door, leaving the poor wretch to the care of his
supposed brother.

"My God!" he added, shaking his head, "if he survive, it will be by the
help of a miracle."

Scarcely had he left the room, when the unwounded soldier carefully
examined the features of the wounded one.

"Yes," he murmured between his teeth, "they were right in saying that my
exact double was to be found in the hostile army.... Truly one would not
know us apart!... I might be surveying myself in a mirror. I did well to
look for him in the rear of the Spanish army, and, thanks to the fellow
who rolled him over so conveniently with that arquebus-shot; I was able
to escape the dangers of the melee by carrying him out of it."

"But that's not all," he thought, still carefully studying the tortured
face of the unhappy sufferer; "it is not enough to have got out of that.
I have absolutely nothing in the world, no home, no resources. Beggar by
birth, adventurer by fortune, I have enlisted, and have consumed my pay;
I hoped for plunder, and here we are in full flight! What am I to do? Go
and drown myself? No, certainly a cannon-ball would be as good as that.
But can't I profit by this chance, and obtain a decent position by
turning to my own advantage this curious resemblance, and making some
use of this man whom Fate has thrown in my way, and who has but a short
time to live?"

Arguing thus, he bent over the prostrate man with a cynical laugh: one
might have thought he was Satan watching the departure of a soul too
utterly lost to escape him.

"Alas! alas!" cried the sufferer; "may God have mercy on me! I feel my
end is near."

"Bah! comrade, drive away these dismal thoughts. Your leg pains
you--well they will cut it off! Think only of the other one, and trust
in Providence!"

"Water, a drop of water, for Heaven's sake!" The sufferer was in a high
fever. The would-be nurse looked round and saw a jug of water, towards
which the dying man extended a trembling hand. A truly infernal idea
entered his mind. He poured some water into a gourd which hung from his
belt, held it to the lips of the wounded man, and then withdrew it.

"Oh! I thirst-that water!... For pity's sake, give me some!"

"Yes, but on one condition you must tell me your whole history."

"Yes... but give me water!"

His tormentor allowed him to swallow a mouthful, then overwhelmed him
with questions as to his family, his friends and fortune, and compelled
him to answer by keeping bef