other side of the Dender, and the next day a pitched battle will
probably be fought. You may be surprised that we do not wait until
my forces arrive, but we have heard that Eugene's reinforcements
are within two days' march of Marlborough, and, as they are more
numerous than those I command, it has been decided to accept
battle at once. Good night."

"The general is in a good temper," d'Eyncourt said, as they
reentered their tent. "I expect that his views have been adopted,
and that there was a warm discussion over them."

This was indeed the case. The Duke of Burgundy, an obstinate man
without any knowledge of war, had been in favour of pushing
forward, crossing the Lys as well as the Scheldt, and attacking
the allies as soon as they met them. Vendome, on the other hand,
was of opinion that the army which was now collected near Ghent
had better advance against Oudenarde, which might be carried by a
coup de main before Marlborough could come to its assistance,
which he might be some days in doing, seeing that he was in
command of a mixed force, composed of Dutch, Danes, Hanoverians,
Prussians, and British. Burgundy then maintained that they should
retire, and fight near Ypres, where they would be close to the
frontier, and could retire upon Lille in case matters went against
them. Berwick, however, at last managed to persuade him to agree
to Vendome's plan, as the capture of Oudenarde was a matter of the
utmost importance, and it would be as easy to fall back thence to
Lille as it would be from Ypres.

This Burgundy had sullenly assented to, and the next morning the
army marched to the position fixed upon. This was on steeply
rising ground, with the river Norken running at its foot. Beyond
this were two other eminences, on each of which stood a windmill.
That on the west was called the windmill of Oycke, and that on the
adjoining hill the windmill of Royegham, the latter flanking the
main position. Oudenarde being found to be strongly garrisoned, it
was decided, in spite of the opposition of Burgundy, to cross the
Scheldt at Gavre, and then to give battle to the allies between
that river and the Dender.

Marlborough had, however, been joined by Prince Eugene, who had,
like Berwick, hurried on in advance of his army, and the two great
generals decided, instead of attacking the French by the road from
Brussels, to sweep round across the Scheldt at Oudenarde, and by
other bridges across the river, and so to place t