learnt. What will happen if we're cornered by the enemy and
have to beat a hasty retreat across a river? Do you want to be drowned?'
'No,
Dan. But, then, I don't ever expect to be in retreat. The Frenchies won't
attack us. They'll simply observe from a distance. That's all Marshal Villeroi
ever does.'
'He
may be forced to do more than that this time.'
'Is
that what the Corporal John told you?'
'No,
Henry.'
'Then
how do you know?'
'It's
what I'd do in his position,' said Daniel. 'We've spent years trying to bring
the French to battle and they've only obliged us with an occasional skirmish.
I'm ashamed to say that my own countrymen, the Dutch, are to blame. They're
more interested in protecting their own borders than launching a concerted
attack on the enemy.'
'I
always think of you as English - not Dutch.'
'I'm
both, Henry.'
'That's
impossible.'
'No,
it isn't,' said Daniel genially. 'When I'm in pursuit of a young lady in
London, I'm pure-bred English. When I'm doing the same in The Hague, I'm as
Dutch as a windmill.'
'You
always claim to be a churchgoing man.'
'So
I am - I attend services every day here in the camp.'
'Does
your religion allow you to chase so many women?'
'I
always make sure that they're Christians,' replied Daniel with a wicked grin.
'I do it for sport, Henry, like every other soldier.'
'Not
me,' said Welbeck, scowling. 'I can't abide women.'
'Then
whatever do you do for pleasure?'
'I
watch people like you getting into a tangle with the fairer sex. Seeing idiots
led by their pizzle is always worth a laugh. They never learn. Your time will
come, Dan, mark my words. Women will be the death of you in the end.'
'Every
man is entitled to one vice.'
'Where
does it say that in the Bible?'
Daniel
chuckled. 'I can't remember offhand,' he said. 'But I'm surprised that an
atheist like you has even heard of the Bible. If you had, you'd lead a more
honest and God-fearing life.'
'There's
no more honest man in the whole army,' said Welbeck, bristling. 'I don't need
to fear a God in order to do my duty. And I don't need to pray for success in
battle when I know that prayers are useless. Good commanders and well- trained
soldiers win victories not someone up there in a place you call Heaven.' 'Don't
mock, Henry. You may end up in Heaven one day.'
'I
still won't believe it exists.'
Daniel
burst into laughter. 'There's no convincing you, is there?' he said. 'Miracles
happen every time we fight yet you still refuse to accept that there's a God.'
'The
only miracle I want to see is an end to this war. Then we can all go home, put
our weapons aside and lead peaceful lives.'
'That
will only happen when we finally defeat the French.'
'Then
where are they?' demanded Welbeck.
'Villeroi
and his men are probably very close.'
'Watching
and waiting.'
'There'll
be plenty of action before too long,' said Daniel, giving him a playful punch
on the arm. 'I feel it in my bones.'
When
they crested the hill, the two men pulled their horses to a halt and surveyed
the scene below. The camp covered a huge area, a small town of canvas nestling
beside the river. Even from that distance, they could pick out the different
colours of the uniforms. Charles Catto and Frédéric Seurel had caught up with
their prey at last.
'There
you are,' said Catto, 'I told you we'd find them.'
'How
do we get to him?' asked Seurel.
'Leave
that to me.'
'What
do I do?'
'You
can sharpen your dagger,' said Catto, taking a telescope from his saddlebag.
'It will soon be needed, Frédéric. You can have the honour of cutting off
Captain Daniel Rawson's head.'
CHAPTER SIX
Long
experience as a soldier had taught the Duke of Marlborough the importance of
being a visible commander. The sight of their captain-general not only raised
the morale of the men, it let them see that he was a flesh and blood human
being and not some phantom who made vital decisions that marked the difference
between their lives and deaths. Marlborough was therefore
have to beat a hasty retreat across a river? Do you want to be drowned?'
'No,
Dan. But, then, I don't ever expect to be in retreat. The Frenchies won't
attack us. They'll simply observe from a distance. That's all Marshal Villeroi
ever does.'
'He
may be forced to do more than that this time.'
'Is
that what the Corporal John told you?'
'No,
Henry.'
'Then
how do you know?'
'It's
what I'd do in his position,' said Daniel. 'We've spent years trying to bring
the French to battle and they've only obliged us with an occasional skirmish.
I'm ashamed to say that my own countrymen, the Dutch, are to blame. They're
more interested in protecting their own borders than launching a concerted
attack on the enemy.'
'I
always think of you as English - not Dutch.'
'I'm
both, Henry.'
'That's
impossible.'
'No,
it isn't,' said Daniel genially. 'When I'm in pursuit of a young lady in
London, I'm pure-bred English. When I'm doing the same in The Hague, I'm as
Dutch as a windmill.'
'You
always claim to be a churchgoing man.'
'So
I am - I attend services every day here in the camp.'
'Does
your religion allow you to chase so many women?'
'I
always make sure that they're Christians,' replied Daniel with a wicked grin.
'I do it for sport, Henry, like every other soldier.'
'Not
me,' said Welbeck, scowling. 'I can't abide women.'
'Then
whatever do you do for pleasure?'
'I
watch people like you getting into a tangle with the fairer sex. Seeing idiots
led by their pizzle is always worth a laugh. They never learn. Your time will
come, Dan, mark my words. Women will be the death of you in the end.'
'Every
man is entitled to one vice.'
'Where
does it say that in the Bible?'
Daniel
chuckled. 'I can't remember offhand,' he said. 'But I'm surprised that an
atheist like you has even heard of the Bible. If you had, you'd lead a more
honest and God-fearing life.'
'There's
no more honest man in the whole army,' said Welbeck, bristling. 'I don't need
to fear a God in order to do my duty. And I don't need to pray for success in
battle when I know that prayers are useless. Good commanders and well- trained
soldiers win victories not someone up there in a place you call Heaven.' 'Don't
mock, Henry. You may end up in Heaven one day.'
'I
still won't believe it exists.'
Daniel
burst into laughter. 'There's no convincing you, is there?' he said. 'Miracles
happen every time we fight yet you still refuse to accept that there's a God.'
'The
only miracle I want to see is an end to this war. Then we can all go home, put
our weapons aside and lead peaceful lives.'
'That
will only happen when we finally defeat the French.'
'Then
where are they?' demanded Welbeck.
'Villeroi
and his men are probably very close.'
'Watching
and waiting.'
'There'll
be plenty of action before too long,' said Daniel, giving him a playful punch
on the arm. 'I feel it in my bones.'
When
they crested the hill, the two men pulled their horses to a halt and surveyed
the scene below. The camp covered a huge area, a small town of canvas nestling
beside the river. Even from that distance, they could pick out the different
colours of the uniforms. Charles Catto and Frédéric Seurel had caught up with
their prey at last.
'There
you are,' said Catto, 'I told you we'd find them.'
'How
do we get to him?' asked Seurel.
'Leave
that to me.'
'What
do I do?'
'You
can sharpen your dagger,' said Catto, taking a telescope from his saddlebag.
'It will soon be needed, Frédéric. You can have the honour of cutting off
Captain Daniel Rawson's head.'
CHAPTER SIX
Long
experience as a soldier had taught the Duke of Marlborough the importance of
being a visible commander. The sight of their captain-general not only raised
the morale of the men, it let them see that he was a flesh and blood human
being and not some phantom who made vital decisions that marked the difference
between their lives and deaths. Marlborough was therefore
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