for the
present, he would give his promise not to attempt to escape.

Quarters were assigned to him in the town, in a house where several
French officers were staying. These all showed him great courtesy
and kindness. Between the English and French the war was,
throughout, conducted on honourable terms. Prisoners were well
treated, and there was no national animosity between either
officers or men.

When he went out into the town one of the French officers generally
accompanied him, and he was introduced to a number of others. He
set to work, in earnest, to improve the small knowledge of French
that he possessed and, borrowing some French newspapers, and buying
a dictionary in the town, he spent a considerable portion of his
time in studying them.

He remained three weeks at Plasencia. During that time he heard
that the army of Venegas had been completely routed by Victor, that
Cuesta had been badly beaten soon after crossing the Tagus, and
Albuquerque's cavalry very roughly treated. Five guns and 400
prisoners had been taken. Ney had marched through Plasencia, on his
way back to Valladolid to repress an insurrection that had broken
out in that district; and on his way met Wilson, who was trying to
retreat by Banos, and who was decisively beaten and his command
scattered.

Terence was now told to prepare to leave, with a convoy of
prisoners, for Talavera. He was the only British officer and, being
on parole, the officer commanding the detachment marching with the
prisoners invited him to ride with him, and the two days' journey
was made very pleasantly.

At Talavera he remained for a week. The Portuguese prisoners
remained there, but the British who had been captured in Plasencia,
and the convalescents from the hospital at Talavera--in all 200
strong, among whom were six British officers--were to march to the
frontier, there to be interned in one of the French fortresses.

The officer who had commanded the escort, on the march from
Plasencia, spoke in high terms of Terence to the officer in charge
of the two hundred men who were to go on with them. The party had
been directed not to pass through Madrid, as the sight of over two
hundred British prisoners might give rise to a popular demonstration
by the excitable Spaniards, which would possibly lead to disorder.
He was therefore directed to march by the road to the Escurial, and
then over the Sierra to Segovia, then up through Valladolid and
Burgos. The escort