“Thieves stopped an eastbound passenger train on Wednesday last, one man hurt, locomotive temporarily unrailed.” Delaney was condensing the story as he scanned the column. “Four cars badly burned, a boxcar and the passengers looted, rails torn up, replaced very next day.” He peered at Ridley through gold-rimmed half-moon reading glasses. “You don’t really think this can be the first great triumph of your Faulconer Legion, do you?”

“It doesn’t sound like Faulconer. Now listen, Bev.”

“No, you listen to me.” The half-brothers were in Delaney’s rooms in Grace Street. The parlor windows looked through velvet curtains at the graceful spire of St. Paul’s and, beyond it, toward the elegant white Capitol Building that was now the seat of the Provisional Confederate government. “You listen, because I am going to read the best part to you,” Delaney said with exaggerated relish. “‘It might be thought, from their despicable behavior, that the plug-uglies who intercepted the cars on Wednesday were mere vagabond thieves, but thieves do not attempt to destroy railway trestles, and it is that feeble effort of destruction which has convinced authorities that the villains were southern agents and not common criminals, though how it is possible to differentiate, we cannot tell.’ Isn’t this delicious, Ethan? ‘The world is well instructed now in southern manners, for the bravery of the rebels encompassed the robbing of women, the frightening of children, and an abject failure to destroy the Anakansett Bridge which, though lightly toasted, was carrying freight the very next day.’ Lightly toasted! Isn’t that amusing, Ethan?”

“No, goddamn it, no!”

“I think it’s highly amusing. Let’s see now, bold pursuit by Ohio cavalry, held up by rains, swollen streams. Rogues got clear away, so clearly the pursuit wasn’t near bold enough. Raiders are thought to have retired east toward the Shenandoah Valley. ‘Our brethren of eastern Virginia who so like to boast of their greater civilization, seem to have sent these men as emissaries of that vaunted superiority. If this be the best we can hope to see of their belligerent skills then we can rest assured that the nation’s crisis will be short-lived and that the glorious Union will be reknit within weeks.’ Oh, splendid!” Delaney took off his reading glasses and smiled at Ridley. “Not a very impressive display if it was your future father-in-law. One toasted bridge? He’ll have to do better than that!”

“For God’s sake, Bev!” Ridley pleaded.