by bringing up strong corps from every
point. Still, our duty lies plain before us; we _must_ advance, and rescue
the unfortunate royal family--we _must_ tranquillize France, by
overthrowing the rabble influence, which now threatens to subvert all law;
and having done that, we may then retire, with the satisfaction of having
fought without ambition, and been victorious without a wish for
aggrandizement." After a pause, which none attempted to interrupt, he
finished by saying--"I admit that our work is likely to become more
difficult than I had supposed."

Varnhorst's sanguine nature bore this with visible reluctance. "Pardon me,
your highness, but my opinion is for instant action, whatever may happen.
Let us but move to-morrow morning, and I promise you another battle of
Rosbach within the next twelve hours." The idea was congenial to the
gallantry of the duke; he smiled, and shook the bold speaker by the hand.

"I see, by these lists," said Guiscard, as he slowly perused the returns,
"that the troops with which we have been engaged to-day amounted to little
more than twenty thousand men, under the new general, Dumourier. They
fought badly, I think. I scarcely expected that they would have fought at
all since the emigration of their officers. Sixteen or eighteen thousand
men are already moving up from Flanders; a strong corps under my old
acquaintance and countryman, Kellerman--and whatever he may be as an
officer, a bolder and braver veteran does not exist--are coming, by forced
marches, from the Rhine; the sea-coast towns are stripped of their
garrisons, to supply a supplementary force; and I should not be surprised
to find that we rather under, than over, calculated the force which will
be in line against us within a week.

"So be it!" exclaimed Varnhorst, "What are troops without discipline, and
generals without science? Both made to be beaten. The fifty thousand
Prussians with us would march through Europe. I am for the advance. That
was a brilliant dash of Clairfait's this afternoon. Let us match it
to-morrow morning."

"It was admirable!" replied the duke, with the colour mounting to his
cheek. "Any officer in Europe might envy the decision, the daring, and the
success. His sagacity in discovering the weak point of the enemy's
position, and his skill in its attack, deserve all praise. His flank
movement _was_ perfectly admirable."

"Well, we have only to try him again," exclaimed Varnhorst, with
increasing