The others
had all recovered and been sent on. These were my enemies, and I
must pass through them in order to gain my horse. From the
surgeon I had nothing to fear; the Englishman was wounded, and
his sword stood with his cloak in a corner; the two Germans were
half insensible, and their muskets were not beside them. What
could be simpler? I opened the trap-door, slipped down the
ladder, and appeared in the midst of them, my sword drawn in my
hand.
What a picture of surprise! The surgeon, of course, knew all,
but to the Englishman and the two Germans it must have seemed
that the god of war in person had descended from the skies. With
my appearance, with my figure, with my silver and grey uniform,
and with that gleaming sword in my hand, I must indeed have been
a sight worth seeing. The two Germans lay petrified with staring
eyes. The English officer half rose, but sat down again from
weakness, his mouth open and his hand on the back of his chair.
"What the deuce!" he kept on repeating, "what the deuce!"
"Pray do not move," said I; "I will hurt no one, but woe to the
man who lays hands upon me to stop me.
Pages:
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279