less disgraceful a condition.
Plundering as they went, a mere disorganized rabble, they continued
their flight until fifty-five miles from the field of battle, and
were long before they gathered again in fighting order.

The joy caused in Prussia and in England, by this astonishing
victory, was shared largely by the inhabitants of the country
through which the French army had marched. Everywhere they had
plundered and pillaged, as if they had been moving through an
enemy's country instead of one they had professed to come to
deliver. The Protestant inhabitants had everywhere been most
cruelly maltreated, the churches wrecked, and the pastors treated
as criminals. The greater portion of Germany therefore regarded the
defeat of the French as a matter for gratification, rather than the
reverse.

In England the result was enormous. It had the effect of vastly
strengthening Pitt's position, and twenty thousand British troops
were, ere long, despatched to join the army under the Duke of
Brunswick, which was now called the allied army, and from this time
the French force under Richelieu ceased to be dangerous to
Frederick. France and England were old antagonists, and entered
upon a duel of their own; a duel that was to cost France Canada,
and much besides; to establish England's naval preponderance; and
to extinguish French influence in the Netherlands.

Fergus Drummond was not under fire, at the memorable battle of
Rossbach. Keith's division was not, in fact, engaged; the affair
having terminated before it arrived. Keith, however, had ridden to
the position on the brow of the hill where the king had stationed
himself; and his staff, following him, had the satisfaction of
seeing the enemy's heavy columns melt into a mass of fugitives, and
spread in all directions over the country, like dust driven before
a sudden whirlwind.

"What next, I wonder?" Fergus said to Lindsay; who had, three days
before, been promoted to the rank of captain, as much to the
satisfaction of Fergus as to his own.

"I suppose some more marching," Lindsay replied. "You may be sure
that we shall be off east again, to try conclusions with Prince
Karl. Bevern seems to be making a sad mess of it there. Of course
he is tremendously outnumbered, thirty thousand men against eighty
thousand; but he has fallen back into Silesia without making a
single stand, and suffered Prince Karl to plant himself between
Breslau and Schweidnitz; and the Prince is besie