Captain Dobbin was an
especial favourite of this old General. Dobbin was versed in the
literature of his profession, and could talk about the great
Frederick, and the Empress Queen, and their wars, almost as well as
the General himself, who was indifferent to the triumphs of the
present day, and whose heart was with the tacticians of fifty years
back. This officer sent a summons to Dobbin to come and breakfast
with him, on the morning when Mr. Osborne altered his will and Mr.
Chopper put on his best shirt frill, and then informed his young
favourite, a couple of days in advance, of that which they were all
expecting--a marching order to go to Belgium. The order for the
regiment to hold itself in readiness would leave the Horse Guards in
a day or two; and as transports were in plenty, they would get their
route before the week was over. Recruits had come in during the
stay of the regiment at Chatham; and the old General hoped that the
regiment which had helped to beat Montcalm in Canada, and to rout
Mr. Washington on Long Island, would prove itself worthy of its
historical reputation on the oft-trodden battle-grounds of the Low
Countries. "And so, my good friend, if you have any affaire la,
said the old General, taking a pinch of snuff with his trembling
white old hand, and then pointing to the spot of his robe de chambre
under which his heart was still feebly beating, "if you have any
Phillis to console, or to bid farewell to papa and mamma, or any
will to make, I recommend you to set about your business without
delay.
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