is good to be
merry, but it is not good to be drunk. The grenadiers have done their
share of fighting and deserve their share of plunder, but do not let
pleasure go beyond the line of duty. Give a good ration to each man,
enough to enjoy the evening, and to celebrate our capture of Moscow, but
not enough to make them noisy. It is like enough that the general will
be round to-night to see how things are going on, and I should wish him
to see us enjoying ourselves reasonably. Anything else that is brought
in, with the exception of spirits, can be kept by the men, unless of
course there is a general order issued that all plunder is to be given
up."

As fully half the regiment were away, and as every man brought back one
or more bottles or kegs of spirits, the amount collected at the
quarter-guard was very considerable. Those of the men who, on coming
back, showed any signs of intoxication were not allowed a share, but
half a litre of spirits was served out to every other man in the
regiment; and although a few of those who had brought it in grumbled,
the colonel's decision gave general satisfaction, and there were merry
groups round the bivouac fires.

"I have marched into a good many capitals," the old sergeant said. "I
was with the first company that entered Madrid. I could never make out
the Spaniards. At one time they are ready to wave their hats and shout
"Viva!" till they are hoarse. At another, cutting your throat is too
good for you. One town will open its gates and treat you as their
dearest friends, the next will fight like fiends and not give in till
you have carried the last house at the point of the bayonet. I was fond
of a glass in those days; I am fond of it now, but I have gained wit
enough to know when it is good to drink. I had a sharp lesson, and I
took it to heart."

"Tell us about it, comrade," Julian said.

"Well it was after Talavera. We had fought a hard battle there with the
English, and found them rough customers. The Spaniards bolted like
sheep. As soldiers, they are the most contemptible curs in the world.
They fought well enough in the mountains under their own leaders, but as
soldiers, why, our regiment would thrash an army of 15,000 of them. The
English were on the top of the hill--at least at the beginning there
were a few of them up there, and we thought that it would be an easy job
to drive them off, but more came up, and do what we would, we could not
manage it; so it ended with some