On Whit-Sunday, the famous 23rd of May, 1706, my young lord first came under the fire of the enemy, whom we found posted in order of battle, their lines extending three miles or more, over the high ground behind the little Gheet river, and having on his left the little village of Anderkirk or Autre-eglise, and on his right Ramillies, which has given its name to one of the most brilliant and disastrous1 days of battle that history ever hath recorded.
Our Duke here once more met his old enemy of Blenheim, the Bavarian Elector and the Marechal Villeroy, over whom the Prince of Savoy had gained the famous victory of Chiari. What Englishman or Frenchman doth not know the issue of that day? Having chosen his own ground, having a force superior to the English, and besides the excellent Spanish and Bavarian troops, the whole Maison-du-Roy with him, the most splendid body of horse in the world,— in an hour (and in spite of the prodigious2 gallantry of the French Royal Household, who charged through the centre of our line and broke it,) this magnificent army of Villeroy was utterly3 routed by troops that had been marching for twelve hours, and by the intrepid5 skill of a commander, who did, indeed, seem in the presence of the enemy to be the very Genius of Victory.
I think it was more from conviction than policy, though that policy was surely the most prudent6 in the world, that the great Duke always spoke7 of his victories with an extraordinary modesty8, and as if it was not so much his own admirable genius and courage which achieved these amazing successes, but as if he was a special and fatal instrument in the hands of Providence9, that willed irresistibly10 the enemy’s overthrow11. Before his actions he always had the church service read solemnly, and professed12 an undoubting belief that our Queen’s arms were blessed and our victory sure. All the letters which he writ13 after his battles show awe14 rather than exultation15; and he attributes the glory of these achievements, about which I have heard mere16 petty officers and men bragging17 with a pardonable vainglory, in nowise to his own bravery or skill, but to the superintending protection of heaven, which he ever seemed to think was our especial ally. And our army got to believe so, and the enemy learnt to think so too; for we never entered into a battle without a perfect confidence that it was to end in a victory; nor did the French, after the issue of Blenheim, and that astonishing triumph of Ramillies, ever meet us without feeling that the game was lost before it was begun to be played, and that our general’s fortune was irresistible19. Here, as at Blenheim, the Duke’s charger was shot, and ’twas thought for a moment he was dead. As he mounted another, Binfield, his master of the horse, kneeling to hold his Grace’s stirrup, had his head shot away by a cannon-ball. A French gentleman of the Royal Household, that was a prisoner with us, told the writer that at the time of the charge of the Household, when their horse and ours were mingled20, an Irish officer recognized the Prince-Duke, and calling out —“Marlborough, Marlborough!” fired his pistol at him a bout-portant, and that a score more carbines and pistols were discharged at him. Not one touched him: he rode through the French Curiassiers sword-inhand, and entirely21 unhurt, and calm and smiling, rallied the German Horse, that was reeling before the enemy, brought these and twenty squadrons of Orkney’s back upon them, and drove the French across the river, again leading the charge himself, and defeating the only dangerous move the French made that day.
Major-General Webb commanded on the left of our line, and had his own regiment22 under the orders of their beloved colonel. Neither he nor they belied23 their character for gallantry on this occasion; but it was about his dear young lord that Esmond was anxious, never having sight of him save once, in the whole course of the day, when he brought an order from the Commander-inChief to Mr. Webb. When our horse, having charged round the right flank of the enemy by Overkirk, had thrown him into entire confusion, a general advance was made, and our whole line of foot, crossing the little river and the morass24, ascended25 the high ground where the French were posted, cheering as they went, the enemy retreating before them. ’Twas a service of more glory than danger, the French battalions26 never waiting to exchange push of pike or bayonet with ours; and the gunners flying from their pieces, which our line left behind us as they advanced, and the French fell back.
At first it was a retreat orderly enough; but presently the retreat became a rout4, and a frightful27 slaughter28 of the French ensued on this panic: so that an army of sixty thousand men was utterly crushed and destroyed in the course of a couple of hours. It was as if a hurricane had seized a compact numerous fleet, flung it all to the winds, shattered, sunk, and annihilated29 it: afflavit Deus, et dissipati sunt. The French army of Flanders was gone, their artillery30, their standards, their treasure, provisions, and ammunition31 were all left behind them: the poor devils had even fled without their soup-kettles, which are as much the palladia of the French infantry32 as of the Grand Seignior’s Janissaries, and round which they rally even more than round their lilies.
The pursuit, and a dreadful carnage which ensued (for the dregs of a battle, however brilliant, are ever a base residue33 of rapine, cruelty, and drunken plunder,) was carried far beyond the field of Ramillies.
Honest Lockwood, Esmond’s servant, no doubt wanted to be among the marauders himself and take his share of the booty; for when, the action over, and the troops got to their ground for the night, the Captain bade Lockwood get a horse, he asked, with a very rueful countenance34, whether his honor would have him come too; but his honor only bade him go about his own business, and Jack35 hopped36 away quite delighted as soon as he saw his master mounted. Esmond made his way, and not without danger and difficulty, to his Grace’s headquarters, and found for himself very quickly where the aide-de-camps’ quarters were, in an out-building of a farm, where several of these gentlemen were seated, drinking and singing, and at supper. If he had any anxiety about his boy, ’twas relieved at once. One of the gentlemen was singing a song to a tune18 that Mr. Farquhar and Mr. Gay both had used in their admirable comedies, and very popular in the army of that day; and after the song came a chorus, “Over the hills and far away;” and Esmond heard Frank’s fresh voice, soaring, as it were, over the songs of the rest of the young men — a voice that had always a certain artless, indescribable pathos37 with it, and indeed which caused Mr. Esmond’s eyes to fill with tears now, out of thankfulness to God the child was safe and still alive to laugh and sing.
When the song was over Esmond entered the room, where he knew several of the gentlemen present, and there sat my young lord, having taken off his cuirass, his waistcoat open, his face flushed, his long yellow hair hanging over his shoulders, drinking with the rest; the youngest, gayest, handsomest there. As soon as he saw Esmond, he clapped down his glass, and running towards his friend, put both his arms round him and embraced him. The other’s voice trembled with joy as he greeted the lad; he had thought but now as he stood in the court-yard under the clear-shining moonlight: “Great God! what a scene of murder is here within a mile of us; what hundreds and thousands have faced danger today; and here are these lads singing over their cups, and the same moon that is shining over yonder horrid38 field is looking down on Walcote very likely, while my lady sits and thinks about her boy that is at the war.” As Esmond embraced his young pupil now, ’twas with the feeling of quite religious thankfulness and an almost paternal39 pleasure that he beheld40 him.
Round his neck was a star with a striped ribbon, that was made of small brilliants and might be worth a hundred crowns. “Look,” says he, “won’t that be a pretty present for mother?”
“Who gave you the Order?” says Harry41, saluting42 the gentleman: “did you win it in battle?”
“I won it,” cried the other, “with my sword and my spear. There was a mousquetaire that had it round his neck — such a big mousquetaire, as big as General Webb. I called out to him to surrender, and that I’d give him quarter: he called me a petit polisson and fired his pistol at me, and then sent it at my head with a curse. I rode at him, sir, drove my sword right under his arm-hole, and broke it in the rascal’s body. I found a purse in his holster with sixty-five Louis in it, and a bundle of love-letters, and a flask43 of Hungary-water. Vive la guerre! there are the ten pieces you lent me. I should like to have a fight every day;” and he pulled at his little moustache and bade a servant bring a supper to Captain Esmond.
Harry fell to with a very good appetite; he had tasted nothing since twenty hours ago, at early dawn. Master Grandson, who read this, do you look for the history of battles and sieges? Go, find them in the proper books; this is only the story of your grandfather and his family. Far more pleasant to him than the victory, though for that too he may say meminisse juvat, it was to find that the day was over, and his dear young Castlewood was unhurt.
And would you, sirrah, wish to know how it was that a sedate44 Captain of Foot, a studious and rather solitary45 bachelor of eight or nine and twenty years of age, who did not care very much for the jollities which his comrades engaged in, and was never known to lose his heart in any garrison-town — should you wish to know why such a man had so prodigious a tenderness, and tended so fondly a boy of eighteen, wait, my good friend, until thou art in love with thy schoolfellow’s sister, and then see how mighty46 tender thou wilt47 be towards him. Esmond’s general and his Grace the Prince-Duke were notoriously at variance48, and the former’s friendship was in nowise likely to advance any man’s promotion49 of whose services Webb spoke well; but rather likely to injure him, so the army said, in the favor of the greater man. However, Mr. Esmond had the good fortune to be mentioned very advantageously by Major-General Webb in his report after the action; and the major of his regiment and two of the captains having been killed upon the day of Ramillies, Esmond, who was second of the lieutenants50, got his company, and had the honor of serving as Captain Esmond in the next campaign.
My lord went home in the winter, but Esmond was afraid to follow him. His dear mistress wrote him letters more than once, thanking him, as mothers know how to thank, for his care and protection of her boy, extolling51 Esmond’s own merits with a great deal more praise than they deserved; for he did his duty no better than any other officer; and speaking sometimes, though gently and cautiously, of Beatrix. News came from home of at least half a dozen grand matches that the beautiful maid of honor was about to make. She was engaged to an earl, our gentleman of St. James’s said, and then jilted him for a duke, who, in his turn, had drawn52 off. Earl or duke it might be who should win this Helen, Esmond knew she would never bestow53 herself on a poor captain. Her conduct, it was clear, was little satisfactory to her mother, who scarcely mentioned her, or else the kind lady thought it was best to say nothing, and leave time to work out its cure. At any rate, Harry was best away from the fatal object which always wrought54 him so much mischief55; and so he never asked for leave to go home, but remained with his regiment that was garrisoned56 in Brussels, which city fell into our hands when the victory of Ramillies drove the French out of Flanders.
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disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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overthrow
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| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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bragging
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| v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的现在分词 )；大话 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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morass
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| n.沼泽，困境 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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27
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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29
annihilated
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| v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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32
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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33
residue
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| n.残余，剩余，残渣 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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36
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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38
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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40
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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41
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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42
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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43
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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44
sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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45
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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46
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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47
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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48
variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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49
promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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50
lieutenants
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| n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员 | |
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51
extolling
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| v.赞美( extoll的现在分词 )；赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的现在分词 ) | |
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52
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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54
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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55
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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56
garrisoned
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| 卫戍部队守备( garrison的过去式和过去分词 )； 派部队驻防 | |
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