large sums have found their way into Austria in shape
of secret service," said D'Esmonde, "and with good result too."

"The very worst of bad policy," broke in Norwood. "Pay your friends
and thrash your enemies. Deserters are bad allies at the best, but are
utterly worthless if they must be paid for desertion. Let them go over
like those Hungarian fellows,--a whole regiment at a time, and bring
both courage and discipline to our ranks! but your rabble of student
sympathizers are good for nothing."

"Success has not made you sanguine, my Lord," said Morlache, smiling.

"I have little to be sanguine about," replied he, roughly. "They have
not spoiled me with good fortune; and even on this very mission that I
have come now, you 'll see it is that Russian fellow will receive all
the reward; and if there be a decoration conferred, it is he, not I,
will obtain it."

"And do you care for such baubles, my Lord?" asked D'Esmonde, in
affected surprise.

"We soldiers like these vanities as women do a new shawl, or your
priests admire a smart new vestment, in which I have seen a fellow
strut as proudly as any coxcomb in the ballet when he had completed his
pirouette. As for myself," continued he, proudly, "I hold these stars
and crosses cheaply enough. I 'd mortgage my 'San Giuseppe' to-morrow if
Morlache would give me twenty Naps, on it."

"The day of richer rewards is not distant, my Lord," said D'Esmonde.
"Lombardy will be our own ere the autumn closes, and then--and then--"

"And then we 'll cut each other's throats for the booty, you were going
to say," burst in Norwood; "but I 'm not one of those who think so,
Abbe. My notion is that Austria is making a waiting race, and quietly
leaving dissension to do amongst _us_ what the snow did for the French
at Moscow."

D'Esmonde's cheek grew pale at this shrewd surmise; but he quickly said,
----

"You mistake them, my Lord. The interests at stake are too heavy for
such a critical policy; Austria dare not risk so hazardous a game."

"The wiseheads are beginning to suspect as much," said Norwood; "and
certainly amongst the prisoners we have taken there is not a trait
of despondency nor even a doubt as to the result of the campaign. The
invariable reply to every question is, the Kaiser will have his own
again,--ay, and this even from the Hungarians. We captured a young
fellow on the afternoon of Goito, who had escaped from prison, and
actually broke his arrest to take his s