wered. 'Methinks had we
something after the nature of palisados or stockados, after the Swedish
fashion, we might even make it good against the horse.'

'Ah, the horse!' cried the unhappy Monmouth. 'If we get over this, my
Lord Grey shall answer for it. They ran like a flock of sheep. What
leader could do anything with such troops? Oh, lack-a-day, lack-a-day!
Shall we not advance?'

'There is no reason to advance, your Majesty, now that the surprise has
failed,' said Saxon. 'I had sent for carts to bridge over the trench,
according to the plan which is commended in the treatise, "De vallis et
fossis," but they are useless now. We can but fight it out as we are.'

'To throw troops across would be to sacrifice them,' said Wade. 'We have
lost heavily, Colonel Saxon, but I think from the look of yonder bank
that ye have given a good account of the red-coats.'

'Stand firm! For God's sake, stand firm!' cried Monmouth distractedly.
'The horse have fled, and the cannoniers also. Oh! what can I do with
such men? What shall I do? Alas, alas!' He set spurs to his horse and
galloped off down the line, still ringing his hands and uttering his
dismal wailings. Oh, my children, how small, how very small a thing is
death when weighed in the balance with dishonour! Had this man but borne
his fate silently, as did the meanest footman who followed his banners,
how proud and glad would we have been to have discoursed of him, our
princely leader. But let him rest. The fears and agitations and petty
fond emotions, which showed upon him as the breeze shows upon the water,
are all stilled now for many a long year. Let us think of the kind heart
and forget the feeble spirit.

As his escort trooped after him, the great German man-at-arms separated
from them and turned back to us. 'I am weary of trotting up and down
like a lust-ritter at a fair,' said he. 'If I bide with ye I am like to
have my share of any fighting which is going. So, steady, mein Liebchen.
That ball grazed her tail, but she is too old a soldier to wince at
trifles. Hullo, friend, where is your horse?'

'At the bottom of the ditch,' said Sir Gervas, scraping the mud off his
dress with his sword-blade. ''Tis now half-past two,' he continued,
'and we have been at this child's-play for an hour and more. With a line
regiment, too! It is not what I had looked forward to!'

'You shall have something to console you anon,' cried the German, with
his eyes shining. 'Mein Gott! Is