No man had ever abused such wonderful mental and physical gifts as he originally had possessed by subjecting them to such absolutely impossible strains as he, and Nature was having her revenge.

But for that week in February and for a time thereafter there was a strange and marvelous return of the Emperor's physical powers.
He had sustained more fatigue than any man in the army, because to all of the personal sufferings of the march in the long day and the sleepless night and the conduct of the battle had been added responsibility, but he was as fresh as a boy.

His pale cheek showed rare color; his eyes sparkled; his voice was clear and sharp.

The nervous twitching of his mouth ceased.

The gray look vanished.