d see Bonaparte watch it, gleaming
above the fight, as the French cavalry goes thundering up against
Austrian bayonets or batteries. They say the mad general sometimes
shouts to the Austrian dragoons, 'Ho! who of you wants Murat's jewels?
Let him come and take them!' And they come one after another, to go
down under his sword, which falls upon them swift and sure as the
lightning. Ah! he is a terrible fellow."

Leopold found a battle to be something yet more awful than he had
imagined. The roar of artillery, the rattle of musketry, the clang of
swords and bayonets, the stormy gallop of cavalry, the groans and
shrieks of wounded and dying men, appalled his very soul. But though
his cheeks grew deathly white, and his eyes large and wild, he had not
one cowardly impulse to fly from his duty. Again and again, he gave
the quick drum-beat for the advance.

In the height of the battle, Murat dashed forward in one of his
overpowering cavalry charges. Leopold, in the midst of the horrors of
the fight, gazed with wonder and admiration at the plumed and jewelled
officer, on his magnificent white horse, with its trappings of gold and
azure. It was like a beautiful vision in that awful place, and a wild
huzza broke from the boy's lips. Just then a cannon-ball rushed before
him, like a small whirlwind, and carried away his drum, in a thousand
fragments. He saw the same ball pass harmlessly between the legs of
the white horse of Murat, who was then engaged in a hand-to-hand combat
with a tall Austrian dragoon. Relieved from duty, the boy stood
watching the fiery general, forgetful of danger, scarcely hearing the
horrible singing of the bullets through the air. He saw the tall
dragoon go down, and another dash forward to fill his place. While
General Murat was dealing with him, Leopold saw an Austrian officer
spur forward, and wheel sharply a powerful black horse, with the intent
to attack the rash French hero from behind. While his followers were
engaging those of Murat, he plunged forward, with his gleaming sword
lifted high in air. Leopold never know how he did it, but he broke
frantically through the ranks of infantry, in among the furious,
trampling cavalry, at the last moment, seized the Austrian's black
horse by the bit, and throwing his whole weight upon it, brought him to
his knees. As he did so, he screamed at the top of his voice, "This
way, General Murat!" The consequence was, that the sword that would
ha