“He was not dead,” answered Foret, “when I left him five leagues on this side Nantes, but he had not many days to live.”
The two had turned back over the lawn, and now met de Lescure, as he hastened to join them.
“Cathelineau,” said Henri, “is mortally wounded! Victory will have been bought too dear at such a price; but I know not yet even whether the Vendeans have been victorious.”
“They have not—they have not,” said Foret. “How could they be victorious when their great General had fallen?”
“Mortally wounded! Oh, Foret, you are indeed a messenger of evil,” said de Lescure, giving him his hand.
“Yes, mortally wounded,” said Foret. “I fear before this he may have ceased to breathe. I left him, gentlemen, a few leagues this side Nantes, and at his own request hurried on to tell you these sad tidings. Oh, M. de Lescure, our cause has had a heavy blow at Nantes, and yet at one time we had almost beaten them; but when the peasants saw Cathelineau fall, they would fight no longer.”
“Where is he?” said Henri, “that is if he still lives.”
“I crossed the river with him,” answered Foret, “and brought him on as far as Remouille. He wished to be carried to the hospital you have opened at St. Laurent, and unless he has died since I left him, he is there now. I hurried on by Montacué and Tiffauges to St. Laurent; and there, M. Henri, I saw Mademoiselle Agatha, and told her what had happened. If there be an angel upon earth she is one! When I told her that the good Cathelineau was dying, every shade of colour left her beautiful cheek; she became as pale as marble, and crossed her hands upon her bosom; she spoke to me not a word, nor did I look for reply, for I knew that in her heart she was praying that his soul might be taken up to heaven.”
Henri at that moment remembered the enthusiastic declaration of his sister, that Cathelineau, despite his birth, was worthy of any woman’s love, and he did not begrudge her the only means which now remained to her of proving her devotion to the character she had admired.
“I told her,” continued Foret, “that if he lived so long, Cathelineau would reach the hospital on the following day, and then I hurried on to you. She told me I should find you here. It was then dark, but I reached Chatillon that night, for they sent a guide with me from St. Laurent. I left Chatillon again at the break of day, and have not lost much time in arriving here.”