t, almost
undrilled. They desert in numbers and return to their homes, after
the slightest reverse, and prefer to act as partisans under
leaders of their own choosing. But with Philip once firmly seated
on the throne, with French advisers and officers to assist him,
and a few regiments to serve as a nucleus to his army, Spain could
turn out a force which would be a very valuable addition to the
strength of any European power. With Spain as our ally we can, in
addition to the force that she can put in the field, neglect
altogether our southern frontier, and employ our whole army
elsewhere. With her as an ally of Austria or of England, we should
have to keep an army in the south to guard our borders."

Two days after leaving Paris, the party arrived at Peronne, where
a considerable body of troops were collected, of which, although
an aide-de-camp, Desmond now learned for the first time the duke
was to take the command. No movements of importance had taken
place in the field, and as the force at Peronne still wanted
several regiments, to bring it up to the intended strength, some
weeks passed before it was set in motion.

The four aides-de-camp, however, had a busy time of it. The main
army was stationed in the neighbourhood of Lille, and frequent
communications passed between Berwick and Vendome.

The allies were inactive. Eugene had, early in April, met
Marlborough at the Hague, and had concerted with him the plan for
the campaign. He had then gone to Vienna to bring up reinforcements,
and until these arrived Marlborough hardly felt in a position to take
the offensive, as the French armies were considerably stronger than
his own, and he had not yet been joined by the troops from Hanover.

Except to receive orders, the aides-de-camp saw little of their
commander. He was absorbed in the difficult problems of the war,
and was occasionally absent for two or three days at the camp of
Vendome. He always spoke kindly to them when on duty, but at other
times dispensed altogether with their attendance, and as a rule
took his meals alone.

"You see him at his worst," d'Eyncourt said one day to his new
comrades, "He is a different man when he is in the field. Then he
is full of life and activity, looking into every detail himself,
endeavouring to infuse some of his own energy into others, full of
care for the comfort of his troops, though ready to endure any
hardship himself. Then you see the real man; a noble character,
id