a point." Greenly was
not disposed to remonstrate now, for his prudent temperament was
yielding to the excitement of the moment just reversing the traits of
Sir Gervaise's character; the one losing his extreme discretion in
feeling, as the other gained by the pressure of circumstances. The helm
was eased a little, and the ship sheered nearer to _le Foudroyant_.

As is usual in all services, the French commander-in-chief was in one of
the best vessels of his fleet. Not only was the Foudroyant a heavy ship,
carrying French forty-twos below, a circumstance that made her rate as
an eighty, but, like the Plantagenet, she was one of the fastest and
most weatherly vessels of her class known. By "hugging the wind," this
noble vessel had got, by this time, materially to windward of her second
and third ahead, and had increased her distance essentially from her
supports astern. In a word, she was far from being in a position to be
sustained as she ought to be, unless she edged off herself, a movement
that no one on board her seemed to contemplate.

"He's a noble fellow, Greenly, that Comte de Vervillin!" murmured Sir
Gervaise, in a tone of admiration, "and so have I always found him, and
so have I always _reported_ him, too! The fools about the Gazettes, and
the knaves about the offices, may splutter as they will; Mr. de
Vervillin would give them plenty of occupation were they _here_. I
question if he mean to keep off in the least, but insists on holding
every inch he can gain!"

The next moment, however, satisfied Sir Gervaise that he was mistaken in
his last conjecture, the bows of the Foudroyant gradually falling off,
until the line of her larboard guns bore, when she made a general
discharge of the whole of them, with the exception of those on the lower
deck. The Plantagenets waited until the ship rose on a sea, and then
they returned the compliment in the same manner. The Carnatic's side
showed a sheet of flame immediately after; and the Achilles, Lord
Morganic, luffing briskly to the wind, so as to bring her guns to bear,
followed up the game, like flashes of lightning. All three of these
ships had directed their fire at le Foudroyant, and the smoke had not
yet driven from among her spars, when Sir Gervaise perceived that all
three of her top-masts were hanging to leeward. At this sight, Greenly
fairly sprang from the deck, and gave three cheers The men below caught
up the cry, even to those who were, in a manner, buried