Delawar, sit down again. Gentlemen, I have only one word to say
about this transaction; I'll have no squabbles nor broils here; from this
room to the guard-house is a five minutes' walk. Promise me, upon your
honors, this altercation ends here, or as sure as my name's Crawfurd, you
shall both be placed under arrest, and the man who refuses to obey me shall
be sent back to England."

Before I well knew in what way to proceed, Mr. Delawar rose and bowed
formally to the general, while I imitated his example; silently we resumed
our places, and after a pause of a few moments, the current of conversation
was renewed, and other topics discussed, but with such evident awkwardness
and constraint that all parties felt relieved when the general rose from
table.

"I say, O'Malley, have you forwarded the returns to the adjutant-general's
office?"

"Yes, sir; I despatched them this morning before leaving my quarters."

"I am glad of it; the irregularities on this score have called forth a
heavy reprimand at headquarters."

I was also glad of it, and it chanced that by mere accident I remembered to
charge Mike with the papers, which, had they not been lying unsealed upon
the table before me, would, in all likelihood, have escaped my attention.
The post started to Lisbon that same morning, to take advantage of which
I had sat up writing for half the night. Little was I aware at the
moment what a mass of trouble and annoyance was in store for me from the
circumstance.

CHAPTER XXV.

ALMEIDA.

On the morning of the 7th we perceived, from a movement in the French camp,
that the wounded were being sent to the rear, and shortly afterwards the
main body of their army commenced its retreat. They moved with slow, and as
it were, reluctant steps; and Bessieres, who commanded the Imperial Guard,
turned his eyes more than once to that position which all the bravery of
his troops was unavailing to capture. Although our cavalry lay in force to
the front of our line, no attempt was made to molest the retreating French;
and Massena, having retired beyond the Aguada, left a strong force to watch
the ford, while the remainder of the army fell back upon Cuidad Rodrigo.

During this time we had succeeded in fortifying our position at Fuentes
d'Onoro so strongly as to resist any new attack, and Lord Wellington now
turned his whole attention to the blockade of Almeida, which, by Massena's
retreat, was abandoned to its fate.

On the mor