecommandofus。Butnoonecame；andIwasgriefedsomuchaboutpoorJeremy，besidesbeingwhollyunusedtoanyviolenceofbloodshed，thatIcouldonlykeephisheadup，andtrytostophimfrombleeding。Andhelookedupatmepitifully，beingperhapsinahazeofthought，asacalflooksatabutcher。

Theshothadtakenhiminthemouth；aboutthatnodoubtcouldbe，fortwoofhisteethwereinhisbeard，andoneofhislipswaswanting。Ilaidhisshatteredfaceonmybreast，andnursedhim，asawomanmight。

Buthelookedatmewithajerkatthis；andIsawthathewantedcoolness。

Whileherewestayed，quiteoutofdanger(forthefellowsfromthegallerycouldbynomeansshootus，eveniftheyremainedthere，andtheoakendoorwhencetheothersfledwasblockedupbytheculverin)，aboywhohadnobusinessthere(beinginfactourclerk’sapprenticetotheartofshoe-making)cameroundthecorneruponusinthemannerwhichboys，andonlyboys，canusewithgraceandfreedom；thatistosay，withasuddenrush，andasidelongstep，andanimpudence，——

’Gottheworstofit!’criedtheboy；’betterbeoffallofyou。ZoomerzettandDevonavighting；andtheDooneshavedrashed’emboth。MaisterRidd，eventheebedrashed。’

Wefew，whoyetremainedoftheforcewhichwastohavewontheDoone-gate，gazedatoneanother，likesomanyfools，andnothingmore。Forwestillhadsomefainthopesofwinningtheday，andrecoveringourreputation，bymeansofwhattheothermenmighthavedonewithoutus。AndwecouldnotunderstandatallhowDevonshireandSomerset，beingembarkedinthesamecause，shouldbefightingwithoneanother。

Findingnothingmoretobedoneinthewayofcarryingonthewar，welaidpoorMasterSticklesandtwomoreofthewoundeduponthecarriageofbarkandhurdles，whereonourgunhadlain；andwerolledthegunintotheriver，andharnessedthehorsesyetalive，andputtheothersoutoftheirpain，andsadlywendedhomewards，feelingourselvestobethoroughlybeaten，yetreadytomaintainthatitwasnofaultofourswhatever。Andinthisopinionthewomenjoined，beingonlytoogladandthankfultoseeushomealiveagain。

Now，thisenterprisehavingfailedso，Iprefernottodwelltoolonguponit；onlyjusttoshowthemischiefwhichlayattherootofthefailure。Andthismischiefwasthevilejealousybetwixtredandyellowuniform。NowItrytospeakimpartially，belongingnomoretoSomersetthanIdotoDevonshire，livingupontheborders，andbornofeithercounty。Thetalewastoldmebyonesidefirst；andthenquitetoadifferenttunebytheother；andthenbybothtogether，withveryhotwordsofreviling。andadesiretofightitoutagain。Andputtingthiswiththat，thetruthappearstobeasfollows：——

ThemenofDevon，whoboreredfacings，hadalongwaytogoroundthehills，beforetheycouldgetintoduepositiononthewesternsideoftheDooneGlen。Andknowingthattheircousinsinyellowwouldclaimthewholeoftheglory，ifallowedtobefirstwiththefiring，theseworthyfellowswaitednottotakegoodaimwiththeircannons，seeingtheothersabouttoshoot；butfettleditanyhowontheslope，pointinginageneraldirection；andtrustinginGodforaimworthiness，laidtheropetothebreech，andfired。

NowasProvidenceordainedit，theshot，whichwasacasualmixtureofanythingconsideredhard——forinstance，jug-bottomsandknobsofdoors——thewholeofthisperniciousdosecamescatteringandshatteringamongtheunfortunateyellowmenupontheoppositecliff；killingoneandwoundingtwo。

NowwhatdidthemenofSomersetdo，butinsteadofwaitingfortheirfriendstosendroundandbegpardon，traintheirgunfullmouthuponthem，andwithaviciousmeaningshoot。Notonlythis，buttheyloudlycheered，whentheysawfourorfiveredcoatslielow；

forwhichsavagefeelingnoteventheremarksoftheDevonshiremenconcerningtheircoatscouldentirelyexcusethem。NowIneednottelltherestofit，forthetalemakesamandiscontented。Enoughthatbothsideswaxedhotterandhotterwiththefireofdestruction。Andbutthatthegorgeofthecliffslaybetween，veryfewwouldhavelivedtotellofit；forourwesternbloodbecomesstiffandf