"'Oh, the Devil!' cried the General.
"The wounded man put his coat on again, and stood erect and
haughty and silent.
"The General eyed him, and saw his great spirit shining through
this man. The more he looked, the less could the scarecrow veil
the hero from his practised eye.
"'There has been some mistake, or else I dote--and can't tell a
soldier from a'--
"'Don't say the word, old man, or your heart will bleed!'
"'Humph! I must go into this matter at once. Be seated, Captain,
if you please, and tell me what have you been doing all these
years?'
"'Suffering!'
"'What, all the time?'
"'Without intermission.'
"'But what? suffering what?'
"'Cold, hunger, darkness, wounds, solitude, sickness, despair,
prison,--all that man can suffer.'
"'Impossible! a man would be dead at that rate before this.'
"'I should have died a dozen times, but for one thing.'
"'Ay! what was that?'
"'I had promised to live.'
"There was a pause. Then the old man said, calmly,--
"'To the facts, young man: I listen.
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