Lannes saluted and presented a note to General Vaugirard, who started and then expelled the breath from his lungs in two or three prodigious puffs.
"Good, my son, good!" he exclaimed, patting Lannes repeatedly on the shoulder; "and now a cup of coffee for you at once! Hurry with it, some of you idle children! Can't you see that he needs it!" John was first with the coffee, which Lannes drank eagerly, although it was steaming hot.

John saw that he needed it very much indeed, as he was white and shaky.

He noticed, too, that there were spots of blood on Lannes' left sleeve.
"What is it, Philip ?" he whispered.

"You've been attacked again ?" "Aye, truly.

My movements seem to be observed by some mysterious eye.