As for the poor fellow who fell,
he owed his death to risking too much, in order to recover the ground
he had lost.
The French fared much worse than ourselves. Of those killed outright,
and those who died before morning, there were no less than sixteen;
our fellows having fired a volley into a group that was rushing on
deck, besides using their cutlasses with great severity for the first
minute or two. This was on the principle that the first blow was half
the battle. There were few wounded; most of those who fell being cut
or thrust at by several at the same time--a species of attack that
left little chance for escape. Poor Mons. Le Compte was found
stone-dead at the cabin-doors, having been shot in the forehead, just
as he put his foot on the deck. I heard his voice once in the fray,
and feared it boded no good; but the silence which succeeded was
probably caused by his just then receiving the fatal bullet. He was in
his shirt.
CHAPTER XVIII
_1st Witch_. "Hail!"
_2d Witch_. "Hail!"
_3d Witch_. "Hail!"
_1st Witch_. "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater."
_2d Witch_. "Not so happy, yet much happier."
MACBETH.
I hope I shall be believed in saying, if Marble had been with us when
we retook the ship, I should have been perfectly happy. He was not,
however, and regret was left to mingle in our triumph.
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