These words were spoken in French, with an accent of pain and fright. The yunker knew he had just killed a Frenchman. A cold sweat moistened his whole body; he began to tremble, and threw down his musket. But that lasted only a second; the thought that he was a hero came to his mind. Picking up his gun, he left the dead man, running and shouting “Hurrah!” with the rest. Twenty steps farther on he reached the trench where our troops and the commander of battalion were.
“I have killed one!” said he to the latter.
“You are a brave fellow, baron,” was the reply.
XI.
“Did you know that Praskoukine is dead?” said Pesth to Kalouguine on the way back.
“It isn’t possible!”
“Why not? I saw him myself.”
“Good-by; I am in a hurry.”
“A lucky day!” thought Kalouguine, as he was entering his quarters. “For the first time I am lucky. It has been a brilliant affair; I have come out of it safe and sound; there must be recommendations for decoration. A sword of honor will be the least they can give me. Faith, I have well deserved it!”
He made his report to the general, and went to his room. Prince Galtzine was reading a book at the table, and had been waiting for him a long time.