e scanned the hills for Grouchy's helms.

[NAPOLEON turns his glass to an upland four or five miles off on
the right, known as St. Lambert's Chapel Hill. Gazing more and
more intently, he takes rapid pinches of snuff in excitement.
NEY'S columns meanwhile standing for the word to advance, eighty
guns being ranged in front of La Belle Alliance in support of them.]

I see a darkly crawling, slug-like shape
Embodying far out there,--troops seemingly--
Grouchy's van-guard. What think you?

SOULT [also examining closely]

Verily troops;
And, maybe, Grouchy's. But the air is hazed.

NAPOLEON

If troops at all, they are Grouchy's. Why misgive,
And force on ills you fear!

ANOTHER MARSHAL

It seems a wood.
Trees don bold outlines in their new-leafed pride.

ANOTHER MARSHAL

It is the creeping shadow from a cloud.

ANOTHER MARSHAL

It is a mass of stationary foot;
I can descry piled arms.

[NAPOLEON sends off the order for NEY'S attack--the grand assault
on the English midst, including the farm of La Haye Sainte. It
opens with a half-hour's thunderous discharge of artillery, which
ceases at length to let d'Erlon's infantry pass.

Four huge columns of these, shouting defiantly, push forwards in
face of the reciprocal fire from the cannon of the English. Their
effrontery carries them so near the Anglo-Allied lines that the
latter waver. But PICTON brings up PACK'S brigade, before which
the French in turn recede, though they make an attempt in La Haye
Sainte, whence BARING'S Germans pour a resolute fire.

WELLINGTON, who is seen afar as one of a group standing by a
great elm, orders OMPTEDA to send assistance to BARING, as may
be gathered from the darting of aides to and fro between the
points, like house-flies dancing their quadrilles.

East of the great highway the right columns of D'ERLON'S corps
have climbed the slopes. BYLANDT'S sorely exposed Dutch are
broken, and in their flight disorder the ranks of the English
Twenty-eighth, the Carabineers of the Ninety-fifth being also
dislodged from the sand-pit they occupied.]

NAPOLEON

All prospers marvellously! Gomont is hemmed;
La Haye Sainte too; their centre jeopardized;
Travers and d'Erlon dominate the crest,
And further strength of foot is following close.
Their troops