cond siege
and fall of Badajoz, Mr. Smith, in the zealous exercise of his perilous
vocation, entered that city in his usual disguise of a Spanish
countryman, with strict orders to keep his eyes and ears wide open, and
to report as speedily as possible upon various military details, which
it was desirable the British general should be made acquainted with. Mr.
Smith, from the first moment the pleasant proposition was hinted to him,
had manifested considerable reluctance to undertake the task; more
especially as General Phillipon, who commanded the French garrison, had
not very long before been much too near catching him, to render a
possibly still more intimate acquaintance with so sharp a practitioner
at all desirable. Nevertheless, as the service was urgent, and no one,
it Was agreed, so competent as himself to the duty--indeed upon this
point Mr. Smith remarked that the most flattering unanimity of opinion
was exhibited by all the gentlemen likely, should he decline the honor,
to be selected in his place--he finally consented and in due time found
himself fairly within the walls of the devoted city. "It was an
uncomfortable business," the captain said, "very much so--and in more
ways than one. It took a long time to accomplish; and what was worse
than all, rations were miserably short. The French garrison were living
upon salted horse-flesh, and you may guess, therefore, at the condition
of the civilians' victualing department. Wine was, however, to be had in
sufficient plenty; and I used frequently to pass a few hours at a place
of entertainment kept by an Andalusian woman, whose bitter hatred of the
French invaders, and favorable disposition toward the British were well
known to me, though successfully concealed from Napoleon's soldiers,
many of whom--sous-officiers chiefly--were her customers. My chief
amusement there was playing at dominoes for a few glasses. I played,
when I had a choice, with a smart, goodish-looking sous-lieutenant of
voltigeurs--a glib-tongued chap, of the sort that tell all they know,
and something over, with very little pressing. His comrades addressed
him as Victor, the only name I then knew him by. He and I became very
good friends, the more readily that I was content he should generally
win. I soon reckoned Master Victor up; but there was an old, wiry
_gredin_ of a sergeant-major sometimes present, whose suspicious manner
caused me frequent twinges. One day especially I caught him looking a