bout Arras. A little river, the Canihe
I think 'twas called, (but this is writ away from books and Europe; and
the only map the writer hath of these scenes of his youth, bears no
mark of this little stream,) divided our pickets from the enemy's.
Our sentries talked across the stream, when they could make themselves
understood to each other, and when they could not, grinned, and handed
each other their brandy-flasks or their pouches of tobacco. And one fine
day of June, riding thither with the officer who visited the outposts,
(Colonel Esmond was taking an airing on horseback, being too weak for
military duty,) they came to this river, where a number of English and
Scots were assembled, talking to the good-natured enemy on the other
side.

Esmond was especially amused with the talk of one long fellow, with a
great curling red moustache, and blue eyes, that was half a dozen
inches taller than his swarthy little comrades on the French side of the
stream, and being asked by the Colonel, saluted him, and said that he
belonged to the Royal Cravats.

From his way of saying "Royal Cravat," Esmond at once knew that the
fellow's tongue had first wagged on the banks of the Liffey, and not
the Loire; and the poor soldier--a deserter probably--did not like to
venture very deep into French conversation, lest his unlucky brogue
should peep out. He chose to restrict himself to such few expressions
in the French language as he thought he had mastered easily; and
his attempt at disguise was infinitely amusing. Mr. Esmond whistled
Lillibullero, at which Teague's eyes began to twinkle, and then flung
him a dollar, when the poor boy broke out with a "God bless--that is,
Dieu benisse votre honor," that would infallibly have sent him to the
provost-marshal had he been on our side of the river.

Whilst this parley was going on, three officers on horseback, on the
French side, appeared at some little distance, and stopped as if eying
us, when one of them left the other two, and rode close up to us who
were by the stream. "Look, look!" says the Royal Cravat, with great
agitation, "pas lui, that's he; not him, l'autre," and pointed to the
distant officer on a chestnut horse, with a cuirass shining in the sun,
and over it a broad blue ribbon.

"Please to take Mr. Hamilton's services to my Lord Marlborough--my Lord
Duke," says the gentleman in English: and, looking to see that the party
were not hostilely disposed, he added, with a smile, "Ther