Henri stooped down his ear
to catch the words which might fall from his lips; but for a while he
made no farther attempt to speak--an inexpressible look of confused
trouble passed across his face and forehead, as he attempted to collect
his disordered thoughts, and again he closed his eyes, as though the
struggle was useless; at last he again muttered something, and Henri
caught the words 'de Lescure,' and 'bridge of Saumur.'
"Yes, yes, he shall," said Henri, trying to comfort him, but still not
understanding what it was that weighed so heavily on his breast; he
felt, however, that a promise of compliance would give him comfort. "He
shall, indeed; I will tell him, and I know he will."
Again the eyes were closed, and the struggle to speak was discontinued.
Plume gave over his task, for it was evident that no care of his could
any longer be of avail, and he walked away from the bed, that he might
not overhear the words which his Captain strove to speak to his friend;
but Henri remained, still holding Denot's hand: then a thought struck
him, which had not earlier occurred to him, and beckoning to Plume to
come to him, he dismissed him, in a whisper, to endeavour to find a
priest, without the loss of another moment, and bring him to the aid of
the dying man.
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