to make a noise in the world, Rupert!' said one. 'Here's parchment for
the poet,' said another. 'Rupert's last work in sheepskin covers,' said
a third. 'Give us a classical tune, Rupert,' said a fourth; and so on.
But Rupert seemed too mortified to speak; he changed color, bit his
lips, and finally burst into a passionate fit of crying, and left the
room. Then those who had joked him felt ashamed, and everybody began
to ask who had put the drum there. But no one knew, or if they did, the
unexpected sympathy awakened for the sensitive boy kept them silent.
Even the servants were called up and questioned, but no one could
give any idea where it came from. And, what was still more singular,
everybody declared that up to the moment it was produced, no one had
seen it hanging on the tree. What do I think? Well, I have my own
opinion. But no questions! Enough for you to know that Rupert did not
come down stairs again that night, and the party soon after broke up.
“I had almost forgotten those things, for the war of the Rebellion
broke out the next spring, and I was appointed surgeon in one of the
new regiments, and was on my way to the seat of war. But I had to pass
through the city where the Professor lived, and there I met him. My
first question was about Rupert. The Professor shook his head sadly.
'He's not so well,' he said; 'he has been declining since last
Christmas, when you saw him. A very strange case,' he added, giving it
a long Latin name,--'a very singular case. But go and see him yourself,'
he urged; 'it may distract his mind and do him good?'
“I went accordingly to the Professor's house, and found Rupert lying on
a sofa, propped up with pillows. Around him were scattered his books,
and, what seemed in singular contrast, that drum I told you about was
hanging on a nail, just above his head. His face was thin and wasted;
there was a red spot on either cheek, and his eyes were very bright and
widely opened. He was glad to see me, and when I told him where I was
going, he asked a thousand questions about the war. I thought I had
thoroughly diverted his mind from its sick and languid fancies, when he
suddenly grasped my hand and drew me toward him.
“'Doctor,' said he, in a low whisper, 'you won't laugh at me if I tell
you something?'
“'No, certainly not,' I said.
“'You remember that drum?' he said, pointing to the glittering toy that
hung against the wall. 'You know, too, how it came to me. A few weeks
after Christmas, I was lying half asleep here, and the drum was hanging
on the wall, when suddenly I heard it beaten; at first, low and slowly,
then faster and louder, until its rolling filled the house. In the
middle of the night, I heard it again. I did not dare to tell anybody
about it, but I have heard it every night ever since.'
“He paused and looked anxiously in my face. 'Sometimes,' he continued,
'it is played softly, sometimes loudly, but always quickening to a
long-roll, so loud and alarming that I have looked to see people coming
into my room to ask what was the matter. But I think, Doctor,--I think,'
he repeated slowly, looking up with painful interest into my face, 'that
no one hears it but myself.'
“I thought so, too, but I asked him if he had heard it at any other
time.
“'Once or twice in the daytime,' he replied, 'when I have been reading
or writing; then very loudly, as though it were angry, and tried in that
way to attract my attention away from my books.'
“I looked into his face, and placed my hand upon his pulse. His eyes
were very bright, and his pulse a little flurried and quick. I then
tried to explain to him that he was very weak, and that his senses were
very acute, as most weak people's are; and how that when he read,
or grew interested and excited, or when he was tired at night, the
throbbing of a big artery made the beating sound he heard. He listened
to me with a sad smile of unbelief, but thanked me, and in a little
while I went away. But as I was going down stairs, I met the Professor.
I gave him my opinion of the case,--well, no matter what it was.
“'He wants fresh air and exercise,' said the Professor, 'and some
practical experience of life, sir?' The Professor was not a bad man, but
he was a little worried and impatient, and thought--as clever people are
apt to think--that things which he didn't understand were either silly
or improper.
“I left the city that very day, and in the excitement of battle-fields
and hospitals, I forgot all about little Rupert, nor did I hear of him
again, until one day, meeting an old classmate in the army, who had
known the Professor, he told me that Rupert had become quite insane, and
that in one of his paroxysms he had escaped from the house, and as he
had never been found, it was feared that he had fallen in the river and
was drowned. I was terribly shocked for the moment, as you may imagine;
but, dear me, I was living just then among scenes as terrible and
shocking, and I had little time to spare to mourn over poor Rupert.
“It was not long after receiving this intelligence that we had a
terrible battle, in which a portion of our army was surprised and driven
back with great slaughter. I was detached from my brigade to ride over
to the battle-field and assist the surgeons of the beaten division, who
had more on their hands than they could attend to. When I reached the
barn that served for a temporary hospital, I went at once to work. Ah,
Bob,” said the Doctor, thoughtfully taking the bright sword from the
hands of the half-frightened Bob, and holding it gravely before him,
“these pretty playthings are symbols of cruel, ugly realities.
“I turned to a tall, stout Vermonter,” he continued very slowly, tracing
a pattern on the rug with the point of the scabbard, “who was badly
wounded in both thighs, but he held up his hands and begged me to help
others first who needed it more than he. I did not at first heed his
request, for this kind of unselfishness was very common in the army;
but he went on, 'For God's sake, Doctor, leave me here; there is a
drummer-boy of our regiment--a mere child--dying, if he isn't dead now.
Go, and see him first. He lies over there. He saved more than one life.
He was at his post in the panic this morning, and saved the honor of the
regiment.' I was so much more impressed by the man's manner than by the
substance of his speech, which was, however, corroborated by the other
poor fellows stretched around me, that I passed over to where the
drummer lay, with his drum beside him. I gave one glance at his
face--and--yes, Bob--yes, my children--it WAS Rupert.
“Well! well! it needed not the chalked cross which my brother-surgeons
had left upon the rough board whereon he lay to show how urgent was the
relief he sought; it needed not the prophetic words of the Vermonter,
nor the damp that mingled with the brown curls that clung to his pale
forehead, to show how hopeless it was now. I called him by name. He
opened his eyes--larger, I thought, in the new vision that was beginning
to dawn upon him--and recognized me. He whispered, 'I'm glad you are
come, but I don't think you can do me any good.'
“I could not tell him a lie. I could not say anything. I only pressed
his hand in mine, as he went on.
“'But you will see father, and ask him to forgive me. Nobody is to blame
but myself. It was a long time before I understood why the drum came to
me that Christmas night, and why it kept calling to me every night, and
what it said. I know it now. The work is done, and I am content. Tell
father it is better as it is. I should have lived only to worry and
perplex him, and something in me tells me this is right.'
“He lay still for a moment, and then, grasping my hand, said,--
“'Hark!'
“I listened, but heard nothing but the suppressed moans of the wounded
men around me. 'The drum,' he said faintly; 'don't you hear it? The drum
is calling me.'
“He reached out his arm to where it lay, as though he would embrace it.
“'Listen,' he went on, 'it's the reveille. There are the ranks drawn
up in review. Don't you see the sunlight flash down the long line of
bayonets? Their faces are shining,--they present arms,--there comes the
General; but his face I cannot look at, for the glory round his head. He
sees me; he smiles, it is--” And with a name upon his lips that he had
learned long ago, he stretched himself wearily upon the planks, and lay
quite still.
“That's all. No questions now; never mind what became of the drum. Who's
that snivelling? Bless my soul, where's my pill-box?”