"Nothing, Sire," he replied with the unaffected simplicity of the man of action; "I merely stamped on some little children—twins, I think."
"Two medals for that," said the Emperor with ready wit, and there was not a wet eye as he placed them in their proud position.
The Vizier beckoned to a youthful officer on whose lip the down was hardly yet visible. But though young in years he was already every inch a soldier of his country.
"This gallant gentleman," said the Vizier, "unaided, and at great personal risk, shot a baby in arms."
"In arms?" asked the monarch sharply. "Surely that mitigates the heroism?"
"I meant in its mother's arms," the Vizier hastily explained.
"Ah!" said the Emperor with a sigh of relief, "that reassures me." And amid profound excitement he embraced the soldier, pinned the coveted badge to his breast and bade him quickly return to the front to carry on the great work.
"The next reward is for resource in emergency," said the master of ceremonies an hour or so later.
He beckoned to a superb officer, splendid in his trappings—a blue-eyed colossus of nearly six-feet-six.
"This highborn Captain," said the Vizier, "snatched some women from their beds and pushed them before his men so that the enemy should not shoot."