I was at first disposed to refuse, but her pitiful face and sad plight made me think better of it; and I seized the bridle at once; but just as I had done so, the escort galloped forward, and the dragoons coming on the flank of the miserable beast, over he went, barrels and all, crushing me beneath him as he fell.
"Is the boy hurt?" were the last words I heard, for I fainted; but a few minutes after I found myself seated on the grass, while a soldier was stanching the blood that ran freely from a cut in my forehead.
"It is a trifle, general—a mere scratch," said a young officer to an old man on horseback beside him, "and the leg is not broken."
"Glad of it," said the old officer; "casualties are insufferable, except before an enemy. Send the lad to his regiment."
"He's only a camp-follower, general. He does not belong to us."
"There, my lad, take this, then, and make thy way back to Paris," said the old general, as he threw me a small piece of money.
I looked up, and there, straight before me, saw the same officer who had given me the assignat the night before.
"General La Coste!" cried I, in delight, for I thought him already a friend.
"How is this—have I an acquaintance here?" said he, smiling: "on my life! it's the young rogue I met this morning. Eh! art not thou the artillery-driver I spoke to at the barrack?"
"Yes, general, the same."