increased intervals between the vessels, while all of
them were edging rapidly away, so as greatly to near the enemy. It was
apparent now, indeed, that the Plantagenet herself must pass within a
hundred fathoms of the Scipio, and that in less than two minutes. The
delay in issuing the orders for this evolution was in favour of its
success, inasmuch as it did not give the enemy time for deliberation.
The Comte de Chelincourt, in fact, did not detect it; or, at least, did
not foresee the consequences; though both were quite apparent to the
more experienced _capitaine de fregate_ astern. It was too late, or the
latter would have signalled his superior to put him on his guard; but,
as things were, there remained no alternative, apparently, but to run
the gauntlet, and trust all to the chances of battle.

In a moment like that we are describing, events occur much more rapidly
than they can be related. The Plantagenet was now within pistol-shot of
le Scipion, and on her weather bow. At that precise instant, when the
bow-guns, on both sides, began to play, the Carnatic, then nearly in a
line with the enemy, made a rank sheer to leeward, and drove on, opening
in the very act with her weather-bow guns. The Thunderer and Warspite
imitated this man[oe]uvre, leaving the Frenchman the cheerless prospect
of being attacked on both sides. It is not to be concealed that M. de
Chelincourt was considerably disturbed by this sudden change in his
situation. That which, an instant before, had the prospect of being a
chivalrous, but extremely hazardous, passage in front of a formidable
enemy, now began to assume the appearance of something very like
destruction. It was too late, however, to remedy the evil, and the young
Comte, as brave a man as existed, determined to face it manfully. He had
scarcely time to utter a few cheering sentiments, in a dramatic manner,
to those on the quarter-deck, when the English flag-ship came sweeping
past in a cloud of smoke, and a blaze of fire. His own broadside was
nobly returned, or as much of it as the weather permitted, but the smoke
of both discharges was still driving between his masts, when the dark
hamper of the Carnatic glided into the drifting canopy, which was made
to whirl back on the devoted Frenchman in another torrent of flame.
Three times was this fearful assault renewed on the Scipio, at intervals
of about a minute, the iron hurricane first coming from to windward, and
then seeming to be dri