As he rose to the surface he heard a merry laugh beside him, and saw the girl swimming quietly close by.

Although mortified at having so hastily assumed that she was unable to take care of herself he joined in her laugh, and swam by her side until they reached the bank some distance down.

Encumbered by the trappings which he still retained, Malchus had far more difficulty than the girl in gaining the shore.
"What, did you think," she asked, laughing as he struggled up the bank, "that I, a Gaulish maiden, could not swim ?" "I did not think anything about it," Malchus said; "I saw you pushed in and followed without thinking at all." Although they imperfectly understood each other's words the meaning was clear; the girl put her hand on his shoulder and looked frankly up in his face.
"I thank you," she said, "just the same as if you had saved my life.

You meant to do so, and it was very good of you, a great chief of this army, to hazard your life for a Gaulish maiden.

Clotilde will never forget." By the time they reached the bridge the column had moved on.