The Dodge Club; Or, Italy in MDCCCLIXDe Mille, James
Philosophy
The Dodge Club; Or, Italy in MDCCCLIX
De Mille, James
Italy -- Fiction
"Why the fact is, after the excitement of fightin' and slaughterin'
and seein' to you chaps was over I found that I was covered with
wounds. One of my fingers is broken. I have three bullet wounds in
my left arm, one in my right, a stab of a dirk in my right thigh,
and a terrible bruise on my left knee. I think that some fellow
must have passed a dagger through my left foot, for there is a cut
in the leather, my shoe is full of blood and it hurts dreadful. It's
my opinion that the Dodge Club will be laid up in Bologny for a
fortnight.--Hallo!"
The Senator had heard a cry behind, and looked out. Something
startled him. Dick looked also.
The Don's carriage was in confusion. The two Señoritas were
standing up in the carriage wringing their hands. The Don was
supporting Buttons in his arms. He had fainted a second time.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
SUFFERING AND SENTIMENT AT BOLOGNA.--MOONSHINE.--BEST BALM FOR WOUNDS.
They all put up at the same hotel. Buttons was carried in senseless,
and it was long before he revived. The Senator and Dick were quite
exhausted--stiff with fatigue, stiff with wounds.
There was one thing, however, which made their present situation more
endurable. The war in Lombardy made farther progress impossible. They
could not be permitted to pass the borders into Venetia. Even if they
had been perfectly well they would have been compelled to wait there
for a time.
The city was in a ferment. The delight which the citizens felt at
their new-found freedom was mingled with a dash of anxiety about the
result of the war. For, in spite of Solferino, it was probable that
the tide of victory would be hurled back from the Quadrilateral.
Still they kept up their spirits; and the joy of their hearts found
vent in songs, music, processions. Roman candles, _Te Deums_,
sky-rockets, volleys of cannon, masses, public meetings, patriotic
songs, speeches, tri-colors, and Italian versions of "The
Marseillaise."
In a short time the Senator was almost as well as ever. Not so Dick.
After struggling heroically for the first day against his pain he
succumbed, and on the morning of the second was unable to leave his
bed.
The Senator would not leave him. The kind attention which he had
once before shown in Rome was now repeated. He spent nearly all his
time in Dick's room, talking to him when he was awake, and looking
at him when asleep. Dick was touched to the heart.
[Illustration: Used Up.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account