“I think,” he said, after a while, “I shall try to stand. I thought my back was broken, but the feeling hath come back into my extremities, and I may yet recover the use of my faculties. Thank God for our merciful deliverance!”
“Had you been killed, Simon,” said his wife, “I should have grieved sorely, but it would have been my consolation that you fell in the way of your duty.”
“Truly that is the case,” her husband answered in the same tone, “but I have, I hope and trust been mercifully spared to you and the children. I think, though, I have got this day what will shorten my arm for the future. I even fear I have seen my last fight.”
“I am thinking,” said his wife, whose strong common sense was gradually overcoming her alarm, “that you are more frightened than hurt. I would just like to know how it came that we found you in the trench with never a scratch on your body?”
“And you´ll know that,” said Simon, plucking up heart and sending his imagination on an airy flight, a course his mind would seldom take.
“You will remember, Mr. Orme, how you and I were even plunged in the thick of it, with those swearing devils swinging their long swords and cracking their pistols about our ears. I saw you borne forward and like to come to evil, but I could not help you, strive as I might. I had work enough of my own to save my head, and I and some others--who they were I know not--were borne back here. We made a stout defence, but I was struck or pushed from behind and only remember falling back heels over head into the trench thinking I should never see wife or children again. And now, God be thanked! we have gained a great victory, and that let none gainsay.”
“The day is hardly over,” said Gervase, who could not restrain his amusement; “they are still pushing us hard in the ramparts down by the Bogside, and I heard a whisper that our men had been driven in there. If you feel able we might go thither and see if we cannot strike a brave blow together.”
“The Lord forbid--I mean--that is--I have had my share of this day´s fight, and so look you, Mr. Orme, I say with all courage, I think I´ll even turn my steps homeward, if my wife will lend me her arm, and will not keep you waiting here. You are young and lusty, and hot blood must have hot blood.”
Mistress Sproule who was herself so courageous, that she was unable to suspect cowardice in others, still imagined that Simon had sustained some internal injury, and with great tenderness and solicitude took him under her arm and led him to the city.
This was a memorable day in the annals of the siege. The men of the garrison had fought with heroic courage, and only in the intrenchment by the Bog had there for a moment been any doubt as to the result. There, indeed, the defenders had been taken by surprise, and the grenadiers had gained possession of the trenches, but only to hold them for an hour. That night the bell in the Cathedral rang out a joyous peal, and hearts that were beginning to despond took fresh courage.