As soon as de Lescure found that Adolphe did not follow him, he
immediately came back, and taking him by the arm, shook him slightly,
and whispered in his ear:
"Adolphe, what ails you? remember yourself, this is not the time to be
asleep," but still Denot did not follow him; he again raised his arm,
he put out his foot to spring forward, but he found he could not do it;
he slunk back, and leant against the wall at the corner of the bridge,
as though he were fainting.
De Lescure could not wait a moment longer. He would have risked anything
but his own reputation to save that of his friend; but his brave
companions were still on the bridge, and there he returned for the third
time; his cap was shot away, his boot was cut, his clothes were pierced
in different places, but still he was not himself wounded.
"See, my friends," said he aloud to the men behind him, "the blues do
not know how to fire," and he pointed to his shoulder, from which, as
he spoke, a ball had cut the epaulette.
He then crossed completely over the bridge, together with Stofflet and
the priest; the people with one tremendous rush followed him, and
Adolphe Denot was carried along with the crowd.
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