on the lower
deck, and presently, spite of the gale, the Carnatic's were heard
following their example astern. At this instant the whole French and
English lines opened their fire, from van to rear, as far as their guns
would bear, or the shot tell.

"Now, sir, now is our time to close with de Vervillin!" exclaimed
Greenly, the instant he perceived the manner in which his ship was
crippled. "In our close order we might hope to make a thorough wreck of
him."

"Not so, Greenly," returned Sir Gervaise calmly. "You see he edges away
already, and will be down among his other ships in five minutes; we
should have a general action with twice our force. What is done, is
_well_ done, and we will let it stand. It is _something_ to have
dismasted the enemy's commander-in-chief; do you look to it that the
enemy don't do the same with ours. I heard shot rattling aloft, and
every thing now bears a hard strain."

Greenly went to look after his duty, while Sir Gervaise continued to
pace the poop. The whole of le Foudroyant's fire had been directed at
the Plantagenet, but so rough was the ocean that not a shot touched the
hull. A little injury had been done aloft, but nothing that the ready
skill of the seamen was not able to repair even in that rough weather.
The fact is, most of the shot had touched the waves, and had flown off
from their varying surfaces at every angle that offered. One of the
secrets that Sir Gervaise had taught his captains was to avoid hitting
the surface of the sea, if possible, unless that surface was reasonably
smooth, and the object intended to be injured was near at hand. Then the
French admiral received the _first_ fire--always the most
destructive--of three fresh vessels; and his injuries were in
proportion.

The scene was now animated, and not without a wild magnificence. The
gale continued as heavy as ever, and with the raging of the ocean and
the howling of the winds, mingled the roar of artillery, and the smoky
canopy of battle. Still the destruction on neither side bore any
proportion to the grandeur of the accompaniments; the distance and the
unsteadiness of the ships preventing much accuracy of aim. In that day,
a large two-decked ship never carried heavier metal than an eighteen
above her lower batteries; and this gun, efficient as it is on most
occasions, does not bring with it the fearful destruction that attends a
more modern broadside. There was a good deal of noise, notwithstanding,
and s