.
It was teaching their fox to set traps for them."

Lord Ormont indicated a chair. He stood.

"The French had good cavalry leaders," Weyburn said, for cover to a
continued study of the face,

"Montbrun, yes: Murat, Lassalle, Bessieres. Under the Emperor they had."

"You think them not at home in the saddle, my lord?"

"Frenchmen have nerves; horses are nerves. They pile excitement too high.
When cool, they're among the best. None of them had head for command of
all the arms."

"One might say the same of Seidlitz and Ziethen?"

"Of Ziethen. Seidlitz had a wider grasp, I suppose." He pursed his month,
pondering. "No; and in the Austrian service, too; generals of cavalry are
left to whistle for an independent command. There's a jealousy of our
branch!" The injured warrior frowned and hummed. He spoke his thought
mildly: "Jealousy of the name of soldier in this country! Out of the
service, is the place to recommend. I'd have advised a son of mine to
train for a jockey rather than enter it. We deal with that to-morrow, in
my papers. You come to me? Mr. Abner has arranged the terms? So I see you
at ten in the morning. I am glad to meet a young man--Englishman--who
takes an interest in the service."

Weyburn fancied the hearing of a step; he heard the whispering dress. It
passed him; a lady went to the armchair. She took her seat, as she had
moved, with sedateness, the exchange of a toneless word with my lord. She
was a brune. He saw that when he rose to do homage.

Lord Ormont resumed: "Some are born to it, must be soldiers; and in peace
they are snubbed by the heads; in war they are abused by the country.
They don't understand in England how to treat an army; how to make one
either!

"The gentleman--Mr. Weyburn: Mr. Arthur Abner's recommendation," he added
hurriedly, with a light wave of his hand and a murmur, that might be the
lady's title; continuing: "A young man of military tastes should take
service abroad. They're in earnest about it over there. Here they play at
it; and an army's shipped to land without commissariat, ambulances,
medical stores, and march against the odds, as usual--if it can march!

"Albuera, my lord?"

"Our men can spurt, for a flick o' the whip. They're expected to be
constantly ready for doing prodigies--to repair the country's omissions.
All the country cares for is to hope Dick Turpin may get to York. Our men
are good beasts; they give the best in 'em, and drop. More's the scandal