Lord Raglan strove to reassure his colleague.
"All is going well, my general," he said; "we are winning the day."
"I wish I could think so," replied Canrobert.
"Well, but listen to the message my aide-de-camp has brought from
General Pennefather. What did he say, Calthorpe?"
"General Pennefather, my lord, says he only wants a few fresh troops
to follow the enemy up now, and lick them to the devil. These are his
very words, my lord."
Lord Raglan laughed heartily, and translated his stout-hearted
lieutenant's language literally for Canrobert.
"Ah! what a brave man!" cried the French general, lighting up. "A
splendid general, a most valiant man."
"You see now, general; one more effort and the day is ours. Won't you
help?"
"But, my lord, what can I do? The Russians are all round us still, and
in great strength. See there, there, and there," he cried, pointing
with his unwounded arm.
"Tell General Pennefather to come and speak to me at once," Lord
Raglan now said to the aide-de-camp, hoping that the gallant bearing
of the victorious veteran would infuse fresh hope in Canrobert.
Now General Pennefather galloped up, as radiantly happy as any
schoolboy who has just finished his fifteenth round.
"I should like to press them, my lord. They are retreating already,
and we could give a fine account of them.
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