At
the first gun, fired evidently at the British staff, Lord Raglan, as
cool and self-possessed as ever, turned to General Wilders, and said,
briefly--
"Your men had better lie down."
"May I not cast loose cartridges first, my lord?" said the old
soldier, anxious to prepare for the serious business of the day.
"With all my heart! But be quick; they must not stand up here to be
shot at for nothing." Then Lord Raglan himself, erect and fearless,
resumed his observation of the advancing French columns.
"Dear, dear! how slow they are!" cried the eager voice of Airey, the
quartermaster-general.
"Look! they are checked!" said another; "they can't stomach the
climb."
"They have a tough job before them," said a third. "It will try them
hard."
That the French were in difficulties was evident, for now an
aide-de-camp came galloping from Bosquet with the grave news that the
division was in danger. He was followed by another prominent person on
St. Arnaud's staff, bringing an earnest entreaty that the English
should not delay their advance. A fierce storm of iron hail, moreover,
made inaction more and more intolerable.
The time was come! Lord Raglan turned and spoke five words to General
Airey. The next minute staff-officers were galloping to each division
with the glad tidings: "The line will advance!"
All along it men rose from the ground with a resolute air, fell into
their ranks, and then the "Thin Red Line," having a front of two miles
and a depth of two men, marched grandly to the fight.
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