Page:The Czar, A Tale of the Time of the First Napleon.djvu/222

212 living freight into the freezing waters beneath; and the miserable multitude on the bank, who were suffering more and more from the cannonade of the enemy, now rushed forward in blind terror to gain the only remaining bridge.

Henri lost sight of Madame Leone and the baby in the press, and it was with difficulty that he saved little Guido from being trodden under foot, by holding him continually in his arms.

Féron kept by his side throughout. At last, however, he cried aloud suddenly, "Comrade, I am done for! That bullet—"

Henri saw it was too true. In great distress he knelt down beside him and tried to stanch the blood that was flowing from his breast.

Almost at the same moment a company of the rear-guard came thundering by, forcing their way through the living mass, and cutting down without remorse or pity all who obstructed their retreat.

"Time to go now," said Féron with an effort. "Monsieur Henri, don't stay for me. I thought I would have brought home news of you; now you—but go, I entreat of you, go at once. No time to lose."

"Never, while you breathe. Besides, as you said, the Emperor will not leave a Frenchman behind him." Recollecting that Madame Leone had filled with wine the flask Féron himself had left with him, he mixed some of its contents with snow-water, and put the reviving draught to the lips of his comrade.

"Monsieur Henri," murmured Féron, "can you say a prayer for me? You used to pray, though we laughed at you for it in the regiment."

"There is one prayer I have often prayed since all this trouble came upon us," said Henri. "It is good, and it is short; you can say it for yourself—'God be merciful to me a sinner, for Jesus Christ's sake.'"

"God be merciful to me a sinner, for Jesus Christ's sake,"