Suddenly Helen cried out, she sprang up, covered with Karl's blood, her face haggard and her hair wild. They all looked at her. "Ah!" she cried. "I am going mad." Then, falling on her knees, "Karl! Karl! Karl!" she cried. "What is it?" asked Benedict. "Oh! have pity on me," said Helen. "But I thought I felt a breath on my face. Did he wait for me, to give his last sigh?" "Excuse me, madam," said the surgeon, "but if he whom you call Karl is not dead, there is no time to be lost in looking to him." "Oh! come and look, sir," said Helen, moving quickly to one side. The surgeon knelt down, the soldiers brought the torches near, and Karl's pale, but still handsome face was seen. A wound in his head had covered his left cheek with blood, and he would have been unrecognizable if the dog had not licked the blood away from his face as it flowed. The surgeon loosened his collar; then he raised him to undo his tunic. The wound was terrible, for the back of his tunic was red with blood. The surgeon undid his coat, and with the swiftness of habit cut his coat up the back; then he called for water. "Water," repeated Helen in an automatic voice that sounded like an echo. The river was only fifty paces away, Fritz ran to it and brought back the wooden shoe, with which he was accustomed to bail out the boat, full of water. Helen gave her handkerchief. The surgeon dipped into the water and began to wash the wounded man's chest, while Benedict supported his body across his knees. It was only then that they saw a clot of blood on his arm, this was a third wound. That on his head was insignificant. That in his chest seemed the most serious at first, but an artery had been cut in his right arm, and the great loss of blood had led to a fainting fit during which the blood had ceased to flow. Helen, during this sad examination, had not ceased asking. "Is he dead? is he dead?" "We are going to see," said the surgeon. And on examination it proved that his blood still flowed. Karl was not dead. "He lives!" said the surgeon. Helen cried out and fell on her knees. "What must we do to bring him to life?" she asked. "The artery must be tied," said the surgeon, "will you let me take him to the ambulance?" "Oh, no, no!" cried Helen. "I cannot be parted from him. Do you think he will bear being taken to Frankfort?" "By water, yes. And I confess to you that considering the interest you take in this young man, I would rather some one else performed this operation. Now, if you have any way of taking him quickly by water--" "I have my boat," said Fritz, "and if this gentleman" (he pointed to Benedict) "will give me a helping hand we will be in Frankfort in three hours." "It remains to be seen," said the surgeon, "considering his great loss of blood, whether he will live three hours." "My God, my God!" cried Helen. "I don't dare to ask you to look, madam, but the earth is soaked with his blood!" Helen gave a cry of dismay, and put her hand before her eyes.