He seemed afraid to pronounce the word "killed." Sprawl looked at Lanyard. He saw that he hung in the wind.
"Why, no, sir," said he. "Why, no, none of them seriously hurt."
"Nor killed?" said the commodore, affecting to be at ease, as he lay back on his sofa; "I am glad of it—I thank heaven for it. But really I am so weak from this confounded complaint!"
"No, sir," continued old Davie, "none of the midshipmen are either killed or wounded, but Mr De Walden"——
He suddenly raised himself into a sitting position, and the increasing daylight, that streamed through the stern windows, and the scuttle overhead, showed that he was paler than ever; the ague of his lip increased, and his whole frame trembled violently, as he said in a weak nervous voice—"Mr De Walden, did you say? what of him? You just now said none of the young gentlemen were either killed or wounded." And he looked first at Sprawl, then at Dick, and lastly at me, but all of us were so taken aback by such unusual and unaccountable conduct, that for a second or two we could make no answer.
At length Lanyard rallied his wits about him. "You are right, sir, none of the midshipmen were hurt, but Mr de Walden"——
"Mr de Walden again!—what can you mean? Speak out, for the love of mercy"—and he seized his arm, and then shrunk away again, and held up his hand, as if he could not stand the hearing of what he might utter. "Don't say it, Mr Lanyard; don't, if you regard me, say it;" and he lay back, and held both hands on his eyes, and sobbed audibly.
Sprawl and I again exchanged looks, but neither of us could find it in our hearts to speak.
At length the old man made a violent effort at composure,—"Gentlemen, you will pardon me; disease has broken me down, and fairly unhinged me; and I could, as you see, cry like a woman. I had, indeed, a very peculiar cause for loving that poor boy, I fancy, God help me"—here the large tears streamed over his old cheeks, that had stood the washing up of many a salt spray—"that I see him now!"
"Where?" said I, like honest Horatio, somewhat startled. He did not notice the interruption.