straight, and we could follow it with the eye to the village of
Mont-St.-Jean and beyond quite to the entrance of the forest of
Soignes. This we saw the English intended to hold to prevent us from
going to Brussels.

On looking carefully we could see that their line of battle was curved
a little toward us at the wings, and that it followed a road which cut
the route to Brussels like a cross. On the left it was a deep cut, and
on the right of the road it was bordered with thick hedges of holly and
dwarf beech which are common in that country. Behind these were posted
mass of red-coats who watched us from their trenches. In the front,
the slope was like a glacis. This was very dangerous.

Immense bodies of cavalry were stationed on the flanks, which extended
nearly three-quarters of a league.

We saw that the cavalry on the plateau in the vicinity of the main road
after having passed the hill, descended before going to Mont-St.-Jean,
and we understood that there was a hollow between the position of the
English and that village; not very deep, as we could see the plumes of
the soldiers as they passed through, but still deep enough to shelter
heavy reserves from our bullets.

I had already seen Weissenfels, Lutzen, Leipzig, and Ligny, and I began
to understand what these things meant, and why they arranged themselves
in one way rather than another, and I thought that the manner in which
these English had laid their plans and stationed their forces on this
cross-road to defend the road to Brussels, and to shelter their
reserves, showed a vast deal of good sense.

But in spite of all that, three things seemed to me to be in our favor.
The position of the enemy with its covered ways and hidden reserves was
like a great fort. Every one knows that in time of war everything is
demolished that can furnish a shelter to the enemy.

Well! just in their centre, on the high-road and on the slope of their
glacis, was a farm-house like the "Roulette" at Quatre Vents, but five
or six times larger.

I could see it plainly from where we stood. It was a great square, the
offices, the house, the stables and barns formed a triangle on the side
toward the English, and on our side the other half was formed by a wall
and sheds, with a court in the centre. The wall running along the
field side, had a small door, the other on the road had an entrance for
carriages and wagons.

It was built of brick and was very solid. Of course