THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE
作者简介：
史提芬．葛伦是美国纽泽西州人。一八七一年十一月一日在该州的纽瓦克地方出生。十四岁时开始写作，后来曾在大学写过两本书。
「铁血雄师」这本书的出版是经过不少艰苦曲折的过程才得成功的。当时作者才廿四岁，在经济上依然是一贫如洗，幸而在绝望的挣扎得到一位先生的资助，才把出书的计划实现了。本书出版后，即刻在美国文学界引起了惊人的注意。当时的著名作家都群起赞扬，把这本书当成天才的杰作。本书出版不久，他就代表纽约的几家报社随著美国海军远征队到古巴去。不幸，他所搭乘的「将军号」船突遇风浪，中途沉没。在惊险万状的挣扎中，他虽然保全了性命，可惜他的健康已大受损失，而且从此伏下了不治的病根。好在痛苦自有代价，死里逃生的经历帮助他写成第二本杰作「没有甲板的船」(The Open Boat)，此书被 H. G. 威尔斯誉为「英文语言最美丽动人的短篇故事。」
自古天才多短命，自从海上遇险后就一直潜伏在身体内的肺痨病菌，不久开始转趋猖獗了。身边的亲友都劝他到德国去静养，可惜为时已晚，他终于在一九ＯＯ年六月五日辞别了人世。
故事大意：
「铁血雄师」是一部描写美国南北战争(1861-65)的小说。这本书的故事很简单，由头到尾都是著重心理的描写。
书中的主角亨利．弗莱明是一位崇尚团体光荣的战士，他认为在战火中锻练出来同仇敌忾的精神比作战的目标还重要。
本书的主题一方面强调团体的光荣，一方面也说明主角如何透过战争的磨练而变得成熟。
The cold and fog slowly left the earth revealing an army resting on the hills. Across the river at night one could see the red gleam of enemy campfires.
A certain tall soldier went to a stream to wash a shirt and came running back waving his garment, saying, "We're going to move tomorrow! " Many men did not believe this comment, to which a youthful private listened with eager ears. He had dreamed of battles, but thought of them only as tales of the past when men where different.
From his home he had seen the war in his country as some sort of play, but still he had a burning desire to enlist. His mother had strong arguments against this but he finally accepted a blue uniform. He was disappointed when she told him only, "You watch out, Henry, and take care of yourself in this fighting business. Choose your company and do your duty, Child, for me." But he saw her crying when he looked back.
Then had come the months of waiting in camp when he had spent days wondering if he would run from battle. Finally one morning the youth found himself on the move with his regiment and they crossed the river and came up behind the enemy.
Again, the army sat down to wait. But one gray morning, the youth found himself running down the road while firing came from the distance. The time had come; it occurred to the youth that they were taking him out to be slaughtered. The youth was taught that a man becomes another thing in a battle.
Twice, three times, they stopped and dug barricades; then they moved on. Someone cried, "Here they come! " and a gray swarm of yelling men came running across the fields. "You've got to hold them," shouted a hatless general. Suddenly the youth began to fire along with his regiment; he was a man with a task. A red rage overcame him. At last a cheer sounded, the charge had been stopped.
Suddenly the charge came again. The enemy seemed like redoutable dragons. He joined some of his companions, dropped his gun and run into the trees like a blind man. It was a race from death.
When he heard a general joyfully yelling, "They've held them!" he suddenly felt ashamed and began to pity himself and wonder what he would say when he returned to camp. He was ashamed and wished he was dead.
Overwhelmed suddenly by a new rush of retreating soldiers, Henry was hit on the head by a man he tried to stop. Wounded, he stumbled along, and with the help of a friendly man got back to his camp. A friend bandaged his wound and gave him his blanket to sleep on. In the morning his companions saw his wound and all was friendship. The youth forgot his shame.
The youth's regiment took to battle again. First going forward and then retreating. Henry heard himself say, "Don't we do all that men can？" The youth wanted rest, but the enemy seemed relentless.
The youth went into battle with savage fury. He was so single minded that his comrades had to stop him when there was a lull. He was a hero.
The youth ran forward unconsciously in the lead. Their lieutenant urged them on. Running like a madman, Henry took the flag and led the charge into the battle.
As he looked back, he saw his regiment in retreat. The youth felt shame and harangued his fellows, but they had lost heart. Suddenly they started firing again, and when the smoke rose the attackers had vanished. But then they learned that they had been reprimanded by the general for failing their goal by only 100m feet.
Some of his comrades told Henry the colonel had seen him in battle and had said, "A very good man to have. " The youth was very happy.
Again the enemy came forward and the youth watched the battle for a while. His regiment was in the flight. Then the men leaped forward, the flag at their front. The enemy's flag fell and Henry's regiment was victorious, with four prisoners.
Marching back, the youth said, "Well, it's all over." He thought back on his achievements, and sweated with shame at his flight. But at last he found that his earlier pride had been replaced by manhood. He smiled as he walked through the mud in the rain, for he saw that the world was a world for him: He was a man.
注解：
revealing 露出
gleam 微光
campfire 营火
comment 说法；讲法
youthful private 年轻二等兵
enlist 入伍
argument 极力反对
blue uniform 蓝色军服
on the move 始终动著
regiment 团
gray morning 灰暗的早晨
to be slaughtered 被屠杀
barricade 防卫阵地
swarm 群
got to hold them 非挡住他们不可
overcome 征服了
charge 进攻
redoubtable dragon 猛龙
feel ashamed 深感内疚
overwhelmed 被压倒
stumble 蹒跚而行
bandage his wound 为他裹伤
relentless 无慈悲心
savage fury 狂怒
lull 暂停
in the lead 前导
lieutenant 尉官
harangue 作狮吼
vanish 消失
reprimand 严责
colonel 校官
in the flight 败退
leap forward 向前冲跳
manhood 长大成人