turn from Elba might
take. At Brussels, however, they felt safe; the distance to England
was short, and they could, if necessary, leave at any time. Beside,
between Belgium and France twelve thousand British troops had been
stationed in the strong places, in accordance with the terms of the
treaty of Fontainebleau and an agreement made with her allies after
the fall of Napoleon.

The streets of Brussels were ablaze with bright colors. Staff-officers
in the uniforms of a number of nationalities dashed through the
streets, followed by their orderlies. Now and then two or three
general officers, riding at a slower pace and engaged in earnest talk,
passed along, while the pavements were occupied by crowds of men and
officers in all the varieties of British, Dutch, Belgian, Brunswick,
Hanoverian, Hessian, and Prussian uniforms. Although Belgium had cast
in her lot with the allies the people were by no means unanimous in
their sympathies; and, indeed, the majority, from their similarity
both in religion and tongue to the French, sympathized with them
rather than with the allies, who were for the most part both
Protestant and foreigners.

Those who entertained these sentiments, however, kept them to
themselves, while the rest fraternized to the best of their power with
the troops, many of whom were quartered in the town. As for
amusements, there were for the officers the theaters and an opera,
while many of the ladies staying in Brussels kept almost open houses;
races and athletic sports were got up for the men. The weather at the
latter end of May and during the early days of June was delightful;
and although all knew that the storm might at any moment burst, it was
difficult to believe while so enjoying themselves that to-morrow they
might be called upon to meet the enemy in deadly conflict. Even Denis
Mulligan had nothing to complain about in his rations, and allowed to
Ralph that the Belgians were much more decent people than he had
expected to find them.

The months of April and May had passed quietly on the frontier. The
cavalry of the allied army on one side, and the French mounted
gendarmerie on the other, maintained a vigilant watch over each
others' movements, and each endeavored to prevent the passing out of
persons who might carry news of the intentions and position of their
armies. But the line was far too long to be strictly watched, and
French loyalists on the one side and Belgian sympathizers with France
o