e, you have had two more years' regimental work than I
have had. It would have been much better for me if I had had a
longer spell of it, too. Of course, I have been extraordinarily
fortunate, and it has been very jolly; but I am sure it would have
been better for me to have had more experience as a subaltern,
before all this began."

"Well, I cannot say I see it, Terence. At any rate, you have had a
lot more regimental work than most officers; for you had to form
your regiment, teach them discipline, and everything else; and I
don't think that you would have done it so well, if you had been
ground down into the regular regimental pattern, and had come to
think that powder and pipe clay were actual indispensables in
turning out soldiers."

The quiet time at Salamanca lasted a little over a fortnight for,
in the beginning of July, Lord Wellington heard that, in obedience
to King Joseph's reiterated orders, Marmont, having received
reinforcements, was preparing to recross the Douro; that Soult was
on the point of advancing into Portugal; and that the king himself,
with a large army, was on the way to join Marmont.

The latter, indeed, was not to have moved till the king joined him
but, believing that his own army was ample for the purpose; and
eager to gain a victory, unhampered by the king's presence, he
suddenly crossed at Tordesillas, and it was only by his masterly
movements, and a sharp fight at Castile, that Wellington succeeded
in concentrating his army on the Aqueda. The British general drew
up his army in order of battle, on the heights of Vallesa; but the
position was a strong one, Marmont knew the country perfectly and,
instead of advancing to the attack, he started at daybreak on the
20th, marched rapidly up the river, and crossed it before any
opposition could be offered, and then marched for the Tormes. By
this movement he had turned Wellington's right flank, was as near
Salamanca as were the British, and had it in his power, unless
checked, to place himself on the road between Salamanca and Ciudad,
and so to cut their line of retreat.

Seeing his position thus turned, Wellington made a corresponding
movement, and the two armies marched along lines of hills parallel
with each other, the guns on both sides occasionally firing. All
day long they were but a short distance apart and, at any moment,
the battle might have been brought on. But Wellington had no
opportunity for fighting, except at a disadvanta