another, and all conspired to curse the artillery--whose practice, by
the way, had been brilliant throughout the siege. Nor did the
gunners fail to retort; but they were in luckier case, being kept
busy all the while, first in shifting their batteries and removing
their worst guns to the ships, next in hauling and placing the new
train that arrived piecemeal from England; and not only busy, but
alert, on the watch against sorties. Also, and although the error of
cannonading the columns of assault had never been cleared up, the
brunt of Wellington's displeasure had fallen on the stormers.
The Marquis ever laid stress on his infantry, whether to use them or
blame them; and when he found occasion to blame, he had words--and
methods--that scarified equally the general of division and the
private soldier.

'Fast enough you understand,' repeated Corporal Sam savagely.

'I do, then, and I don't,' admitted Sergeant Wilkes, after a pause.
The lad puzzled him; gave him few confidences, asked for none at all,
and certainly was no cheerful companion; and yet during these days of
humiliation the two had become friends, almost inseparable.
'I've read it,' the sergeant pursued, 'in Scripture or somewhere,
that a man what keeps a hold on himself does better than if he took a
city. I don't say as I understand that altogether; but it _sounds_
right.'

'Plucky lot of cities we take, in the Royals,' growled Corporal Sam.
He nodded, as well as his posture allowed, towards San Sebastian.
'And you call that a third-class fortress!'

'Accidents will happen.' Sergeant Wilkes, puffing at his pipe, fell