"I
have just come from the English headquarters, and saw the new French
commander-in-chief there. Palliser, I think they call him."
"Pelissier," said the French sergeant, correcting him. "That is good
news. A rare old dog of war that. We shan't wait long to attack if he
has the ordering."
"They say the Russian generals have changed lately. Gortschakoff has
succeeded Mentschikoff."
"Confound those koffs! They are worse than a cold in the head."
"And just as difficult to get rid of. I'd like to wring their necks,
and every Russian's at Sebastopol."
"Mentschikoff could not have been a bad fellow, anyway."
"How do you know that?"
"Why, one of our officers who was taken prisoner at Inkerman has just
come back to camp. I heard him say that while he was in Sebastopol he
got a letter from his young woman at home. She said she hoped he would
take Mentschikoff prisoner, and send her home a button off his coat."
"Well?"
"The letter was read by the Russian authorities before they gave it
him, and some one told the general what the English girl had said."
"He got mad, I suppose?"
"Not at all. He sent on the letter to its destination, with a note of
his own, presenting his compliments, and regrets that he could not
allow himself to be taken prisoner, but saying that he had much
pleasure in inclosing the button, for transmission to England.
Pages:
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262