I tried to; but the flask was empty. He put it back in his pocket.
“Here is the bottle,” he said. “I have brought enough; but we must get to the depot.”
We saw fire engines with police on them, galloping like madmen in the direction whence we had come. The streets were crowded with people, talking, gesticulating, like actors. Every one seemed to know of the bomb already, and to be talking about it. I noticed that even here, fully a block away, the pavement was covered with pieces of glass; all the windows had been broken by the explosion.
As we came in front of the depot, just before we passed into the full glare of the arc-lamps, Lingg said—
“Let me look at you,” and as he let go my arm, I almost fell; my legs were like German sausages; they felt as if they had no bones in them, and would bend in any direction; in spite of every effort they would shake.
“Come, Rudolph,” he said, “we’ll stop and talk; but you must come to yourself. Take another drink, and think of nothing. I will save you; you are too good to lose. Come, dear friend, don’t let them crow over us.”
My heart seemed to be in my mouth, but I swallowed it down. I took another swig of brandy, and then a long drink of it. It might have been water for all I tasted; but it seemed to do me some little good. In a minute or so I had got hold of myself.
“I’m all right,” I said; “what is there to do now?”
“Simply to go through the depot,” he said, “as if there were nothing the matter, and take the train.”