“Haveyoudonemenowrong，Rebecca？Youdidnotsucceed，butyoutried。Askyourheartifyoudidnot。”
Sheknowsnothing，Rebeccathought。
“Hecamebacktome。Iknewhewould。Iknewthatnofalsehood，noflattery，couldkeephimfrommelong。
Iknewhewouldcome。Iprayedsothatheshould。”
ThepoorgirlspokethesewordswithaspiritandvolubilitywhichRebeccahadneverbeforeseeninher，andbeforewhichthelatterwasquitedumb。”ButwhathaveIdonetoyou。”shecontinuedinamorepitifultone。”thatyoushouldtryandtakehimfromme？Ihadhimbutforsixweeks。Youmighthavesparedmethose，Rebecca。Andyet，fromtheveryfirstdayofourwedding，youcameandblightedit。Nowheisgone，areyoucometoseehowunhappyIam？”shecontinued。”Youmademewretchedenoughforthepastfortnight：youmighthavesparedmeto-day。”
“I——Inevercamehere。”interposedRebecca，withunluckytruth。
“No。Youdidn’tcome。Youtookhimaway。Areyoucometofetchhimfromme？”shecontinuedinawildertone。”Hewashere，butheisgonenow。Thereonthatverysofahesate。Don’ttouchit。Wesateandtalkedthere。Iwasonhisknee，andmyarmswereroundhisneck，andwesaid’OurFather。’Yes，hewashere：andtheycameandtookhimaway，buthepromisedmetocomeback。”
“Hewillcomeback，mydear。”saidRebecca，touchedinspiteofherself。
“Look。”saidAmelia，“thisishissash——isn’titaprettycolour？’’andshetookupthefringeandkissedit。Shehadtieditroundherwaistatsomepartoftheday。Shehadforgottenheranger，herjealousy，theverypresenceofherrivalseemingly。Forshewalkedsilentlyandalmostwithasmileonherface，towardsthebed，andbegantosmoothdownGeorge’spillow。
Rebeccawalked，too，silentlyaway。”HowisAmelia？”
askedJos，whostillheldhispositioninthechair。
“Thereshouldbesomebodywithher。”saidRebecca。
“Ithinksheisveryunwell“：andshewentawaywithaverygraveface，refusingMr。Sedley’sentreatiesthatshewouldstayandpartakeoftheearlydinnerwhichhehadordered。
Rebeccawasofagood-naturedandobligingdisposition；
andshelikedAmeliaratherthanotherwise。Evenherhardwords，reproachfulastheywere，werecomplimentary——thegroansofapersonstingingunderdefeat。
MeetingMrs。O’Dowd，whomtheDean’ssermonshadbynomeanscomforted，andwhowaswalkingverydisconsolatelyintheParc，Rebeccaaccostedthelatter，rathertothesurpriseoftheMajor’swife，whowasnotaccustomedtosuchmarksofpolitenessfromMrs。
RawdonCrawley，andinformingherthatpoorlittleMrs。
Osbornewasinadesperatecondition，andalmostmadwithgrief，sentoffthegood-naturedIrishwomanstraighttoseeifshecouldconsoleheryoungfavourite。
“I’vecaresofmyownenough。”Mrs。O’Dowdsaid，gravely，“andIthoughtpoorAmeliawouldbelittlewantingforcompanythisday。Butifshe’ssobadasyousay，andyoucan’tattendtoher，whousedtobesofondofher，faithI’llseeifIcanbeofservice。Andsogoodmarningtoye，Madam“；withwhichspeechandatossofherhead，theladyoftherepaythertookafarewellofMrs。Crawley，whosecompanyshebynomeanscourted。
Beckywatchedhermarchingoff，withasmileonherlip。Shehadthekeenestsenseofhumour，andtheParthianlookwhichtheretreatingMrs。O’DowdflungoverhershoulderalmostupsetMrs。Crawley’sgravity。
“Myservicetoye，mefineMadam，andI’mgladtoseeyesocheerful。”thoughtPeggy。”It’snotYOUthatwillcryyoureyesoutwithgrief，anyway。”Andwiththisshepassedon，andspeedilyfoundherwaytoMrs。Osborne’slodgings。
Thepoorsoulwasstillatthebedside，whereRebeccahadlefther，andstoodalmostcrazywithgrief。TheMajor’swife，astronger-mindedwoman，endeavouredherbesttocomfortheryoungfriend。”Youmustbearup，Amelia，dear。”shesaidkindly，“forhemustn’tfindyouillwhenhesendsforyouafterthevictory。It’snotyouaretheonlywomanthatareinthehandsofGodthisday。”
“Iknowthat。Iamverywicked，veryweak。”Ameliasaid。Sheknewherownweaknesswellenough。Thepresenceofthemoreresolutefriendcheckedit，however；andshewasthebetterofthiscontrolandcompany。Theywentontilltwoo’clock；theirheartswerewiththecolumnasitmarchedfartherandfartheraway。Dreadfuldoubtandanguish——prayersandfearsandgriefsunspeakable——
followedtheregiment。Itwasthewomen’stributetothewar。Ittaxesbothalike，andtakesthebloodofthemen，andthetearsofthewomen。
Athalf-pasttwo，aneventoccurredofdailyimportancetoMr。Joseph：thedinner-hourarrived。Warriorsmayfightandperish，buthemustdine。HecameintoAmelia’sroomtoseeifhecouldcoaxhertosharethatmeal。”Try。”saidhe；“thesoupisverygood。Dotry，Emmy。”andhekissedherhand。Exceptwhenshewasmarried，hehadnotdonesomuchforyearsbefore。”Youareverygoodandkind，Joseph。”shesaid。”Everybodyis，but，ifyouplease，Iwillstayinmyroomto-day。”
Thesavourofthesoup，however，wasagreeabletoMrs。O’Dowd’snostrils：andshethoughtshewouldbearMr。Joscompany。Sothetwosatedowntotheirmeal。
“Godblessthemeat。”saidtheMajor’swife，solemnly：
shewasthinkingofherhonestMick，ridingattheheadofhisregiment：“’Tisbutabaddinnerthosepoorboyswillgetto-day。”shesaid，withasigh，andthen，likeaphilosopher，fellto。
Jos’sspiritsrosewithhismeal。Hewoulddrinktheregiment’shealth；or，indeed，takeanyotherexcusetoindulgeinaglassofchampagne。”We’lldrinktoO’Dowdandthebrave——th。”saidhe，bowinggallantlytohisguest。”Hey，Mrs。O’Dowd？FillMrs。O’Dowd’sglass，Isidor。”
Butallofasudden，Isidorstarted，andtheMajor’swifelaiddownherknifeandfork。Thewindowsoftheroomwereopen，andlookedsouthward，andadulldistantsoundcameoverthesun-lightedroofsfromthatdirection。’’Whatisit？”saidJos。”Whydon’tyoupour，yourascal？”
“Cestlefeu！”saidIsidor，runningtothebalcony。
“Goddefendus；it’scannon！”Mrs。O’Dowdcried，startingup，andfollowedtootothewindow。Athousandpaleandanxiousfacesmighthavebeenseenlookingfromothercasements。Andpresentlyitseemedasifthewholepopulationofthecityrushedintothestreets。
InWhichJosTakesFlight，andtheWarIsBroughttoaCloseWeofpeacefulLondonCityhaveneverbeheld——andpleaseGodnevershallwitness——suchasceneofhurryandalarm，asthatwhichBrusselspresented。CrowdsrushedtotheNamurgate，fromwhichdirectionthenoiseproceeded，andmanyrodealongthelevelchaussee，tobeinadvanceofanyintelligencefromthearmy。Eachmanaskedhisneighbourfornews；andevengreatEnglishlordsandladiescondescendedtospeaktopersonswhomtheydidnotknow。ThefriendsoftheFrenchwentabroad，wildwithexcitement，andprophesyingthetriumphoftheirEmperor。Themerchantsclosedtheirshops，andcameouttoswellthegeneralchorusofalarmandclamour。Womenrushedtothechurches，andcrowdedthechapels，andkneltandprayedontheflagsandsteps。Thedullsoundofthecannonwentonrolling，rolling。Presentlycarriageswithtravellersbegantoleavethetown，gallopingawaybytheGhentbarrier。ThepropheciesoftheFrenchpartisansbegantopassforfacts。”Hehascutthearmiesintwo。”itwassaid。”HeismarchingstraightonBrussels。HewilloverpowertheEnglish，andbehereto-night。”“HewilloverpowertheEnglish。”shriekedIsidortohismaster，“andwillbehereto-night。”Themanboundedinandoutfromthelodgingstothestreet，alwaysreturningwithsomefreshparticularsofdisaster。Jos’sfacegrewpalerandpaler。Alarmbegantotakeentirepossessionofthestoutcivilian。Allthechampagnehedrankbroughtnocouragetohim。BeforesunsethewasworkeduptosuchapitchofnervousnessasgratifiedhisfriendIsidortobehold，whonowcountedsurelyuponthespoilsoftheownerofthelacedcoat。
Thewomenwereawayallthistime。Afterhearingthefiringforamoment，thestoutMajor’swifebethoughtherofherfriendinthenextchamber，andranintowatch，andifpossibletoconsole，Amelia。Theideathatshehadthathelplessandgentlecreaturetoprotect，gaveadditionalstrengthtothenaturalcourageofthehonestIrishwoman。Shepassedfivehoursbyherfriend’sside，sometimesinremonstrance，sometimestalkingcheerfully，oftenerinsilenceandterrifiedmentalsupplication。”I
neverletgoherhandonce。”saidthestoutladyafterwards，“untilaftersunset，whenthefiringwasover。”
Pauline，thebonne，wasonherkneesatchurchhardby，prayingforsonhommeaelle。
Whenthenoiseofthecannonadingwasover，Mrs。
O’DowdissuedoutofAmelia’sroomintotheparlouradjoining，whereJossatewithtwoemptiedflasks，andcourageentirelygone。Onceortwicehehadventuredintohissister’sbedroom，lookingverymuchalarmed，andasifhewouldsaysomething。ButtheMajor’swifekeptherplace，andhewentawaywithoutdisburtheninghimselfofhisspeech。Hewasashamedtotellherthathewantedtofly。
Butwhenshemadeherappearanceinthedining-room，wherehesateinthetwilightinthecheerlesscompanyofhisemptychampagnebottles，hebegantoopenhismindtoher。
“Mrs。O’Dowd。”hesaid，“hadn’tyoubettergetAmeliaready？”
“Areyougoingtotakeheroutforawalk？”saidtheMajor’slady；“sureshe’stooweaktostir。”
“I——I’veorderedthecarriage。”hesaid，“and——andpost-horses；Isidorisgoneforthem。”Joscontinued。
“Whatdoyouwantwithdrivingto-night？”answeredthelady。”Isn’tshebetteronherbed？I’vejustgothertoliedown。”
“Getherup。”saidJos；“shemustgetup，Isay“：andhestampedhisfootenergetically。”Isaythehorsesareordered——yes，thehorsesareordered。It’sallover，and——“
“Andwhat？”askedMrs。O’Dowd。
“I’moffforGhent。”Josanswered。”Everybodyisgoing；there’saplaceforyou！Weshallstartinhalf-an-
hour。”
TheMajor’swifelookedathimwithinfinitescorn。”I
don’tmovetillO’Dowdgivesmetheroute。”saidshe。
“Youmaygoifyoulike，Mr。Sedley；but，faith，AmeliaandIstophere。”
“SheSHALLgo。”saidJos，withanotherstampofhisfoot。Mrs。O’Dowdputherselfwitharmsakimbobeforethebedroomdoor。
“Isithermotheryou’regoingtotakeherto？”shesaid；“ordoyouwanttogotoMammayourself，Mr。
Sedley？Goodmarning——apleasantjourneytoye，sir。
Bonvoyage，astheysay，andtakemycounsel，andshaveoffthemmustachios，orthey’llbringyouintomischief。”
“D——n！”yelledoutJos，wildwithfear，rage，andmortification；andIsidorcameinatthisjuncture，swearinginhisturn。”Pasdechevaux，sacrebleu！”hissedoutthefuriousdomestic。Allthehorsesweregone。JoswasnottheonlymaninBrusselsseizedwithpanicthatday。
ButJos’sfears，greatandcruelastheywerealready，weredestinedtoincreasetoanalmostfranticpitchbeforethenightwasover。IthasbeenmentionedhowPauline，thebonne，hadsonhommeaellealsointheranksofthearmythathadgoneouttomeettheEmperorNapoleon。ThisloverwasanativeofBrussels，andaBelgianhussar。Thetroopsofhisnationsignalisedthemselvesinthiswarforanythingbutcourage，andyoungVanCutsum，Pauline’sadmirer，wastoogoodasoldiertodisobeyhisColonel’sorderstorunaway。WhilstingarrisonatBrusselsyoungRegulushehadbeenbornintherevolutionarytimesfoundhisgreatcomfort，andpassedalmostallhisleisuremoments，inPauline’skitchen；anditwaswithpocketsandholsterscrammedfullofgoodthingsfromherlarder，thathehadtakeleaveofhisweepingsweetheart，toproceeduponthecampaignafewdaysbefore。
Asfarashisregimentwasconcerned，thiscampaignwasovernow。TheyhadformedapartofthedivisionunderthecommandofhisSovereignapparent，thePrinceofOrange，andasrespectedlengthofswordsandmustachios，andtherichnessofuniformandequipments，Regulusandhiscomradeslookedtobeasgallantabodyofmenasevertrumpetsoundedfor。