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

370 MILITARY LIFE.
from doing this, but it was not possible to hold him in check ;
they were obliged to obey ;
so they handed him his clothes
and helped him to dress in
haste, not desisting, however, from
begging him to stay where he was. "No no no! " he kept
repeating with a stifled and gasping voice "
; I will get up. I
wish to see."
Dressed as well as possible under the circumstances, and
supported by his sons, he started with unequal steps out of the
room. But meanwhile the captain had gone to the window,
and calling to the lieutenant, who was passing at that moment,
ordered him to put the battery
on a trot. The order was instantly
executed. The old man reached the street, saw the
battery moving rapidly off, uttered a cry of despair, and tried to
throw himself at the captain's feet.
" "
The captain could not resist. Corporal
! he shouted to
"
the first corporal who passed ; tell the lieutenant to stop the
"
column immediately
!
The column stopped. The old man, still supported by his
sons, preceded by the captain, moved totteringly toward the
battery, which was quite far away.
When the reached the last cannon, the old man turned to
the captain, and not being able to articulate one word, made a
sign to him.
" No, not this one," the "
captain replied ; forward."
At that moment the lieutenant came up.
They reached the
second cannon.
" Nor this one either ; go on still."
They reached the third. The captain had no need to speak.
The old man dashed forward, with inexpressible affection, on
to the cannon, and threw his arms around the middle of it.