arm, and turning towards De Wardes said, "Are you dead, marquis?"

"No," replied De Wardes, in a voice choked by the blood which rushed
from his lungs to his throat, "but very near it."

"Well, what is to be done; can you walk?" said Buckingham, supporting
him on his knee.

"Impossible," he replied. Then falling down again, said, "call to your
people, or I shall be drowned."

"Halloa! boat there! quick, quick!"

The boat flew over the waves, but the sea rose faster than the boat
could approach. Buckingham saw that De Wardes was on the point of being
again covered by a wave; he passed his left arm, safe and unwounded,
round his body and raised him up. The wave ascended to his waist,
but did not move him. The duke immediately began to carry his late
antagonist towards the shore. He had hardly gone ten paces, when a
second wave, rushing onwards higher, more furious and menacing than the
former, struck him at the height of his chest, threw him over and buried
him beneath the water. At the reflux, however, the duke and De Wardes
were discovered lying on the strand. De Wardes had fainted. At this
moment four of the duke's sailors, who comprehended the danger, threw
themselves into the sea, and in a moment were close beside him. Their
terror was extreme when they observed how their master became covered
with blood, in proportion to the water, with which it was impregnated,
flowed towards his knees and feet; they wished to carry him.

"No, no," exclaimed the duke, "take the marquis on shore first."

"Death to the Frenchman!" cried the English sullenly.

"Wretched knaves!" exclaimed the duke, drawing himself up with a haughty
gesture, which sprinkled them with blood, "obey directly! M. de Wardes
on shore! M. de Wardes's safety to be looked to first, or I will have
you all hanged!"

The boat had by this time reached them; the secretary and steward leaped
into the sea, and approached the marquis, who no longer showed any sign
of life.

"I commit him to your care, as you value your lives," said the duke.
"Take M. de Wardes on shore." They took him in their arms, and carried
him to the dry sand, where the tide never rose so high. A few idlers
and five or six fishermen had gathered on the shore, attracted by the
strange spectacle of two men fighting with the water up to their knees.
The fishermen, observing a group of men approaching carrying a wounded
man, entered the sea until the water was up to their waists. The Englis