no way detracts from the chivalrous enterprise of Moore."

"No, indeed," Sir John agreed; "the conception was truly an heroic one,
and one that required no less self-sacrifice than daring. There are few
generals who would venture on an advance when certain that it must be
followed by a retreat, and that at best he could but hope to escape from a
terrible disaster. It is true that he gained a victory which, under the
circumstances, was a most glorious one, but this was the effect of
accident rather than design. Had the fleet been in Corunna when he
arrived, he would have embarked at once, and in that case he would have
been attacked with ferocity by politicians at home, and would have been
accused of sacrificing a portion of his army on an enterprise that
everyone could have seen was ordained to be a failure before it
commenced."

"Did you know General Fane personally before you were appointed to his
staff?"

"No, General; he commanded the brigade of which my regiment formed part,
and of course I knew him by sight, but I had never had the honour of
exchanging a word with him."

"Then, may I ask why you were appointed to his staff, Mr. O'Connor?"

Terence hesitated. There was nothing he disliked more than talking of what
he himself had done. "It was a sort of accident, General."

"How an accident, Mr. O'Connor? Your conduct must have attracted his
attention in some way."