better, and again asked us the reason why we did not sleep on our bed.
I told her we had not slept on a feather bed for six years, and
answered her other questions, giving her a slight description of the
trials of a soldier in the time of war. She was very much touched, and
could not forbear from crying, more especially when I added that two
privates were to be whipped that very morning for having got drunk
overnight and making a disturbance in the town, to serve as an example
to the regiment. They had been tried by court-martial and sentenced to
a hundred lashes, to be administered in the town and witnessed by the
inhabitants.

Although it was Sunday, the drums beat for the regiment to assemble,
and the men were brought into our square; and their sentence having
been read in the presence of all, the first man was led to the
halberds, and the drummers got ready to begin. But five or six
gentlemen of the town made their way into our square and begged the
colonel so hard to let them off, as that was the general wish of the
inhabitants, that at last he dismissed the victims with a reprimand.
The two then thanked the colonel, but he told them not to do so, for
had it not been for the timely interference of the gentlemen, he would
have given them every lash. All were then ordered to disperse, and I
returned to my excellent quarters, where we again received for the
rest of the day no end of kindnesses in the way of luxurious meals,
luncheons, dinner, and coffee, together with plenty of wine, and
before we went to bed, brandy was introduced as a finish: and having
taken a hot glass of that with water, we retired and slept in a
similar way to the night before.

On the following morning we had to assemble by seven o'clock, so no
time was allowed us for breakfast; but our host had ordered our
canteens to be filled with their best wine, and a parcel of sandwiches
to be made up for each of us. We shook hands with the gentleman, duly
thanking him for his kindness, and, rejoining our regiment, were soon
on the march again for Bordeaux, which being not more than a day's
march distant we reached the same night. We encamped at a place two
miles off the city on the banks of the River Garonne, to which even
large ships were able to ascend. Here we lay for five or six weeks,
during which time the inhabitants made many excursions from the city
especially on Sundays, to inspect our army, swarms of costermongers
likewise visiting us every d