waiting to be charged. Monseigneur means to drive in our right wing!
See, he is bringing his cavalry forward. How splendidly they ride! It
makes one proud to know they are Frenchmen!"

"And sorry, too!"

I think Monseigneur was at their head, but the distance from our centre,
where the Admiral had stationed himself, was great, and I may have been
mistaken; but the leader, whoever he was, advanced very gallantly,
several lengths in advance of his front line, waving his sword and
cheering his followers.

The sun shone down on their steel caps, their breastplates and
thigh-pieces, and made their swords glitter like silver. They formed a
pretty picture, with their gay flags and fluttering pennons, and they
rode with all the confidence of victors.

From a trot they broke into a gallop, and we held our breath as,
gathering momentum, they swept proudly down on our right wing. A volley
rang out, and here and there a trooper dropped, but the rest galloped on
straight for their foe.

We craned our necks to watch the result. Not a man spoke; we hardly
dared to breathe, so keen was our anxiety. Would our fellows stand firm
before that human avalanche? If they gave way ever so little, our right
wing must be tumbled into ruin.

Nearer and nearer, in beautiful order, horse's head to horse's head,
they tore along, until, with a tremendous crash, they flung themselves
upon the solid wall of infantry.