第61章

butwithgreatgravity，vastemphasis，andwithtolerablecorrectnessinthemain。HowoftenhasmyMicklistenedtothesesermons，shethought，andmereadinginthecabinofacalm！Sheproposedtoresumethisexerciseonthepresentday，withAmeliaandthewoundedensignforacongregation。Thesameservicewasreadonthatdayintwentythousandchurchesatthesamehour；andmillionsofBritishmenandwomen，ontheirknees，imploredprotectionoftheFatherofall。

TheydidnothearthenoisewhichdisturbedourlittlecongregationatBrussels。Muchlouderthanthatwhichhadinterruptedthemtwodayspreviously，asMrs。

O’Dowdwasreadingtheserviceinherbestvoice，thecannonofWaterloobegantoroar。

WhenJosheardthatdreadfulsound，hemadeuphismindthathewouldbearthisperpetualrecurrenceofterrorsnolonger，andwouldflyatonce。Herushedintothesickman’sroom，whereourthreefriendshadpausedintheirprayers，andfurtherinterruptedthembyapassionateappealtoAmelia“Ican’tstanditanymore，Emmy。”hesaid；’Iwon’tstandit；andyoumustcomewithme。Ihaveboughtahorseforyou——nevermindatwhatprice——andyoumustdressandcomewithme，andridebehindIsidor。”

“Godforgiveme，Mr。Sedley，butyouarenobetterthanacoward。”Mrs。O’Dowdsaid，layingdownthebook。

“Isaycome，Amelia。”thecivilianwenton；“nevermindwhatshesays；whyarewetostophereandbebutcheredbytheFrenchmen？”

“Youforgetthe——th，myboy。”saidthelittleStubble，thewoundedhero，fromhisbed——“andandyouwon’tleaveme，willyou，Mrs。O’Dowd？”

“No，mydearfellow。”saidshe，goingupandkissingtheboy。”NoharmshallcometoyouwhileIstandby。

Idon’tbudgetillIgetthewordfromMick。AprettyfigureI’dbe，wouldn’tI，stuckbehindthatchaponapillion？”

Thisimagecausedtheyoungpatienttoburstoutlaughinginhisbed，andevenmadeAmeliasmile。”I

don’taskher。”Josshoutedout——“Idon’taskthat——thatIrishwoman，butyouAmelia；onceforall，willyoucome？”

“Withoutmyhusband，Joseph？”Ameliasaid，withalookofwonder，andgaveherhandtotheMajor’swife。

Jos’spatiencewasexhausted。

“Good-bye，then。”hesaid，shakinghisfistinarage，andslammingthedoorbywhichheretreated。Andthistimehereallygavehisorderformarch：andmountedinthecourt-yard。Mrs。O’Dowdheardtheclatteringhoofsofthehorsesastheyissuedfromthegate；andlookingon，mademanyscornfulremarksonpoorJosephasherodedownthestreetwithIsidorafterhiminthelacedcap。Thehorses，whichhadnotbeenexercisedforsomedays，werelively，andsprangaboutthestreet。Jos，aclumsyandtimidhorseman，didnotlooktoadvantageinthesaddle。”Lookathim，Ameliadear，drivingintotheparlourwindow。Suchabullinachina-shopIneversaw。”AndpresentlythepairofridersdisappearedatacanterdownthestreetleadinginthedirectionoftheGhentroad，Mrs。O’Dowdpursuingthemwithafireofsarcasmsolongastheywereinsight。

Allthatdayfrommorninguntilpastsunset，thecannonneverceasedtoroar。Itwasdarkwhenthecannonadingstoppedallofasudden。

Allofushavereadofwhatoccurredduringthatinterval。ThetaleisineveryEnglishman’smouth；andyouandI，whowerechildrenwhenthegreatbattlewaswonandlost，arenevertiredofhearingandrecountingthehistoryofthatfamousaction。Itsremembranceranklesstillinthebosomsofmillionsofthecountrymenofthosebravemenwholosttheday。Theypantforanopportunityofrevengingthathumiliation；andifacontest，endinginavictoryontheirpart，shouldensue，elatingthemintheirturn，andleavingitscursedlegacyofhatredandragebehindtous，thereisnoendtotheso-calledgloryandshame，andtothealternationsofsuccessfulandunsuccessfulmurder，inwhichtwohigh-spiritednationsmightengage。Centurieshence，weFrenchmenandEnglishmenmightbeboastingandkillingeachotherstill，carryingoutbravelytheDevil’scodeofhonour。

Allourfriendstooktheirshareandfoughtlikemeninthegreatfield。Alldaylong，whilstthewomenwereprayingtenmilesaway，thelinesofthedauntlessEnglishinfantrywerereceivingandrepellingthefuriouschargesoftheFrenchhorsemen。GunswhichwereheardatBrusselswereploughinguptheirranks，andcomradesfalling，andtheres