For The Admiral Part 28

The daring hazardous exploit sent a wave of fire through every man. We flung off our fatigue as if it were a cloak, dealing our blows as vigorously as though the battle were but newly joined. And as we toiled on, following the flag, a great shout of victory arose on our right.

Henry of Bearn had thrust back his a.s.sailants; they were running fast, and his hors.e.m.e.n were hanging on their heels like sleuth-hounds.

The cry was taken up and repeated all along the line, and in a few minutes the enemy, smitten by sudden fear, were flying in all directions. For some distance we pursued, sweeping numbers of prisoners to the rear; but our animals were wearied, and presently all but a few of the most fiery spirits had halted.

The victory was ours, but we had bought it at a high price. Some of our bravest officers were dead, and Coligny looked mournfully at his diminished band of attendants. We rode back to our lines, and to me the joy of our triumph was sadly dimmed by the absence of my comrade. In the wild stampede I had lost sight of the flag, and no one had seen its gallant bearer.

"Has Monsieur Bellievre fallen?" asked Jacques, who had ridden well and boldly with the troopers.

"I do not know; I fear so. He was a long distance ahead of us in the last charge. I am going to search for him."

"There is your English friend, monsieur; he is not hurt."

Roger grasped my hand warmly. "Safe!" he exclaimed; "I hardly dared to hope it. It has been a terrible fight. Our poor fellows"--he spoke of the English remnant--"have suffered severely. Where is Felix?"

"We are on our way to look for him; I fear he has fallen."

Roger turned and went with us. "I saw him with the flag," he remarked.

"'Twas a gallant deed. It helped us to win the battle. By my word, Cosse must have lost frightfully; the field just here looks carpeted with the dead."

"'Tis a fearful sight to see in cold blood," I replied.

Numbers of men were removing the wounded, but knowing that Felix had ridden some distance ahead we kept steadily on our way.

"'Twas here Cosse's troops began to break," said Jacques presently, "and 'tis hereabout we ought to find Monsieur Bellievre's body."

The words jarred upon me horribly; they expressed the thought I was trying hard to keep out of my head.

We went quickly from one to the other, doing what we could for the wounded, and hurrying on again. It was a gruesome task, and the fear of finding what we sought so earnestly added to the horror.

Suddenly my heart gave a leap, and I ran forward quickly to where I saw the colour of the blood-stained flag. A dead horse lay near it, and by the animal's side lay my comrade. His head was bare, and his fair hair cl.u.s.tered in curls over his forehead. He was very white and still, and his eyes were closed.

"Poor fellow; I fear he is past help," murmured Roger.

"Let us find out," advised the practical Jacques, and, kneeling down on the other side, he a.s.sisted me to loosen the doublet.

CHAPTER XVI

A Gleam of Sunshine

"The heart beats, monsieur; faintly, but it beats."

"Are you sure, Jacques? Are you quite certain?"

"I can feel it plainly, monsieur. He has lost a great deal of blood. If we move him the bleeding may begin again; I will fetch a surgeon to dress his wounds here."

It seemed an age before Jacques returned with a surgeon, and meanwhile Felix lay perfectly still. There was not the flutter of an eyelid, not the twitching of a muscle; only by placing a hand over his heart could one tell that he still lived.

The surgeon shook his head as he bound up the wounds, evidently having little faith in my comrade's chance of recovery. We got him back to the camp, however, where Jacques and I watched by turns all night at his side. Toward morning he moved restlessly, and presently his eyes opened.

"Felix," I said softly, with a great joy at my heart, "Felix, do you know me?"

"The flag!" he said feebly, "follow the flag! Forward, brave hearts!"

and he would have risen, but I held him down gently.

"The battle is over, Felix; we have won a great victory. It is I, Edmond. You have been wounded, but are getting better. We found you on the field."

"I dropped the flag," he said, smiling at me, but not knowing me.

"It is all right. We picked it up; it is here," and I placed it near him. His hand closed lovingly round the silken folds, and his eyes were filled with deep contentment.

Leaving the room quietly, I called to Jacques, saying, "He is awake, but he does not recognize me."

"Give him time, monsieur; his brain is not yet clear, but he will come round. Sit by him a while, so that he can see you; he will remember by degrees."

Acting on this suggestion, I returned to the bedside and sat down, but without speaking. Felix lay fingering the flag, but presently his eyes sought mine, wonderingly at first, but afterwards with a gleam of recognition in them.

I had sat thus for perhaps half an hour, when he called me by name, and I bent over him with a throb of joy.

"Edmond," he said, "where are we? Is the battle over?"

"Yes, and Cosse has been badly beaten. You were hurt in the last charge."

"Yes," he said slowly, "I remember. Ah, you found the flag!"

"It was lying beside you; your horse was killed."

"A pistol-shot," he said, "and a fellow cut at me with his sword at the same time. But I am tired. Is the Admiral safe?"

"Yes, I am going to him now. Jacques will stay with you, and I will send the surgeon."

Fearing lest he should overtax his strength, I went out, and after a visit to the surgeon proceeded to Coligny's tent. My heart ached as I gazed around at my comrades, and realized more fully what the victory had cost us.

"Is Bellievre likely to recover?" asked one.

"I hope so; he is quite sensible, but very weak."

"He did a splendid thing! The Admiral is very proud of him."

"That piece of information will go a long way toward pulling him through!" I said.

Just then Coligny himself came from his tent, and hearing our talk inquired kindly after my comrade.

"He is sensible, my lord, and I am hoping he may recover," I replied.

"I trust so; we cannot well afford to lose such a gallant lad. I must come to see him presently, and tell him how much we owe him."