his staff.

"You will, of course, take your servant with you, and I have told
off three troopers to accompany you, for the purpose of bringing
your reports to me. There is no probability of a general
engagement at present, and until we obtain some idea of
Marlborough's plans, no extensive operations will be undertaken."

From the manner in which he spoke, Desmond had no doubt that
Berwick himself was in favour of taking the initiative without
delay, but that he had been overruled. It was indeed of importance
to the French that, before advancing, they should secure
possession of the towns of west Flanders, so that the great roads
would all be open to them.

Half an hour after leaving the duke, Desmond was in the saddle,
and, followed by the four soldiers, rode for Vendome's camp.
According to instructions he halted for the night at Arras, and
reached Lille at ten the next morning. He at once presented
himself to the marshal, and handed to him the letter from Berwick,
of which he was the bearer.

The duke glanced through it.

"I have been expecting you, Lieutenant Kennedy, and have arranged
that you shall mess and ride with the junior officers of my staff.
I will order a tent to be erected for you, at once. Should any
portion of my force move without me, I have arranged that you
shall accompany it. You will find many of your compatriots in
camp, for we have five battalions of the Irish Brigade with us,
among them that of O'Brien, to which the Duke of Berwick informed
me you belonged before you were appointed to his staff, having
distinguished yourself markedly on several occasions."

The marechal-de-camp coming in, Vendome placed Desmond in his
charge, requesting him to introduce him to the various officers of
his staff, with whom he would have to mess, and to see that he was
well cared for. He was well received by the young French officers,
all of whom, with scarce an exception, belonged to good families,
and Desmond was not long in discovering that they regarded their
occupation rather as a pleasant and exciting diversion, than as a
matter of duty, and that the greater portion of their time was
devoted to pleasure. They rode, practised with the pistol and
rapier, made excursions into the country, dined, and spent their
evenings as if the army were nonexistent. A few only, and these
were men who had served as officers, took their profession
seriously, and divided among themselves what work had to be done,
the