勇敢的女孩

還記得今年5月12日的汶川大地震嗎？那慘不忍睹的災區、那無家可歸的災民，還有那最可愛的抗震

救災的每一位英雄？所有的一切仿佛告訴我們：只要團結一致，只要永遠不放棄，只要我們有愛，勇氣和支持就在你身邊！為你送上一個簡短的小故事，獻給每一位以自己小小的身軀守護著身邊的人的英雄。本文選自美國1887年出版的《英雄故事集》。

In the year 1781 the war was chiefly carried on in the South， but the North was constantly troubled by bands of Tories注1 and Indians， who would 1)swoop down on small 2)settlements and 3)make off with whatever they could lay their hands on.

During this time General Schuyler注2 was staying at his house， which stood just outside the 4)stockade or walls of Albany. The British commander sent out a party of Tories and Indians to capture the general.

When they reached the outskirts of the city they learned from a Dutch laborer that the general’s house was guarded by six soldiers， three watching by night and three by day.They let the Dutchman go， and as soon as the band was out of sight he hastened to Albany and warned the general of their approach.

Schuyler gathered his family in one of the upper rooms of his house， and giving orders that the doors and windows should be barred， fired a pistol from a top-story window， to alarm the neighborhood.

The soldiers on guard， who had been 5)lounging in the shade of a tree， started to their feet at the sound of the pistol; but， alas! Too late， for they found themselves surrounded by a crowd of 6)dusky forms， who bound them hand and foot， before they had time to resist.

In the room upstairs was the 7)sturdy general， standing 8)resolutely at the door， with gun in hand， while his black slaves were gathered about him， each with a weapon. At the other end of the room the women were 9)huddled together， some weeping and some praying.

Suddenly a deafening crash was heard. The Indian band had broken into the house. With loud shouts they began to 10)pillage and to destroy everything in sight. While they were yet busy downstairs， Mrs. Schuyler sprang to her feet and rushed to the door; for she had suddenly remembered that the baby， who was only a few months old， was asleep in its cradle in a room on the first floor.

The general caught his wife in his arms， and 11)implored her not to go to certain death， saying that if any one was to go he would. While this 12)generous struggle between husband and wife was going on， their young daughter， who had been standing near the door， 13)glided by them， and

descended the stairs.

All was dark in the hall， excepting where the light shone from the dining-room in which the Indians were pillaging the shelves and fighting over their 14)booty. How to get past the dining-room door was the question， but the brave girl did not hesitate. Reaching the lower hall， she walked very

15)deliberately forward， softly but quickly passing the door， and unobserved reached the room in which was the cradle.

She caught up the baby， crept back past the open door， and was just mounting the stairs， when one of the savages happened to see her.

“WHIZ” – and his sharp 16)tomahawk struck the stair rail within a few inches of the baby’s head. But the frightened girl hurried on， and in a few seconds was safe in her father’s arms.

As for the Indians， fearing an attack from the near-by 17)garrison， they hastened away with the booty they had collected， and left General Schuyler and his family unharmed.

1781年，雖然戰爭主要集中在美國南部，但北部也不斷遭到一些托利黨人和印第安人的騷擾。這些人對小型聚居點發動襲擊，所到之處無不掠奪一空。

這段時期斯凱勒將軍住在自己的家里。這座房子就矗立在阿爾巴尼州的防御工事，或者說圍墻之外。英軍指揮官于是派出了一群托利黨人和印第安人去抓捕將軍。

到達城外時，他們從一個荷蘭勞工口中得知將軍的房子由六名士兵進行守衛，三人守日，三人守夜。他們隨后放了那個荷蘭人。荷蘭人一待這群人走出視線，便急忙趕到阿爾巴尼州，提醒將軍敵人即將到來。

斯凱勒把他的家人都集中到樓上的一個房間，下令給門窗釘上木板。他從頂樓的窗戶向外開了一槍，提醒周圍的鄰居小心。

當值的士兵正在樹蔭下慵懶地坐著，一聽到槍響便站了起來。然而，唉！太遲了，他們已經被一群黑衣人團團圍住，還來不及抵抗，手腳就給捆上了。

在樓上的房間里，強壯的將軍握著槍堅定地站在門邊。他的黑奴個個手拿武器圍在他身邊。在房間的另一頭，女人們擠作一堆，有的在哭，有的在祈禱。……