Page:The Man in the Iron Mask.djvu/434

Rh 420 THE MAN m THE IRON MASK. among the bushes, and the Arabs began to think of leaving their intrenchments to come and cut off his head, or take his body, as is the custom with the infidels. But Monsei- gneur le Due de Beaufort had followed all this with his eyes, and the sad spectacle drew from him many and pain- ful sighs. He then cried aloud, seeing the Arabs running like white phantoms among the mastick-trees, 'Grenadiers, piquers! will you let them take that noble body?' "Saying these words and waving his sword, he himself rode toward the enemy. The regiments, rushing in his steps, ran in their turns, uttering cries as terrible as those of the Arabs were wild. Bragelonne, and with such inveteracy was it fought that a hundred and sixty Arabs were left upon the field, by the side of at least fifty of our troops. It was a lieutenant from Normandy who took the body of the vicomte on his shoul- ders and carried it back to the lines. The advantage was, however, pursued, the regiments took the reserve with them, and the enemy's palisades were destroyed. At three o'clock the fire of the Arabs ceased; the hand-to-hand fight lasted two hours; that was a massacre. At five o'clock we were victorious on all the points; the enemy had abandoned his positions, and Monsieur le Due had ordered the white flag to be planted upon the culminating point of the little mountain. It was then we had time to think of Mon- sieur de Bragelonne, who had eight large wounds through his body, by which almost all his blood had escaped. Still, however, he breathed, which afforded inexpressible joy to monseigneur, who insisted upon being present at the first dressing of the wounds and at the consultation of the surgeons. There were two among them who declared Mon- sieur de Bragelonne would live. Monseigneur threw his arms round their necks and promised them a thousand louis each if they could save him. '*The vicomte heard these transports of joy, and whether he was in despair, or whether he suffered much from his wounds, he expressed, .by his countenance, a contradiction, which gave rise to reflection, particularly in one of the secretaries, when he had heard what follows. The third surgeon was the brother of Sylvan de St. Cosme, the most learned of ours. He probed the wounds in his turn, and said nothing. Monsieur de Bragelonne fixed his eyes steadily upon the skillful surgeon, and seemed to interro- gate his every movement. The latter, upon being ques-
 * 'The combat commenced over the body of Monsieur de