be brother, guardian, and stay to the other. Away with those blood-stained

arms, and hasten some of you to bind up these wounds."

As he spoke, he knelt on the ground, and raised in his arms a man from

whose side the warm tide of life gushed--the poor wretch gasped--so

still had either host become, that his moans were distinctly heard, and

every heart, late fiercely bent on universal massacre, now beat anxiously

in hope and fear for the fate of this one man. Adrian tore off his military

scarf and bound it round the sufferer--it was too late--the man heaved

a deep sigh, his head fell back, his limbs lost their sustaining power.--

"He is dead!" said Adrian, as the corpse fell from his arms on the ground,

and he bowed his head in sorrow and awe. The fate of the world seemed bound

up in the death of this single man. On either side the bands threw down

their arms, even the veterans wept, and our party held out their hands to

their foes, while a gush of love and deepest amity filled every heart. The

two forces mingling, unarmed and hand in hand, talking only how each might

assist the other, the adversaries conjoined; each repenting, the one side

their former cruelties, the other their late violence, they obeyed the

orders of the General to proceed towards London.

Adrian was obliged to exert his utmost prudence, first to allay the

discord, and then to provide for the multitude of the invaders. They were

marched to various parts of the southern counties, quartered in deserted

villages,--a part were sent back to their own island, while the season of

winter so far revived our energy, that the passes of the country were

defended, and any increase of numbers prohibited.

397

The Last Man