south,
overlooking a gently sloping valley which was bounded by other parallel
ridges about a mile away. On the right center of Wellington's lines, a
short distance below the crest of the ridge, embowered in trees, lay a
series of stone buildings, in extent and importance between a chateau
and a farmhouse, called Hougomont. These were surrounded by a stone
wall and the place was impregnable against everything but artillery if
it were properly manned and resolutely held. Both those conditions
were met that day. Opposite the left center of the Duke's line was
another strong place, a farmhouse consisting of a series of stone
buildings on three sides of a square, the fourth closed by a wall,
called La Haye Sainte. These outposts were of the utmost value,
rightly used.

The Duke had sixty-seven thousand men and one hundred and eighty guns.
His right had been strengthened at the expense of his left, because he
expected Napoleon to attack the right and he counted on Bluecher's
arrival to support his left. To meet him Napoleon had seventy-five
thousand men and two hundred and sixty guns. Off to the northeast lay
Bluecher at Wavre with nearly eighty thousand more men and two hundred
guns, and wandering around in the outer darkness was Grouchy with
thirty-five thousand.

The valley was highly cultivated. The ripening grain still stood in
the fallow fields separated by low hedges. Broad roads ran through the
valley in different directions. The weather was horrible. It rained
torrents during the night and the earlier part of the morning. The
fields were turned into quagmires, the roads into morasses. It was hot
and close. The humidity was great. Little air was stirring.
Throughout the day the mist hung heavy over the valley and the ridges
which bordered it. But the rain ceased in the morning and Napoleon
made no attack until afternoon, waiting for the ground to dry out
somewhat. It was more important to him that his soldiers should have
good footing than to the English, for the offensive, the attack, the
charge fell to him. Wellington determined to fight strictly on the
defensive. Nevertheless, precious hours were wasted. Every passing
moment brought some accession to the allied army, and every passing
hour brought Bluecher nearer. With all the impetuosity of his soul, the
old man was urging his soldiers forward over the horrible roads.

"Boys," he said in his rough, homely way to some bitterly complaining