Fallen Fortunes

Dicon; for if that be not the armies of the French and the A

ing, the cloud wreaths suddenly drifted away, and the sun began to shine out upon the undulating plain stretched before their eyes; and lo, the plain was alive with squadrons of soldiers-infantry, cavalry, artillery-drawn up in battle array; and the note of the bugle rang through the air, whilst away in the distance, on the opposite side of the plain, there

ed us of the perils of seeking passage through a country which has become the theatre of war; but fortune's star has befriended us thus far, and now, if I mistake me not, we st

looking upon the village of Tavières and the mound of Ottomond, and the waters of the Mehaign rolled below at his feet. The right wing of the French army rested here, as he quickly saw; but for the moment the main activity lay ove

ll to dispose your forces in concave lines. You lose time in passing from place to place; and with such a general as our English Duke pitted against you, you cannot afford to lose any point in the game. Ha! See that? The Dutch and English soldiers are charging down upon Tavières! Watch how they come on-a great resistless tide of well-drilled veterans. See how they sweep all before them! See how the French fl

by a glance the nationality of this pair, who evidently stood to each other in the relation of master and man. Their faces were tanned by sun and wind, their dres

ts, and the short cloak slung across the saddle-bow had been purchased in Italy. He rode a strong, mettlesome barb, whose glossy bay coat shone like satin in the sunlight. The horse of the servant looked somewhat jaded, but that of the master might have just been taken from the stable. He was one of those splendid chargers, half Irish, half Spanish by blood, whose sureness of foot, untiring e

ants. The blare of the bugles, the roar of the guns, the shouts, screams, cheers of soldiers, the clash of sabres and the rattle of musketry, were as music to his ears. Suddenly flinging up his head, and uttering something between a snort and a neigh, the creature was off like an arrow from

said with a laugh. "Don Carlos will mak

yells of the soldiers, the cheers of the Allies as they felt the wavering of their foes. But the French, though the first line had been broken, were not vanquished yet. The second line was composed of the pick of the young nobility-men careless of personal peril, disdainful of death, desirous only of glory and of victory. Upon these picked troops the Allies flung themselves in fury; but they stood thei

was exceedingly well mounted, and his horse, wild with excitement, and feeling all that sympathy with his master's mood which is natural to these noble creatures, carried him so swiftly forward, that after he had galloped along the lines, giving orders here, there, and everywhere as he passed, he overshot his position, and without noting it in the confusion, was

upon the scene of the Duke's danger. The great General never lacked presence of mind, was never daunted by personal peril. He had realized his position, and setting his horse at a furious gallop, he had already broken through the ring of would-be

ast is down! They w

Dicon's throat. Gre

shall never take him. Don Ca

spot. All who saw it knew how much hung upon the turn of the next few seconds. First of all came the young stranger, who fl

to still his excited plunging. "The enemy are closing round; but only m

instant the General was in the saddle; but the head of the Colonel who stood at the stirrup was rolling

ollowed him, scarce thinking what he was doing. None forbade him. Many had seen his prompt and timely action; many watched him as the tide of battle raged this way and that, and saw that, whether a trained soldier or not, this young stranger was no novice in the art of war. The

. Come to my quarters, wherever they may be, when

won in less than four hours, but the pursuit had been long, lasting far into the night; and the dawn was well-nigh breaking in the eastern sky when Grey received a message that

paigning. He had changed some of his clothes, and though pale and somewhat jaded, preserved that air of elegance and distinction which was always one of his most marked characteristics. But even without spotless linen and fine array, there was something in the high-br

offered his hand with a frank and gracious courtes

h such timely promptitude. I have never bestridden a better horse, and owe you much for

l feel honoured for all time in that kind Fortune gave us the chance of rendering you some small aid in a moment of pe

man to be seated. He himself took a seat op

esq, I think I can promise you a position not far from my own person, which will not be without opportunities of profit, and

th pleasure. He looked eagerly

rs I have been absent from my native shores. For three years I have been a wanderer, and, I fear me, a spendthrift to boot. I have spent or squandered the fortune with which I started forth. Rumour has reached me that my fathe

obable father of the youth before him, had not been a man to inspire any very deep affection in the heart of his son. He bore the reputati

be rewarded, and I will not seek to stay you. Methinks your mother

yes lighted, and

ng three years ago, when I came of age. Since then I have been a wanderer in many lands. I have seen hard blows given and taken; I have been in many perils and battles. I was with Lord Peterborough when he fell upon the fort of Mountjuich, and made himself master of Barcelona, just when all hope of taking it seemed at an end. I have fought in the ranks of the Duke of Savoy against the vete

lian campaign. Difficulties with the Dutch field-deputies alone hindered the more dashing and offensive policy which he would so gladly have adopted. He listened with keen interest to Grey's account of his journey through Savoy, his interview with Victor Amadeus, and his successful feat of

of the qualifications which he most prized. But he was a man, too, who never undervalued the domestic side of life, or willingly interfered with t

s fortune for the chances you have had. Methinks the world will hear of you yet. The brow of a poet, t

t, and the young

omrade by my side, a keen Toledo blade in mine hand, and all else came of itself. I have been happy in my days of peril and adventure; but now I must lay aside my weapons and my roving habi

ines upon a sheet of paper which lay upon the table. Wh

o confine yourself to the Dutch Netherlands, to make your way to the Hague, and thence to England. With this pass in your possession, you should then have small difficulty in travelling without molestation. And let

s were frank and smiling. He laid his hand upon an

yet enough and to spare to take me home. Were it otherwise," he added, with a very engaging look upon his h

had taken a great liking for this youn

our horse? I would give a goo

nd would rejoice that Don Carlos should be thus honoured. As it is, he is the greatest f

ill bears you. Take this ring, and wear it for my sake. And should ever trouble, or loss, or misfortune fall upon you, and you be in need, in my absence abroad, of a friend at home, take it and show it to my wife. I sha

at might be a legend in some Eastern tongue. It was a trinket which, once seen, would not easily be forgotten, and Grey Dumaresq slip

warmly. "I shall not forget you, my friend. I trust that yours will be one of the faces tha

e lighted with plea

," he said. "I thank you with all my h

o love and be loved by faithfully-for, believe me, without true conjugal love, a man's life is desolate and empty, and nothing can fill the ache of a heart that has no loving ones at home to rejoice with him in his joy and weep a

forgot the smile upon the face of the great victorious General, as he saw