jesty is distressing yourself without just reason, Wellington
never shows his troops until they are needed. A patrol of horse will
soon find out whether he is before us or not, and if he be I warn your
majesty that the British infantry are the very devil to fight."

The emperor soon discovered that the British were still in front of
him; for the English regiments were directed to clean their arms by
firing them off, and the heavy fusillade reached Napoleon's ears. At
eight o'clock Wellington, who was anxiously looking over in the
direction from which he expected the Prussians to appear, saw a body
of mounted men in the distance, and soon afterward a Prussian orderly
rode in and informed him that they were on the march to his
assistance, and would soon be on the field.

Grouchy had, in fact, altogether failed to intercept them. Napoleon
had made up his mind that after Ligny the Prussians would retreat
toward Namur, and sent Grouchy in pursuit of them along that road.
That officer had gone many miles before he discovered the route they
had really taken, and only came up with the rear of their column at
Wavre on the morning of Waterloo. Blucher left one division to oppose
him, and marched with the other three to join Wellington.

It was not until nearly ten o'clock that the French attack began; then
a column moved down from the heights of La Belle Alliance against the
wood of Hougoumont, and as it approached the leading companies broke
up into skirmishing order. As these arrived within musketry range a
scattering fire broke out from the hedges in front of the wood, and
the battle of Waterloo had begun.

Soon from the high ground behind Hougoumont the batteries of artillery
opened fire on the French column. Its skirmishers advanced bravely,
and constantly reinforced, drove back the Hanoverian and Nassau
riflemen in front of the wood. Then Bull's battery of howitzers opened
with shell upon them; and so well were these served that the French
skirmishers fell back, hotly pressed by the First and Second brigade
of guards issuing from the chateau. The roar of cannon speedily
extended along both crests; the British aiming at the French columns,
the French, who could see no foes with the exception of the lines of
skirmishers, firing upon the British batteries. The French therefore
suffered severely, while the allies, sheltered behind the crest, were
only exposed to the fire of the shot which grazed the ground in front,
and the