nsports, coming back from
some fool's quarrel with our kinsfolk of America. But for all that we
could see the bearskins of the Guards, two strong brigades of them, and
the bonnets of the Highlanders, and the blue of the old German Legion,
and the red lines of Pack's brigade, and Kempt's brigade and the green
dotted riflemen in front, and we knew that come what might these were
men who would bide where they were placed, and that they had a man to
lead them who would place them where they should bide.

Of the French we had seen little save the twinkle of their fires, and a
few horsemen here and there upon the curves of the ridge; but as we
stood and waited there came suddenly a grand blare from their bands, and
their whole army came flooding over the low hill which had hid them,
brigade after brigade and division after division, until the broad slope
in its whole length and depth was blue with their uniforms and bright
with the glint of their weapons. It seemed that they would never have
done, still pouring over and pouring over, while our men leaned on their
muskets and smoked their pipes looking down at this grand gathering and
listening to what the old soldiers who had fought the French before had
to say about them. Then when the infantry had formed in long deep
masses their guns came whirling and bounding down the slope, and it was
pretty to see how smartly they unlimbered and were ready for action.
And then at a stately trot down came the cavalry, thirty regiments at
the least, with plume and breastplate, twinkling sword and fluttering
lance, forming up at the flanks and rear, in long shifting, glimmering
lines.

"Them's the chaps!" cried our old sergeant. "They're gluttons to fight,
they are. And you see them regiments with the great high hats in the
middle, a bit behind the farm? That's the Guard, twenty thousand of
them, my sons, and all picked men--grey-headed devils that have done
nothing but fight since they were as high as my gaiters. They've three
men to our two, and two guns to our one, and, by God! they'll make you
recruities wish you were back in Argyle Street before they have finished
with you."

He was not a cheering man, our sergeant; but then he had been in every
fight since Corunna, and had a medal with seven clasps upon his breast,
so that he had a right to talk in his own fashion.

When the Frenchmen had all arranged themselves just out of cannon-shot
we saw a small group of horsemen, all