Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 6).djvu/283

The air was filling with shouts, and stinking powder smoke, and crashes, and the red flash of cannon.

The French were advancing to the storm in the wet, grey dawn. Both flanking batteries, fully manned, had opened upon them; but of the guns which had direct command of the bridge, only one spoke.

Into the roar of artillery, the wind brought up yells, and oaths, and bubbling shrieks. And then the eagles came through the smoke. There was no stopping that rush.

Somehow I found myself amongst comrades, fighting with a claw-backed farrier's hammer; knowing nothing of order, or reason, or how these things came to pass; but heated only by an insane desire to kill, and kill, and kill! And then I grappled with a man who was struggling off with a flag, and wrestled with him in a crimson slough, and choked him down into it, whilst heavily-shod feet trampled madly on both of us. And afterwards there was more shouting and cheering; and mighty hand-claps between my shoulder-blades; and the old Major, who gave me cognac out of a silver flask—cognac which seemed to have been sadly over-watered.

And that is all I remembered till I woke up in the afternoon from the sofa in that village inn. Reveille had sounded. We mustered under arms, and the roll was called. Many did not answer.

And then: "Stand out, Lieutenant Ramard!" said the Colonel.

I advanced, and saluted.

"You will consider yourself under arrest, sir, for desertion before the enemy. Presently, you will surrender your sword, and report yourself at headquarters."

The Colonel turned and exchanged some words with a little, pale man near him, who sat awkwardly on a white stallion.

He resumed: "The Emperor has considered your case, sir, confirms the arrest, and orders you to be reduced to the ranks." The Colonel paused, and continued:—

"But as a reward for your gallantry, your commission of captain will be made out with promotion to the first vacant majority, and you will also receive a decoration."

And then I was ordered to advance again, and the Emperor transferred a Cross of the Legion from his own breast to mine.

"Captain of the Twenty-second," he said, "thou art my brother."

I never asked for the Colonel's apology.

"'Captain of the twenty-second,' he said."