登陆注册
15455000000011

第11章 CHAPTER III. BUILDERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.(4)

But do you think the twenty thousand free-born Americans in Texas are going to have a dictator? They will have the constitution of eighteen twenty-four--or they will have independence, and make their own constitution! Yes, sir!"

"You know the men for whom you speak?"

"I have been up and down among them for two years. Just after I came to Texas I was elected to the convention which sent Stephen Austin to Mexico with a statement of our wrongs. Did we get any redress? No, sir! And as for poor Austin, is he not in the dungeons of the Inquisition? We have waited two years for an answer. Great heavens Doctor, surely that is long enough!"

"Was this convention a body of any influence?"

"Influence! There were men there whose names will never be forgotten. They met in a log house; they wore buckskin and homespun; but I tell you, sir, they were debating the fate of unborn millions."

"Two years since Austin went to Mexico?"

"A two years' chapter of tyranny. In them Santa Anna has quite overthrown the republic of which we were a part. He has made himself dictator. and, because our authorities have protested against the change, they have been driven from office by a military force. I tell you, sir, the petty outrages everywhere perpetrated by petty officials have filled the cup of endurance. It is boiling over. Now, doctor, what are you going to do? Are you with us, or against us?"

"I have told you that I have been with my countrymen always--heart and soul with them."

The doctor spoke with some irritation, and Houston laid his closed hand hard upon the table to emphasize his reply:

"Heart and soul! Very good! But we want your body now. You must tuck your bowie-knife and your revolvers in your belt, and take your rifle in your hand, and be ready to help us drive the Mexican force out of this very city."

"When it comes to that I shall be no laggard."

But he was deathly pale, for he was suffering as men suffer who feel the sweet bonds of wife and children and home, and dread the rending of them apart. In a moment, however, the soul behind his white face made it visibly luminous.

"Houston," he said, "whenever the cause of freedom needs me, I am ready. I shall want no second call. But is it not possible, that even yet--"

"It is impossible to avert what is already here. Within a few days, perhaps to-morrow, you will hear the publication of an edict from Santa Anna, ordering every American to give up his arms."

"What! Give up our arms! No, no, by Heaven! I will die fighting for mine, rather."

"Exactly. That is how every white man in Texas feels about it. And if such a wonder as a coward existed among them, he understands that he may as well die fighting Mexicans, as die of hunger or be scalped by Indians. A large proportion of the colonists depend on their rifles for their daily food. All of them know that they must defend their own homes from the Comanche, or see them perish. Now, do you imagine that Americans will obey any such order? By all the great men of seventeen seventy-five, if they did, I would go over to the Mexicans and help them to wipe the degenerate cowards out of existence!"

He rose as he spoke; he looked like a flame, and his words cut like a sword. Worth caught fire at his vehemence and passion.

He clasped his hands in sympathy as he walked with him to the door. They stood silently together for a moment on the threshold, gazing into the night. Over the glorious land the full moon hung, enamoured. Into the sweet, warm air mockingbirds were pouring low, broken songs of ineffable melody. The white city in the mystical light looked like an enchanted city. It was so still that the very houses looked asleep.

"It is a beautiful land," said the doctor.

"It is worthy of freedom," answered Houston. Then he went with long, swinging steps down the garden, and into the shadows beyond, and Worth turned in and closed the door.

He had been watching for this very hour for twenty years; and yet he found himself wholly unprepared for it. Like one led by confused and uncertain thoughts, he went about the room mechanically locking up his papers, and the surgical instruments he valued so highly. As he did so he perceived the book he had been reading when Houston entered. It was lying open where he had laid it down. A singular smile flitted over his face. He lifted it and carried it closer to the light. It was his college Cicero.

"I was nineteen years old when I marked that passage," he said; "and I do not think I have ever read it since, until to-night. I was reading it when Houston came into the room. Is it a message, I wonder?--"`But when thou considerest everything carefully and thoughtfully; of all societies none is of more importance, none more dear, than that which unites us with the commonwealth. Our parents, children, relations and neighbors are dear, but our fatherland embraces the whole round of these endearments. In its defence, who would not dare to die, if only he could assist it?"

同类推荐
  • 腹智禅师语录

    腹智禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 十八家诗钞

    十八家诗钞

    《十八家诗钞》是一部古代诗歌选集。清代曾国藩编选。十八家为魏晋南北朝的曹植﹑阮籍﹑陶渊明﹑谢灵运﹑鲍照﹑谢朓六家﹐唐代的王维﹑孟浩然﹑李白﹑杜甫﹑韩愈﹑白居易﹑李商隐﹑杜牧八家﹐宋代的苏轼﹑黄庭坚﹑陆游三家﹐金代元好问一家。
  • 佛说如来兴显经卷第一

    佛说如来兴显经卷第一

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 慈明瑞象灯仪

    慈明瑞象灯仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 仙侠五花剑

    仙侠五花剑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 帝心:一世醉倾城

    帝心:一世醉倾城

    一朝与友穿越,年仅16岁的她成了皇帝最宠爱的公主,深宫里处处暗算,宫门外看尽繁华,与他们的邂逅让她褪去稚嫩逐渐成长,一次次的机关暗算让她城府渐深,沙场上锋芒初露她又成了谁的唯一……
  • 祭语

    祭语

    世界上有没有神?没有人知道,当神降临的那一刻又会显得不知所措。这一刻,神来了,也许并不是意义上的神,但是已经改变,命运将会教会你如何抉择。
  • 策风乱

    策风乱

    两个世间最强之人——因为一次水玉误闯,从此携手共度天下!她为他粉身碎骨,焚魂弃魄;他为她功力散尽,容颜尽毁。“你若想颠覆、搅乱整个世界,我陪你承受千古罪名,助你一统天下!”
  • 替嫁新娘:妖娆夫君你别逃

    替嫁新娘:妖娆夫君你别逃

    她是青楼的花魁,却为了他守生如玉。她贵为一国公主,却奄奄一息。她们拥有同一张脸,却有着不一样的经历,但是却爱上同一个男人,因为爱,她代替她远嫁云国,却走的步步惊心。他们年少相遇,命运却将他们错开,以为一辈子无法相遇,她却在云国见到初心的他,只是他却认错了人!为了天下,为了自己的仇恨,她一步一步的爬,一步步的算计,当初纯洁如她,摇身一变却像一个复仇魔鬼……站在他身边,他是否还会如当初一般,非她不娶……
  • 百变公主的花样骑士

    百变公主的花样骑士

    她,冷漠如冰;她,热情似火;她,率真可爱。当她们对上同样神秘的他们,会撞出怎样的火花么?
  • 腹黑帝王冷艳妻

    腹黑帝王冷艳妻

    曾经的公主,在一夜之间改变。迷离的身份,突发的意外,让她失去了一切,也失去了所有的记忆。剩下的,只有绝伦的容貌,完美的身材,过人的心智,一身的绝学。这样的她,孤身一人在法国飘荡,却赢得了皇室伯爵的心。。。。。。他,一身孤傲,却是商业界的神话,黑暗世界的统治者。他拥有令人窒息的容貌,挺拔伟岸的身姿,冷酷狠辣的手段。。。。。。他是世界的主宰,可以拥有一切,却唯独得不到她的整颗心。她说:“我的心你要不起!”她说:“我的心没有温度!”她说:“我的心你捂不热!”她说:“我的心不轻易给人!”她说:“对不起,我只有半颗心,原谅我不能全部给你!”
  • 冷血杀手穿越:一品腹黑皇后

    冷血杀手穿越:一品腹黑皇后

    代号47,做杀手时,她的狠厉无人能及,谈笑间夺人性命,她的心从来都是冰冷。穿越而来,再世为人,为了一个承诺,她重握刀锋,誓要把这江山尽收氅下。破山河,动天下,她是玉面罗刹,不败战神。腹黑将军,冷血王子,不羁侠士……待她累时又有哪个肩膀为她等待,任她所依?!
  • 最强娱乐家

    最强娱乐家

    三流歌星余乐穿越到了一个类似于地球的世界,脑子里多了一个可以搜索的智能手机,从此世界暴走!“余乐,你丫再不出专辑我要去你家后门堵你!”“余乐,快点更新,是不是又想收刀片了!”“余乐,作为老婆粉的我实在是看不下去你和天后演吻戏了!我要脱粉一分钟!”“宝宝不管,宝宝摔倒了,要余乐亲亲抱抱才能站起来!”平行的世界,余乐的明星梦,从这里开始。
  • 穿越天骄

    穿越天骄

    某大学的几个天之骄子与辅导员在工地上把酒言欢之际,被牛人摆弄的招魂大阵送回了古代。等待他们的,会是怎样一番神奇的遭遇?……
  • 绝世天女

    绝世天女

    现代杀手林诗韵被爱人背叛,死前与爱人同归于尽。带着满满的绝望重生到和自己同名的林家大小姐身上。得到重生林诗韵居然是天命的天女,踏上这条充满荆棘的天女之路。在各种命运的交缠下林诗韵又该何去何从......