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

DEAD ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE. 365
years our soldiers, in pronouncing his name,
hearts beat as we do now, a few days after his death ;
will feel their
they will
say that he was a valiant man, and will love and bless him as
they would an absent brother. Yes, yes, weep now ;
now you
can weep ; weep here ;
I wish you to bathe my uniform with
your tears ! "
Saying which he seized and pressed the white head of the
old man to his breast, and held it there for some time. The
sons were weeping.
The invalid, exhausted after such long and deep emotion,
was hardly released from that embrace when he let his head
drop back on the pillow, and said, in a weak and broken voice :
" Thanks, captain thank ; you from my heart ! Your words
have done me a great good. It seems as if an immense weight
were lifted from my heart. I hardly suffer any more. You
have given me great comfort, my good captain, and I thank
you for it."
He half-closed his eyes, and remained thus for some time, so
that he seemed to be sleeping. Meanwhile all three brothers
had gone, one after the other, into the neighboring room, and
had returned, each holding one arm behind his back. The
captain, too, had assumed that attitude.
nothing.
" "
Captain
! he finally said, rousing himself.
"Sir?"
" He was your sergeant
? "
The sick man noticed
"Yes."
" Then perhaps you have some writing, a letter or
some . . ." and he could go no farther.
" Did
"
you mean some report
?