384 SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 
was to acquaint herself with the name of the person who sa- 
ved her, and to express to him her liveliest gratitude. Find- 
ing, doubtless, that her words but ill expressed her feelings, 
she recollected she had in her pocket a little snuff, and in- 
stantly offered it to him — it was all she possessed. Touch- 
ed with the gift, but unable to use it, M. Correard gave it to a 
poor sailor, which served him for three or four days. But it 
is impossible for us to describe a still more affecting scene — 
the joy this unfortunate couple testified, when they had suf- 
ficiently recovered their senses, at finding they were both 
saved. 
The rebels being repulsed, as it has been stated above, left 
us a little repose. The moon lighted with her melancholy 
rays this disastrous raft, this narrow space, on which we found 
united so many torturing anxieties, so many cruel misfortunes, 
a madness so insensate, a courage so heroic, and the most ge- 
nerous, the most amiable sentiments of nature and humanity. 
The man and wife, who had been but a little before stab- 
bed with swords and bayonets and thrown both together into 
a stormy sea, could scarcely credit their senses when they 
found themselves in one another's arms. The woman was a 
native of the Upper Alps, which place she had left twenty- 
four years before, and during which time she had followed 
the French armies in the campaigns in Italy, and other pla- 
ces, as a sutler. " Therefore preserve my life," said she to M. 
Correard, " you see I am an useful woman. Ah ! if you 
knew how often I had ventured upon the field of battle, and 
braved death to carry assistance to our gallant men ' Whe- 
ther they had money or not, I always let them have my goods. 
Sometimes a battle would deprive me of my poor debtors ; 
but, after the victory, others would pay me double or triple 
for what they had consumed before the engagement. Thus I 
came in for a share of their victories." Unfortunate woman ! 
she little knew what a horrible fate awaited her among us ! 
They felt, they expressed so vividly that happiness which 
they, alas ! so shortly enjoyed, that it would have drawn tears 
from the most obdurate heart. But in that horrible moment 
when we scarcely breathed from the most furious attack — 
when we were obliged to be continually on our guard, not 
only against the violence of the men, but a most boisterous 
sea, few among us had time to attend to scenes of conjugal 
affection. 
After this second check, the rage of the soldiers was sud- 
denly^appeased, and gave place to the most abject cowardice. 
