STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
How well I remember coming to myself as I lay there on the grass, withour old surgeon, Mr Hughes, kneeling by my side; for it was our own menthat formed the infantry of the column, with a troop of lancers, and oneof horse-artillery. There was Colonel Maine kneeling by his wife, who,poor soul, was recovering fast, and him turning from her to thechildren, and back again; while it was hard work to keep our men fromfollowing up the pursuit, now kept up by the lancers andhorse-artillery, so mad and excited were they to find only eight woundedmen out of the company they had left.
But, one way and another, the mutineers paid dear for what sufferingthey caused us. I can undertake to say that, for every life they took,half-a-dozen of their own side fell--the explosion swept away, Isuppose, quite fifty, just as they had attempted a surprise, and cameover from the south side in a night-attack; while the way in which theywere cut up in the engagement was something awful.
For, anxious beyond measure at not hearing news of the party left inBegumbagh, Colonel Maine had at length obtained permission to go roundby that station, reinforce the troops, and then join the general byanother route.
They were making forced marches, when they caught sight of the rebelsyelling round the burning building, fully a couple of hundred beingoutside; when, not knowing of the sore strait of those within, they hadcharged down, driving the murderous black scoundrels before them like somuch chaff.
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But you must not think that our pains were at an end. Is it not told inthe pages of history how for long enough it was a hard fight for astanding in India, and how our troops were in many places sore put toit; while home after home was made desolate by the most cruel outrages.It was many a long week before we could be said to be in safety; but Idon't know that I suffered much beyond the pains of that arm, or ratherthat stump, for our surgeon, Mr Hughes, when I grumbled a little at histaking it off, told me I might be very thankful that I had escaped withlife, for he had never known of such a case before.
But it was rather hard lying alone there in the temporary hospital,missing the tender hands that one loved.
And yet I have no right to say quite alone, for poor old Measles was onone side, and Joe Bantem on the other, with Mrs Bantem doing all shecould for us three, as well as five more of our poor fellows.
More than once I heard Mr Hughes talk about the men's wounds, and sayit was wonderful how they could live through them; but live they allseemed disposed to, except poor Measles, who was terrible bad anddelirious, till one day, when he could hardly speak above a whisper, hesays to me--being quite in his right mind: "I daresay some of you chapsthink that I'm going to take my discharge; but all the same, you'rewrong, for I mean to go in now for promotion!"
He said "now;" but what he did then was to go in for sleep--and sleep hedid for a good four-and-twenty hours--when he woke up grumbling, andcalling himself the most unlucky beggar that ever breathed.
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Time went on; and one by one we poor fellows got out of hospital cured;but I was the last; and it was many months after, that, at his wish, Icalled upon Captain--then Major--Dyer, at his house in London. For,during those many months, the mutiny had been suppressed, and ourregiment had been ordered home.
I was very weak and pale, and I hadn't got used to this empty sleeve,and things looked very gloomy ahead; but, somehow, that day when Icalled at Major Dyer's seemed the turning-point; for, to a poor soldierthere was something very soothing for your old officer to jump up, withboth hands outstretched to catch yours, and to greet you as warmly asdid his handsome, bonny wife.
They seemed as if they could hardly make enough of me; but the sight oftheir happiness made me feel low-spirited; and I felt no better whenMrs Dyer--God bless her!--took my hand in hers, and led me to the nextroom, where she said there was an old friend wanted to see me.
I felt that soft jewelled hand holding mine, and I heard the door closeas Mrs Dyer went out again, and then I stood seeing nothing--hearingnothing--feeling nothing, but a pair of clinging arms round my neck, anda tear-wet face pressed to mine.
And did that make me feel happy?
No! I can say it with truth. For as the mist cleared away from myeyes, and I looked down on, to me, the brightest, truest face the sunever shone on, there was a great sorrow in my heart, as I told myselfthat it was a sin and a wrong for me, a poor invalided soldier, to thinkof taking advantage of that fine handsome girl, and tying her down toone who was maimed for life.
And at last, with the weak tears running down my cheeks, I told her ofhow it could not be: that I should be wronging her, and that she mustthink no more of me, only as a dear friend; when there is that amount offolly in this world, that my heart swelled, and a great ball seemedrising in my throat, and I choked again and again, as those arms clungtighter and tighter round my neck, and Lizzy called me her hero, and herbrave lad who had saved her life again and again; and asked me to takeher to my heart, and keep her there; for her to try and be to me aworthy loving wife--one that would never say a bitter word to me as longas she lived.
I said that there was so much folly in this world, so how can you wonderat me catching it of her, when she was so close that I could feel herbreath upon my cheeks, my hair, my eyes, as once more, forgetting all inher love, she kissed me again and again. How, then, could I help, butwith that one hand press her to my heart, and go the way that weak heartof mine wished.
I know it was wrong; but how can one always fight against weakness.And, to tell you the truth, I had fought long enough--so long that Iwished for peace. And I must say this, too, you must not be hard onLizzy, and think that it would have been better for her to have let medo a little more of the courting: there are exceptional cases, and thiswas one.
I had a true friend in Major Dyer, and to him I owe my presentposition--not a very grand one; but speaking honestly as a man, I don'tbelieve, if I had been a general, some one at home could think more ofme; while, as to this empty sleeve, she's proud of it, and says that allthe country is the same.
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Wandering about as a regiment is, one does not often have a chance tosee one's old messmates; but Sergeant and Mrs Bantem and SergeantMeasles did have tea and supper with us one night here in London, MrsBantem saying that Measles was as proud of his promotion as a dog withtwo tails, though Measles did say he was an unlucky beggar, or he'd havebeen a captain. And, my! what a night we did have of that, without onedrawback, only Measles would spit on my wife's Brussels carpet; and sowe did have a night last year when the old regiment was stationed atEdinburgh, and the wife and me had a holiday, and went down and sawColonel and Mrs Maine, and those children grown up a'most into a manand woman. But Colonel Dyer had exchanged into another regiment, andthey say he is going to retire on half-pay, on account of his woundtroubling him.
We fought our old battles over again on those nights; and we did notforget the past and gone; for Mrs Bantem stood up after supper, withher stiff glass of grog in her hand--a glass into which I saw a coupleof tears fall--as she spoke of the dead--the brave men who fell indefence of the defenceless and innocent, hoping that the earth laylightly on the grave of Lieutenant Leigh, while she proposed the memoryof brave Harry Lant.
We drank that toast in silence; and more than one eye was wet as the oldscenes came back--scenes such as I hope may never fall to the lot of menagain to witness; for if there is ever a fervent prayer sent up to theMaker of All, by me, an old soldier, who has much to answer for, it iscontained in those words, so familiar to you all:
"Peace on Earth!" _Amen_.