The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War

l the tattered soldier was not in sight. T

stion he now felt that his shame could be viewed. He was continually casting sidelong glan

He conceived persons with torn bodies to be peculiarly happy.

into the unknown. His gray, appalling face had attracted attention in the crowd, and men, slowing to his d

med holding in check the moan of great despair. There could be seen a certain stiffness in the movements of his body, as if he were taking in

youth start as if bitten. He yelled in horror. Tottering forward he laid a quivering hand upon

Jim C

little commonplace smile

ared strangely. He stuttered and st

d old blood upon it. "Where yeh been, Henry?" he asked. He continued in a monotonous voice, "I thought

amented. "Oh, Jim

Lord, what a circus! An', b'jiminey, I got shot-I got shot. Yes, b'jiminey, I got shot.

d. Since the youth's arrival as a guardian for his friend, the other wounded men had ceased to dis

or. His face turned to a semblance of gray paste. He clutched the youth's arm and looked

of. I 'm 'fraid I 'll fall down-an' then yeh know-them damned artiller

: "I 'll take care of yeh, Jim! I'll ta

enry?" the tall s

!" protested the youth. He could not speak acc

wildness of his terror. "I was allus a good friend t' yeh, wa'n't I, Henry? I 've allus been a pretty good feller, a

s anxiety to await

s scorched him. He strove to express his loyal

alking specter of a soldier. He went stonily forward. The youth wished his friend to lean upon hi

with mysterious purpose, and all of the youth's offe

h had to

better take 'im outa th' road, pardner. There 's a batt'ry comin' helitywhoop down th' road an' he 'll git runned over. He 's a gone

e youth. He was shakin

ed the tall soldier by the arm. "J

e said vacantly. He stared at the youth for a moment. At last

lindly throu

and jouncing guns of the battery. He was startled fr

He's ru

rd a little clump of bushes. His heart seemed to wrench itself almost free from his body at this

th all the words he could find. "Jim-Jim-what are you

n a dulled way, keeping his eyes fastened on the mystic place o

began quaveringly to question him. "Where yeh goin', Jim? What

ursuers. In his eyes there was a great appeal. "L

m," he said, in a dazed way,

should again confront them. They began to have thoughts of a solemn ceremony. There was something rite-like in these movements of the doomed soldier. And there was a resembl

had at last found the place for which he had struggled. His spare figure was erect; his bloody hands were quietly at his side.

was a

rained motion. It increased in violence until it was as if an ani

as his friend rolled his eyes, he saw something in them that made him

-Jim

nd spoke. He made a gesture. "Leav

her silence wh

a prolonged ague. He stared into space. To the two watchers there w

moment the tremor of his legs caused him to dance a sort of hideous hornpi

und. Then it began to swing forward, slow and straight, in the manner of a falling

ittle way from the earth. "Go

place of meeting. His face had been twisted into an ex

r, gazed upon the pastelike face. The mout

from the body, he could see that the side

, toward the battlefield. He shook his fi

el

pasted in the