Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

362 MILITARY LIFE.
shouted ;
'
strength ! strength ! '
But the ground that he had
to get over with his piece was broken up the wheels
;
sank, and
the force they were obliged to use was tremendous ;
those five
brave soldiers made the effort of twenty ;
one could see the
muscles of their hands and necks rise and tremble so that it
seemed as if
they would burst through the skin ; they were
flame-colored, dripping with perspiration, and utterly trans-
'
figured. Courage,' said the soldiers and officers on the crest
of the hill. The artillery men, panting and groaning, redoubled
their strength. We already felt the heavy step of the Austrian
column at our backs, and the voices of the officers ;
a chain of
the pursuers pressed forward by the enemy's left column showered
us with balls, we were almost on the crest.
... At
that moment he was wounded !
" Where ? where was he wounded " ? asked the poor old
man anxiously as if he were hearing the news for the first
time.
" In the leg."
" "
At what point
?
"
" Here," replied the captain hurriedly, pointing to the calf
of the right leg.
" Hardly was he wounded, when he turned
to look at the leg and shouted :
'
It 's
nothing ! nothing ! courage
! strength! ' and he went on pushing the cannon."
" Bravo !
"
interrupted the firm and sonorous voice of the
sick man.
" Oh, yes, it was brave indeed ! and in fact the soldiers who
were near by shouted :
'
Bravo !
'
The five courageous
men,
making a final effort, pushed the cannon on to the crest, and
uttering a loud shout '
It is saved : !
'
they
fell exhausted to
the ground. They rose immediately, however . . ."