"He has indeed tasked me well, at times doing other men's
work; but it is all in a good cause, you know; and I never objected to
these tasks till now--My Lord, I hear, set out for Alcantara early
this morning, taking Bradshawe and Conway with him."
"Yes! they rode merrily off this morning," said Lady Mabel in a gay
tone. "A summons to Alcantara breaks the monotony of their life here,
and they were eager to meet Sir Rowland. I hear that these conferences
with his officers always conclude with a capital dinner. That sallow
Major Conway, with his fastidious appetite, and his Calcutta liver,
will appreciate the excellence of the _cuisine_. I have heard Colonel
Bradshawe dilate, with enthusiasm, on Sir Rowland's choice selection
of wines. Papa, too, will meet some new people there, which will give
him an opportunity of once more undergoing his three years of siege,
famine, and bombardment in Gibraltar thirty years ago, and of uttering
a new edition to the expedition to Egypt, in which he will again put
Sir Ralph Abercromby to a glorious death in the arms of victory. They
tell me, Sir Rowland, too, dearly loves these occasions for repeating
his favorite lecture on strategy and grand tactics.
Pages:
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423