WhenNeydashedupontheadvanceofthealliedtroops，carryingonepositionaftertheother，untilthearrivalofthegreatbodyoftheBritisharmyfromBrusselschangedtheaspectofthecombatofQuatreBras，thesquadronsamongwhichRegulusrodeshowedthegreatestactivityinretreatingbeforetheFrench，andweredislodgedfromonepostandanotherwhichtheyoccupiedwithperfectalacrityontheirpart。TheirmovementswereonlycheckedbytheadvanceoftheBritishintheirrear。Thusforcedtohalt，theenemy’scavalrywhosebloodthirstyobstinacycannotbetooseverelyreprehendedhadatlengthanopportunityofcomingtoclosequarterswiththebraveBelgiansbeforethem；whopreferredtoencountertheBritishratherthantheFrench，andatonceturningtailrodethroughtheEnglishregimentsthatwerebehindthem，andscatteredinalldirections。Theregimentinfactdidnotexistanymore。Itwasnowhere。Ithadnohead-quarters。Regulusfoundhimselfgallopingmanymilesfromthefieldofaction，entirelyalone；andwhithershouldheflyforrefugesonaturallyastothatkitchenandthosefaithfularmsinwhichPaulinehadsooftenwelcomedhim？
Atsometeno’clocktheclinkingofasabremighthavebeenheardupthestairofthehousewheretheOsbornesoccupiedastoryinthecontinentalfashion。Aknockmighthavebeenheardatthekitchendoor；andpoorPauline，comebackfromchurch，faintedalmostwithterrorassheopeneditandsawbeforeherherhaggardhussar。HelookedaspaleasthemidnightdragoonwhocametodisturbLeonora。Paulinewouldhavescreamed，butthathercrywouldhavecalledhermasters，anddiscoveredherfriend。Shestifledherscream，then，andleadingherherointothekitchen，gavehimbeer，andthechoicebitsfromthedinner，whichJoshadnothadthehearttotaste。Thehussarshowedhewasnoghostbytheprodigiousquantityoffleshandbeerwhichhedevoured——andduringthemouthfulshetoldhistaleofdisaster。
Hisregimenthadperformedprodigiesofcourage，andhadwithstoodforawhiletheonsetofthewholeFrencharmy。Buttheywereoverwhelmedatlast，aswasthewholeBritisharmybythistime。Neydestroyedeachregimentasitcameup。TheBelgiansinvaininterposedtopreventthebutcheryoftheEnglish。TheBrunswickerswereroutedandhadfled——theirDukewaskilled。Itwasageneraldebacle。Hesoughttodrownhissorrowforthedefeatinfloodsofbeer。
Isidor，whohadcomeintothekitchen，heardtheconversationandrushedouttoinformhismaster。”Itisallover。”heshriekedtoJos。”MilorDukeisaprisoner；
theDukeofBrunswickiskilled；theBritisharmyisinfullflight；thereisonlyonemanescaped，andheisinthekitchennow——comeandhearhim。”SoJostotteredintothatapartmentwhereRegulusstillsateonthekitchentable，andclungfasttohisflagonofbeer。InthebestFrenchwhichhecouldmuster，andwhichwasinsoothofaveryungrammaticalsort，Josbesoughtthehussartotellhistale。ThedisastersdeepenedasRegulusspoke。Hewastheonlymanofhisregimentnotslainonthefield。
HehadseentheDukeofBrunswickfall，theblackhussarsfly，theEcossaispoundeddownbythecannon。
“Andthe——th？”gaspedJos。
“Cutinpieces。”saidthehussar——uponwhichPaulinecriedout，“Omymistress，mabonnepetitedame。”wentofffairlyintohysterics，andfilledthehousewithherscreams。
Wildwithterror，Mr。Sedleyknewnothoworwheretoseekforsafety。Herushedfromthekitchenbacktothesitting-room，andcastanappealinglookatAmelia’sdoor，whichMrs。O’Dowdhadclosedandlockedinhisface；butherememberedhowscornfullythelatterhadreceivedhim，andafterpausingandlisteningforabriefspaceatthedoor，heleftit，andresolvedtogointothestreet，forthefirsttimethatday。So，seizingacandle，helookedaboutforhisgold-lacedcap，andfounditlyinginitsusualplace，onaconsole-table，intheanteroom，placedbeforeamirroratwhichJosusedtocoquet，alwaysgivinghisside-locksatwirl，andhiscapthepropercockoverhiseye，beforehewentforthtomakeappearanceinpublic。Suchistheforceofhabit，thateveninthemidstofhisterrorhebeganmechanicallytotwiddlewithhishair，andarrangethecockofhishat。Thenhelookedamazedatthepalefaceintheglassbeforehim，andespeciallyathismustachios，whichhadattainedarichgrowthinthecourseofnearsevenweeks，sincetheyhadcomeintotheworld。TheyWILLmistakemeforamilitaryman，thoughthe，rememberingIsidor’swarningastothemassacrewithwhichallthedefeatedBritisharmywasthreatened；andstaggeringbacktohisbedchamber，hebeganwildlypullingthebellwhichsummonedhisvalet。
Isidoransweredthatsummons。Joshadsunkinachair——hehadtornoffhisneckcloths，andturneddownhiscollars，andwassittingwithbothhishandsliftedtohisthroat。
“Coupez-moi，Isidor。”shoutedhe；“vite！Coupez-moi！”
Isidorthoughtforamomenthehadgonemad，andthathewishedhisvalettocuthisthroat。
“Lesmoustaches。”gaspedJoe；“lesmoustaches——
coupy，rasy，vite！”——hisFrenchwasofthissort——voluble，aswehavesaid，butnotremarkableforgrammar。
Isidorsweptoffthemustachiosinnotimewiththerazor，andheardwithinexpressibledelighthismaster’sordersthatheshouldfetchahatandaplaincoat。”Neportyploo——habitmilitair——bonn——bonnyavoo，prennydehors“——wereJos’swords——thecoatandcapwereatlasthisproperty。
Thisgiftbeingmade，Josselectedaplainblackcoatandwaistcoatfromhisstock，andputonalargewhiteneckcloth，andaplainbeaver。Ifhecouldhavegotashovelhathewouldhavewornit。Asitwas，youwouldhavefanciedhewasaflourishing，largeparsonoftheChurchofEngland。
“Vennymaintenong。”hecontinued，“sweevy——ally——
party——donglaroo。”Andsohavingsaid，heplungedswiftlydownthestairsofthehouse，andpassedintothestreet。
AlthoughRegulushadvowedthathewastheonlymanofhisregimentorofthealliedarmy，almost，whohadescapedbeingcuttopiecesbyNey，itappearedthathisstatementwasincorrect，andthatagoodnumbermoreofthesupposedvictimshadsurvivedthemassacre。
ManyscoresofRegulus’scomradeshadfoundtheirwaybacktoBrussels，andallagreeingthattheyhadrunaway——filledthewholetownwithanideaofthedefeatoftheallies。ThearrivaloftheFrenchwasexpectedhourly；thepaniccontinued，andpreparationsforflightwentoneverywhere。Nohorses！thoughtJos，interror。
HemadeIsidorinquireofscoresofpersons，whethertheyhadanytolendorsell，andhisheartsankwithinhim，atthenegativeanswersreturnedeverywhere。Shouldhetakethejourneyonfoot？Evenfearcouldnotrenderthatponderousbodysoactive。
AlmostallthehotelsoccupiedbytheEnglishinBrusselsfacetheParc，andJoswanderedirresolutelyaboutinthisquarter，withcrowdsofotherpeople，oppressedashewasbyfearandcuriosity。Somefamilieshesawmorehappythanhimself，havingdiscoveredateamofhorses，andrattlingthroughthestreetsinretreat；othersagaintherewerewhosecasewaslikehisown，andwhocouldnotforanybribesorentreatiesprocurethenecessarymeansofflight。Amongstthesewould-befugitives，JosremarkedtheLadyBareacresandherdaughter，whosateintheircarriageintheporte-cochereoftheirhotel，alltheirimperialspacked，andtheonlydrawbacktowhoseflightwasthesamewantofmotivepowerwhichkeptJosstationary。
RebeccaCrawleyoccupiedapartmentsinthishotel；
andhadbeforethisperiodhadsundryhostilemeetingswiththeladiesoftheBareacresfamily。MyLadyBareacrescutMrs。Crawleyonthestairswhentheymetbychance；andinallplaceswherethelatter’snamewasmentioned，spokeperseveringlyillofherneighbour。TheCountesswasshockedatthefamiliarityofGeneralTuftowiththeaide-de-camp’swife。TheLadyBlancheavoidedherasifshehadbeenaninfectiousdisease。OnlytheEarlhimselfkeptupaslyoccasionalacquaintancewithher，whenoutofthejurisdictionofhisladies。
Rebeccahadherrevengenowupontheseinsolentenemies。IfbecameknowninthehotelthatCaptainCrawley’shorseshadbeenleftbehind，andwhenthepanicbegan，LadyBareacrescondescendedtosendhermaidtotheCaptain’swifewithherLadyship’scompliments，andadesiretoknowthepriceofMrs。Crawley’shorses。Mrs。Crawleyreturnedanotewithhercompliments，andanintimationthatitwasnothercustomtotransactbargainswithladies’maids。
ThiscurtreplybroughttheEarlinpersontoBecky’sapartment；buthecouldgetnomoresuccessthanthefirstambassador。”Sendalady’smaidtoME！”Mrs。
Crawleycriedingreatanger；“whydidn’tmyLadyBareacrestellmetogoandsaddlethehorses！IsitherLadyshipthatwantstoescape，orherLadyship’sfemmedechambre？”AndthiswasalltheanswerthattheEarlborebacktohisCountess。
Whatwillnotnecessitydo？TheCountessherselfactuallycametowaituponMrs。Crawleyonthefailureofhersecondenvoy。Sheentreatedhertonameherownprice；sheevenofferedtoinviteBeckytoBareacresHouse，ifthelatterwouldbutgiveherthemeansofreturningtothatresidence。Mrs。Crawleysneeredather。
“Idon’twanttobewaitedonbybailiffsinlivery。”shesaid；“youwillnevergetbackthoughmostprobably——
atleastnotyouandyourdiamondstogether。TheFrenchwillhavethoseTheywillbehereintwohours，andI
shallbehalfwaytoGhentbythattime。Iwouldnotsellyoumyhorses，no，notforthetwolargestdiamondsthatyourLadyshipworeattheball。”LadyBareacrestrembledwithrageandterror。Thediamondsweresewedintoherhabit，andsecretedinmyLord’spaddingandboots。
“Woman，thediamondsareatthebanker’s，andIWILL
havethehorses。”shesaid。Rebeccalaughedinherface。
TheinfuriateCountesswentbelow，andsateinhercarriage；hermaid，hercourier，andherhusbandweresentoncemorethroughthetown，eachtolookforcattle；andwoebetidethosewhocamelast！HerLadyshipwasresolvedondepartingtheveryinstantthehorsesarrivedfromanyquarter——withherhusbandorwithouthim。
RebeccahadthepleasureofseeingherLadyshipinthehorselesscarriage，andkeepinghereyesfixeduponher，andbewailing，intheloudesttoneofvoice，theCountess’sperplexities。”Nottobeabletogethorses！”
shesaid，“andtohaveallthosediamondssewedintothecarriagecushions！WhataprizeitwillbefortheFrenchwhentheycome！——thecarriageandthediamonds，Imean；
notthelady！”Shegavethisinformationtothelandlord，totheservants，totheguests，andtheinnumerablestragglersaboutthecourtyard。LadyBareacrescouldhaveshotherfromthecarriagewindow。
ItwaswhileenjoyingthehumiliationofherenemythatRebeccacaughtsightofJos，whomadetowardsherdirectlyheperceivedher。
Thataltered，frightened，fatface，toldhissecretwellenough。Hetoowantedtofly，andwasonthelook-outforthemeansofescape。”HEshallbuymyhorses。”
thoughtRebecca，“andI’llridethemare。”
Joswalkeduptohisfriend，andputthequestionforthehundredthtimeduringthepasthour，“Didsheknowwherehorsesweretobehad？”
“What，YOUfly？”saidRebecca，withalaugh。”I
thoughtyouwerethechampionofalltheladies，Mr。
Sedley。”
“I——I’mnotamilitaryman。”gaspedhe。
“AndAmelia？——Whoistoprotectthatpoorlittlesisterofyours？”askedRebecca。”Yousurelywouldnotdeserther？”
“WhatgoodcanIdoher，suppose——supposetheenemyarrive？”Josanswered。”They’llsparethewomen；butmymantellsmethattheyhavetakenanoathtogivenoquartertothemen——thedastardlycowards。”
“Horrid！”criedRebecca，enjoyinghisperplexity。
“Besides，Idon’twanttodeserther。”criedthebrother。
“SheSHAN’Tbedeserted。Thereisaseatforherinmycarriage，andoneforyou，dearMrs。Crawley，ifyouwillcome；andifwecangethorses——“sighedhe——
“Ihavetwotosell。”theladysaid。Joscouldhaveflunghimselfintoherarmsatthenews。”Getthecarriage，Isidor。”hecried；“we’vefoundthem——wehavefoundthem。”