The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon Part 184

Many of the other women are shredding lint, the elder children a.s.sisting. Some are dressing the slighter wounds of the soldiers who have come in here instead of going further. Along the road near is a continual procession of bearers of wounded men to the rear. The occupants of the camp take hardly any notice of the thundering of the cannon. A camp-follower is playing a fiddle near. Another woman enters.]

WOMAN

There's no sign of my husband any longer. His battalion is half-a- mile from where it was. He looked back as they wheeled off towards the fighting-line, as much as to say, "Nancy, if I don't see 'ee again, this is good-bye, my dear." Yes, poor man!... Not but what 'a had a temper at times!

SECOND WOMAN

I'm out of all that. My husband--as I used to call him for form's sake--is quiet enough. He was wownded at Quarter-Bra.s.s the day before yesterday, and died the same night. But I didn't know it till I got here, and then says I, "Widder or no widder, I mean to see this out."

[A sergeant staggers in with blood dropping from his face.]

SERGEANT

d.a.m.ned if I think you will see it out, mis'ess, for if I don't mistake there'll be a retreat of the whole army on Brussels soon.

We can't stand much longer!--For the love of G.o.d, have ye got a cup of water, if nothing stronger? [They hand a cup.]

THIRD WOMAN [entering and sinking down]

The Lord send that I may never see again what I've been seeing while looking for my poor galliant Joe! The surgeon asked me to lend a hand; and 'twas worse than opening innerds at a pig-killing! [She faints.]

FOURTH WOMAN [to a little girl]

Never mind her, my dear; come and help me with this one. [She goes with the girl to a soldier in red with buff facings who lies some distance off.] Ah--'tis no good. He's gone.

GIRL

No, mother. His eyes are wide open, a-staring to get a sight of the battle!

FOURTH WOMAN

That's nothing. Lots of dead ones stare in that silly way. It depends upon where they were hit. I was all through the Peninsula; that's how I know. [She covers the h.o.r.n.y gaze of the man. Shouts and louder discharges are heard.]--Heaven's high tower, what's that?

[Enter an officer's servant.[24]]

SERVANT

Waiting with the major's spare hoss--up to my knees in mud from the rain that had come down like baccy-pipe stems all the night and morning--I have just seen a charge never beholded since the days of the Amalekites! The squares still stand, but Ney's cavalry have made another attack. Their swords are streaming with blood, and their horses' hoofs squash out our poor fellow's bowels as they lie. A ball has sunk in Sir Thomas Picton's forehead and killed him like Goliath the Philistine. I don't see what's to stop the French.

Well, it's the Lord's doing and marvellous in our eyes. Hullo, who's he? [They look towards the road.] A fine hale old gentleman, isn't he? What business has a man of that sort here?

[Enter, on the highway near, the DUKE OF RICHMOND in plain clothes, on horseback, accompanied by two youths, his sons. They draw rein on an eminence, and gaze towards the battlefields.]

RICHMOND [to son]

Everything looks as bad as possible just now. I wonder where your brother is? However, we can't go any nearer.... Yes, the bat- horses are already being moved off, and there are more and more fugitives. A ghastly finish to your mother's ball, by Gad if it isn't!

[They turn their horses towards Brussels. Enter, meeting them, MR. LEGH, a Wess.e.x gentleman, also come out to view the battle.]

LEGH

Can you tell me, sir, how the battle is going?

RICHMOND

Badly, badly, I fear, sir. There will be a retreat soon, seemingly.

LEGH

Indeed! Yes, a crowd of fugitives are coming over the hill even now.

What will these poor women do?

RICHMOND

G.o.d knows! They will be ridden over, I suppose. Though it is extraordinary how they do contrive to escape destruction while hanging so close to the rear of an action! They are moving, however. Well, we will move too.

[Exeunt DUKE OF RICHMOND, sons, and MR. LEGH. The point of view s.h.i.+fts.]

SCENE VI

THE SAME. THE FRENCH POSITION

[NEY'S charge of cavalry against the opposite upland has been three times renewed without success. He collects the scattered squadrons to renew it a fourth time. The glittering host again ascends the confronting slopes over the bodies of those previously left there, and amid horses wandering about without riders, or crying as they lie with entrails trailing or limbs broken.]

NAPOLEON [starting up]

A horrible dream has gripped me--horrible!

I saw before me Lannes--just as he looked That day at Aspern: mutilated, bleeding!

"What--blood again?" he said to me. "Still blood?"

[He further arouses himself, takes snuff vehemently, and looks through his gla.s.s.]

What time is it?--Ah, these a.s.saults of Ney's!

They are a blunder; they've been enterprised An hour too early!... There Lheritier goes Onward with his division next Milhaud; Now Kellermann must follow up with his.

So one mistake makes many. Yes; ay; yes!