“I won’t say any more, if you don’t
wish it,” Claire said quietly, “but I
shall think of it, always.
“And now,” she said, with an effort, “mamma
said you were not to talk much, and you look quite
flushed already, so you must lie quiet, and I will
read to you, or work, if you like that better.”
“I don’t care which it is,” Walter
said, “so that I can look at you;” and
this time Claire’s cheeks were a good deal redder
than Walter’s.
Mrs. Conyers returned in half an hour, and found Claire
sitting working, while Walter lay looking at her.
“I think, Claire, you had better take your work
in the next room again,” she said. “Walter
looks flushed, and I don’t think your visit has
done him any good. You have been talking too
much.”
“It has done me an immense deal of good, Mrs.
Conyers,” Walter protested; while Claire exclaimed
that they had hardly spoken a word, which indeed was
the truth, for Walter had been feeling too dreamily
happy to want to talk, and Claire had felt so shy
and embarrassed, with Walter watching her, that she
had been unable to hit on a single subject for remark.
Another two days, and Walter was well enough to get
up and lie on a couch of heather, covered with the
blanket, which Larry had prepared for him in the next
room. His voice had recovered its natural ring,
and Claire had got over her unaccustomed shyness;
and Mrs. Conyers, as she moved in and out, heard them
laughing and chatting together, as they had done ten
days before at the Hall.
The three heavy guns thundered against the walls without
intermission, night and day, until at length a breach
was made. The garrison in vain attempted to repair
it, and every hour it grew larger, until there was
a yawning gap, twelve yards wide. This William
considered sufficient for the purpose, and made his
preparations for the assault. The English regiment
of grenadiers, six hundred strong, was ordered to take
its place in the advanced trenches, and to lead the
assault. It was supported on the right by the
Dutch Guards, with some British and Brandenburg regiments
in reserve.
On the left, the grenadiers were supported by the
Danish regiments, and a large body of cavalry were
held in readiness, to pour in behind the infantry.
The storming parties were under command of Lieutenant
General Douglas.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, the signal
for the assault was given by a discharge of three
pieces of cannon. As the last gun was fired, the
grenadiers leaped from the trenches and dashed forward
towards the breach. As they approached the wall,
they discharged their muskets at the enemy upon the
walls, and, before assaulting the breach, they hurled
a shower of hand grenades at its defenders.
