It is impossible for words to do justice to the importance that swelled in the breast of the doctor as he perused this epistle. He strutted, puffed himself out, and did his very utmost to look big—a feat he doubtless might have contrived to accomplish, had not nature perversely determined to counteract his endeavours, and confined his stature to about four feet eleven. As it was, however, he certainly did make the most of himself, and being firmly resolved not to lose a single instant in putting the designs of the King into execution, he hastened to a vacant place between the camp and the city, where some cauldrons had been hastily erected for cooking the soldiers’ food, and there commenced his operations.
In the meantime, Roderick, who had no idea the doctor would be so expeditious in his movements, was busily engaged in superintending the removal of the wounded, and in giving orders of the assault which was to take place upon the following day. He had indeed much to do; for awfully heavy is the responsibility of a general who is not entirely divested of feeling for his men; and the heart of Roderick, though a mistaken thirst for glory had made him a conqueror, was kind and generous, nay even tender in the extreme.
Urged by his compassion, he thus could not rest satisfied, after the more arduous labours of the day were over, without visiting himself the hospitals of the sick. He saw their wounds dressed, and tried to soften their pains, whilst he spoke kindly to them, and praised their valour. Thus employed, as he passed from tent to tent, the eyes of his soldiers beamed with rapture at his approach; and even in the agonies of death, they raised their feeble voices to call down blessings upon his head. Alexis followed his master in this excursion, and his fine eyes sparkled with pleasure as they followed the godlike form of Roderick through the crowd. The Monarch, indeed, himself, started with amazement, as, turning suddenly, he accidentally met their gaze. “This page,” said he to Edric, who happened to be near, “possesses a glance of fire—I really never saw more expressive features.”
“It is often the case,” returned Edric calmly, as he assisted one of the surgeons to bind the arm of a wounded soldier. “The dumb generally employ gestures to make themselves understood, and their features insensibly become more expressive from the muscles being more frequently brought into play.”
“You fought like a hero, my brave fellow!” said Roderick to the poor man Edric had been assisting. “I hope your hurt is not serious!”
“And if it were through my heart,” said the man, “it’s no more than I’d be proud to bear for your Majesty, any day of my life.”
“Oh, these Irish!” sighed an old Andalusian soldier, who lay near, and happened to understand them. “They are brave as lions in the field, but gentle as doves when they are in a chamber.”
“Have your wants also been attended to?” asked Roderick.
“Yes, God bless your Majesty!” returned the soldier. “If the devil does help you when you are fighting, I am sure it is God’s own spirit makes you so good to your soldiers afterwards.”
“If the devil helped me today,” said Roderick, laughing, “I am sure I am very much obliged to his Satanic Majesty, for I never was in greater peril. Do not look so grave, Edric, you know I am only joking; and that whatever my tongue may say, my heart only feels gratitude where it is really due:” and as he spoke, he devoutly crossed himself.
“I know,” said Edric gravely, “that your heart is infinitely better than your head.”
“The fault of my countrymen,” cried Roderick, again smiling; “or rather the fault of nature, for they, poor souls, can’t help it. Our imaginations are so vivid that, like a restive horse, they are apt to take the bit in their teeth and gallop away at full speed, in spite of all that the sage Dame Reason, who still keeps uselessly pulling the rein, can do to prevent them.”
As soon as the more important duties of his station were fulfilled, Roderick intended paying a visit to Doctor Entwerfen, to discover what effect had been produced upon the doctor’s mind by his treacherous letter; but Edric proposing that they should see the fair Swiss, as common politeness required they should inquire after her arm, the poor doctor was driven entirely from his thoughts.
A separate tent had been pitched for the reception of M. de Mallet and his daughter; and when our friends entered it, they found that worthy gentleman quite recovered, and his lovely daughter reclining upon a kind of couch, and looking more beautiful than ever. Her angelic features had, it is true, lost the animation they before expressed, but their present languor made them infinitely more interesting than their former energy. Softness was the characteristic of Pauline’s beauty. Her figure, though slight and sylphic, was yet round and full enough to please a voluptuary. Her complexion was exquisitely fair, but a beautiful rosy tint glowed on her cheeks, whilst her clear blue eyes and golden hair gave her the look of a seraph; and when she raised those bright blue eyes in gratitude to Edric, her look sank deep into his soul, and he thought he had never before seen beauty.
Such was Pauline; and when she spoke, Edric, as he listened in rapture to the soft melting tones of her melodious voice, felt he could no longer resist, but yielded up his heart a willing captive to her charms. Yes; the calm, the reasoning, the philosophic Edric was actually in love. He, who had so despised and ridiculed the passion, and who had affected to doubt its very existence, was now become one of its most devoted victims.
Roderick was almost as much charmed as Edric with the beauty of Pauline, and as the circumstance which had at first introduced her
