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1、AWhipfortheColonelByAlexanderKeyauthorof“FortuneHasHorns”AtaleofthedayswhenTarle•ton'sRedcoatsroderoughshodthroughCarolina.ITSEEMSlikeyesterday,butmygrandfathergotitfromhisgrandfather,whowastherethatnightatthestagatMcQueen'sandwhowatchedhowthetideofhistorywas
2、turnedbecausealittlemanwouldn'tdownadrink.Theysayhewasahard-bittenyoungdevil,mygrandfather'sgrandfather,quickwithhisfistsandhistongue,freckledandsandyandwiththesameblueglitterinhiseyethatalltheJamesmenhave;acaptainintheSecondMilitiaattwenty-two,andhecouldride
3、horsewithmenlikeMorganandHarryLee.Heknewthemall,thosegreatonesoftheRevolutionthatyouneverheartellabout—BlackMcDonaldand.Crabstick,JohnLaurensandtheHorryboys,andGeorgeDennisonwhosangballadshe'dmadeupintheswampsatnight.GavinwasintheBrigadewiththerestofthem.Buti
4、tstartedatMcQueen's.ThehousestoodjustaroundthecorneronTraddStreet,andwhenoldAlecMcQueen•gaveoneof.hisdinners—theythetalkofCharlesTown,aspeoplestillknowtheplace—he'dlockthedoorsandwindows,giveeachguestwhatheliked,andhavehimunder•thetablebycock'scrow.He'dkeepas
5、ervantortwotobootbackandforthtothetaproom,andaslongashewashe'dwaddlearound,discardingperuke,rufflesorwaistcoatwitheveryotherdrink,andallthewhilehisslyeyeswouldbeonthelookoutforgentlesipper.AmanlearnedtodrinkMcQueen’s.IcanseetheplaceasifI'dbeentherewithyoungGa
6、vin:thespringnightoutsidefragrantwithhoneysuckleandmagnolias,andthecitystrangelyquietafterthreeweeksofcannonading;thebigdrawingroomreekingofpomatumand.spirits;ahundredfoododorsdrift•ingfromthelittereddiningroom,thickeningastalenessalreadytoothickfromsputterin
7、gtapersandtobacco.Andtherewastheclinkofglassandmuganddemijohn;thelow,satisfiedmurmurofascoreoffinegentlemenpreparingtoforgetablackguardnamedClintonandbecomeproperlyinsensiblebeforemorning….GAVINJAMESwasuneasy.Itwasnotsomuchthattheroomwastoohot,andthathewasthe
8、onlyyoungmanpresent.Thethingwassomethinghecouldn'tputhisfingeron,andithadcreptinfromthesweetnightbe•yondthebarredwindows.Hesprawledinacorner,keepingoneeyeontheclockandtheotheronhiscolonel