"Plenty of new arrivals. M. Soyer, the great cook, landed yesterday."
"What on earth brings him?"
"He is going to teach the troops to make omelettes and biscuit-soup."
"We were ahead of him in that, I think," said Hyde, winking at
Anatole.
"He is with Miss Nightingale, you know, who has come out as head
nurse."
"Heaven bless her!"
"Well, for all the new arrivals, we don't get on very fast with the
siege."
"Why don't they go into the place, without all this shilly-shallying?"
cried an impetuous Briton. "We'd take the place--we, the rank and
file--if the generals only would let us do the work alone."
"They are a poor lot, the generals, I say."
"Halt, there! not a word against Lord Raglan," cried Hyde.
"He is so slow."
"Yes, but he is uncommon sure. Have you ever seen him in action? I
have. He knows how to command: so quiet and self-possessed. Such a
different man from the French generals, who always shout and swear and
make such a confounded row. What do you think of your generals,
Anatole?"
"Canrobert is an imbecile; he never knows his own mind."
"Well, we shan't be troubled with him much longer," said a fresh
arrival. "Canrobert has just resigned the chief command."
"Impossible!" said Anatole, when the news was interpreted to him.
"It is perfectly true, I assure you," replied the last speaker.
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