She opened her eyes and looked dazedly up at him.
“Qu’y a-t-il?” she murmured. Then her vision cleared. “What is the matter?” she asked in a stronger voice.
“You’ve been hit,” he panted. “Do you feel pain?”
She closed her eyes for an instant.
“No,” she answered; “but my left leg is numb, as if——”
“Pray heaven it is only in the leg! I must get you somewhere out of this.” He raised his head to look around, and was suddenly conscious of the banging guns. “Damn these lunatics! Oh, damn them!”
The ridges on either side were rimmed with fire. He cast a glance behind him and his heart stood still, for a troop of cavalry was deploying into the road. Forward, then, to the village, since that was the only way.
He stooped to lift her.
“I may hurt you a little,” he said.
“What are you going to do?”