Fair play : $b a novelSouthworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
General
Fair play : $b a novel
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
American fiction -- 19th century
“Well, the work has been very warm to-day. Never heed me, sister. A
little rest will set me all right, and then I shall be able to give some
assistance to the officers, until they reduce this chaos to order
again.”
Very slowly and reluctantly Britomarte left him, and went down into the
cockpit to send a messenger to look for Judith, while she herself gave
her services to the wounded.
As soon as Britomarte was out of sight, Justin tottered to the nearest
gun carriage, and sat down upon it, utterly unable to move a step
further.
In the hand to hand fight on board the _Sea Scourge_, he had been half
conscious of receiving a wound, though in the excitement of battle he
had paid no attention to it; but when the fight was over and the
excitement subsided, he was made fully aware, by a sharp pain under his
right arm, and a trickling sensation, that he was wounded and bleeding.
Even then, not wishing to part with Britomarte, he had retained her at
his side until an approaching faintness warned him that to save her from
the knowledge of his condition, he must let her go. Therefore he spoke
of Judith, that Britomarte might go in search of her, and give him the
opportunity to look to his wound. His lifeblood was flowing fast away,
his strength was failing him, yet he gave no utterance to suffering,
lest he should distress her whom he loved more than life.
Now that she had left him, it was with a sigh of intense relief he sank
down upon his rude seat. He felt that he had not power to reach his
cabin, and that he must look to his wound as he sat.
He called to a seaman passing near, and desired his assistance. He also
sent word to the sentry at the cabin door not to let the women out until
he should give the word.
Then, with the help of the seaman, he took off his clothes and came to
the wound.
It was not a severe one, though it had bled so freely. He had been
struck from behind with some long, sharp weapon that had entered near
the armpit, passed through the flesh of the right side, and come out
through the skin near the breast bone.
The other sailors, seeing Justin stripped to his waist and covered with
blood, came running to him with expressions of alarm and sympathy, for
by his bravery and kindness he had become a general favorite.
They were all vociferous in their demands for the surgeon. But Justin
checked them with a word.
“My good friends,” he said, “there are many poor fellows who need the
surgeon much more than I do; let him attend to them first.” And then he
sent a cabin boy for some water, towels, and clean clothes from his
stateroom.
At this moment Lieutenant Ethel came out of the cabin. Seeing the men
grouped idly around the gun carriage, he came up to order them to their
duties, when, perceiving the state of Justin, he exclaimed:
“Good Heaven, Mr. Rosenthal! You wounded, too?”
“Yes; but very slightly. Give yourself no uneasiness, lieutenant.”
“Has the surgeon been sent for?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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