第91章

Nearlyallwerescatterednow。Ofthenoblecountrymen(armedwithscytheorpickaxe，blacksmith’shammer，orfold-pitcher)，whohadstoodtheirgroundforhoursagainstblazingmusketry(frommenwhomtheycouldnotgetat，byreasonofthewater-dyke)，andthenagainstthedeadlycannon，draggedbytheBishop’shorsestoslaughterhisownsheep；ofthesesturdyEnglishmen，nobleintheirwantofsense，scarceoneoutoffourremainedforthecowardstoshootdown。’Crosstherhaine，’theyshoutedout，’crosstherhaine，andcoomwithinrache：’buttheothermongrelBritons，withamongrelattheirhead，founditpleasantertoshootmenwhocouldnotshootinanswer，thantomeetthechanceofmischieffromstrongarms，andstrongerhearts。

Thelastsceneofthispiteousplaywasacting，justasIrodeup。Broaddaylight，andupstandingsun，winnowingfogfromtheeasternhills，andspreadingthemoorswithfreshness；allalongthedykestheyshone，glistenedonthewillow-trunks，andtouchedthebankswithahoarygray。Butalas!thosebanksweretouchedmoredeeplywithagoryred，andstrewnwithfallentrunks，morewoefulthanthewreckoftrees；whilehowling，cursing，yelling，andtheloathsomereekofcarnage，drownedthescentofthenew-mownhay，andthecarolofthelark。

ThenthecavalryoftheKing，withtheirhorsesatfullspeed，dashedfromeithersideuponthehelplessmobofcountrymen。Afewpikesfeeblylevelledmetthem；buttheyshotthepikemen，drewswords，andhelter-skelterleapedintotheshatteredandscatteringmass。Rightandlefttheyhackedandhewed；Icouldhearthesnappingofscythesbeneaththem，andseetheflashoftheirsweepingswords。Howitmustendwasplainenough，eventoonelikemyself，whohadneverbeheldsuchabattlebefore。ButWinnieledmeawaytotheleft；andasIcouldnothelpthepeople，neitherstoptheslaughter，butfoundthecannon-bulletscomingveryrudelynighme，Iwasonlytoogladtofollowher。

Thatfaithfulcreature，whomIbegantoadmireasifsheweremyown(whichisnolittlethingforamantosayofanotherman’shorse)，stoppedinfrontofalowblackshed，suchaswecalla’linhay。’Andheresheutteredalittlegreeting，inasubduedandsoftenedvoice，hopingtoobtainananswer，suchashermasterwaswonttogiveinacheerymanner。Receivingnoreply，sheentered；andI(whocouldscarcekeepupwithher，poorKickumsbeingweary)leapedfromhisback，andfollowed。ThereIfoundhersniffinggently，butwithgreatemotion，atthebodyofTomFaggus。A

corpsepoorTomappearedtobe，ifevertherewasoneinthisworld；andIturnedaway，andfeltunabletokeepaltogetherfromweeping。Butthemareeithercouldnotunderstand，orelsewouldnotbelieveit。

Shereachedherlongneckforth，andfelthimwithherunderlip，passingitoverhisskinassoftlyasamotherwoulddotoaninfant；andthenshelookedupatmeagain；asmuchastosay，’heisallright。’

UponthisItookcourage，andhandledpoorTom，whichbeingyoungIhadfearedatfirsttodo。Hegroanedveryfeebly，asIraisedhimup；andtherewasthewound，agreatsavageone(whetherfrompike-thrustormusket-ball)，gapingandwellinginhisrightside，fromwhichapieceseemedtobetornaway。Ibounditupwithsomeofmylinen，sofarasIknewhow；justtostanchtheflowofblood，untilwecouldgetadoctor。

ThenIgavehimalittleweakbrandyandwater，whichhedrankwiththegreatesteagerness，andmadesigntomeformoreofit。Butnotknowinghowfaritwasrighttogivecordialunderthecircumstances，Ihandedhimunmixedwaterthattime；thinkingthathewastoofargonetoperceivethedifference。ButhereinI

wrongTomFaggus；forheshookhisheadandfrownedatme。Evenatthedoorofdeath，hewouldnotdrinkwhatAdamdrank，bywhomcamedeathintotheworld。SoI

gavehimalittlemoreeau-de-vie，andhetookitmostsubmissively。

Afterthatheseemedbetter，andalittlecolourcameintohischeeks；andhelookedatWinnieandknewher；

andwouldhavehernoseinhisclammyhand，thoughI

thoughtitnotgoodforeitherofthem。Withthestayofmyarmhesatupright，andfaintlylookedabouthim；

asifattheendofaviolentdream，toomuchforhispowerofmind。Thenhemanagedtowhisper，’IsWinniehurt？’

’Assoundasaroach，’Ianswered。’ThensoamI，’

saidhe：’putmeuponherback，John；sheandIdietogether。’