commission。　　Properly　speaking；　you　are　not　yet　a　combatant；　I　have
  ceased　to　be　one；　and　I　think　it　arguable　that　we　are　just　in　the
  position　of　one　ordinary　gentleman　to　another；　where　friendship
  usually　comes　before　the　law。　　Observe；　I　only　say　ARGUABLE。　　For
  God's　sake；　don't　think　I　wish　to　dictate　an　opinion。　　These　are
  the　sort　of　nasty　little　businesses；　inseparable　from　war；　which
  every　gentleman　must　decide　for　himself。　　If　I　were　in　your　place　…
  '
  'Ay；　what　would　you　do；　then？'　says　he。
  'Upon　my　word；　I　do　not　know；'　said　I。　　'Hesitate；　as　you　are
  doing；　I　believe。'
  'I　will　tell　you；'　he　said。　　'I　have　a　kinsman；　and　it　is　what　HE
  would　think；　that　I　am　thinking。　　It　is　General　Graham　of　Lynedoch
  …　Sir　Thomas　Graham。　　I　scarcely　know　him；　but　I　believe　I　admire
  him　more　than　I　do　God。'
  'I　admire　him　a　good　deal　myself；'　said　I；　'and　have　good　reason
  to。　　I　have　fought　with　him；　been　beaten；　and　run　away。　　VENI；
  VICTUS　SUM；　EVASI。'
  'What！'　he　cried。　　'You　were　at　Barossa？'
  'There　and　back；　which　many　could　not　say；'　said　I。　　'It　was　a
  pretty　affair　and　a　hot　one；　and　the　Spaniards　behaved　abominably；
  as　they　usually　did　in　a　pitched　field；　the　Marshal　Duke　of　Belluno
  made　a　fool　of　himself；　and　not　for　the　first　time；　and　your　friend
  Sir　Thomas　had　the　best　of　it；　so　far　as　there　was　any　best。　　He　is
  a　brave　and　ready　officer。'
  'Now；　then；　you　will　understand！'　said　the　boy。　　'I　wish　to　please
  Sir　Thomas：　what　would　he　do？'
  'Well；　I　can　tell　you　a　story；'　said　I；　'a　true　one　too；　and　about
  this　very　combat　of　Chiclana；　or　Barossa　as　you　call　it。　　I　was　in
  the　Eighth　of　the　Line；　we　lost　the　eagle　of　the　First　Battalion；
  more　betoken；　but　it　cost　you　dear。　　Well；　we　had　repulsed　more
  charges　than　I　care　to　count；　when　your　87th　Regiment　came　on　at　a
  foot's　pace；　very　slow　but　very　steady；　in　front　of　them　a　mounted
  officer；　his　hat　in　his　hand；　white…haired；　and　talking　very
  quietly　to　the　battalions。　　Our　Major；　Vigo…Roussillon；　set　spurs
  to　his　horse　and　galloped　out　to　sabre　him；　but　seeing　him　an　old
  man；　very　handsome；　and　as　composed　as　if　he　were　in　a　coffee…
  house；　lost　heart　and　galloped　back　again。　　Only；　you　see；　they　had
  been　very　close　together　for　the　moment；　and　looked　each　other　in
  the　eyes。　　Soon　after　the　Major　was　wounded；　taken　prisoner；　and
  carried　into　Cadiz。　　One　fine　day　they　announced　to　him　the　visit
  of　the　General；　Sir　Thomas　Graham。　　〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　General；
  taking　him　by　the　hand；　〃I　think　we　were　face　to　face　upon　the
  field。〃　　It　was　the　white…haired　officer！'
  'Ah！'　cried　the　boy；　…　his　eyes　were　burning。
  'Well；　and　here　is　the　point；'　I　continued。　　'Sir　Thomas　fed　the
  Major　from　his　own　table　from　that　day；　and　served　him　with　six
  covers。'
  'Yes；　it　is　a　beautiful　…　a　beautiful　story；'　said　Ronald。　　'And
  yet　somehow　it　is　not　the　same　…　is　it？'
  'I　admit　it　freely；'　said　I。
  The　boy　stood　awhile　brooding。　　'Well；　I　take　my　risk　of　it；'　he
  cried。　　'I　believe　it's　treason　to　my　sovereign　…　I　believe　there
  is　an　infamous　punishment　for　such　a　crime　…　and　yet　I'm　hanged　if
  I　can　give　you　up'
  I　was　as　much　moved　as　he。　　'I　could　almost　beg　you　to　do
  otherwise；'　I　said。　　'I　was　a　brute　to　come　to　you；　a　brute　and　a
  coward。　　You　are　a　noble　enemy；　you　will　make　a　noble　soldier。'
  And　with　rather　a　happy　idea　of　a　compliment　for　this　warlike
  youth；　I　stood　up　straight　and　gave　him　the　salute。
  He　was　for　a　moment　confused；　his　face　flushed。　　'Well；　well；　I
  must　be　getting　you　something　to　eat；　but　it　will　not　be　for　six；'
  he　added；　with　a　smile：　'only　what　we　can　get　smuggled　out。　　There
  is　my　aunt　in　the　road；　you　see；'　and　he　locked　me　in　again　with
  the　indignant　hens。
  I　always　smile　when　I　recall　that　young　fellow；　and　yet；　if　the
  reader　were　to　smile　also；　I　should　feel　ashamed。　　If　my　son　shall
  be　only　like　him　when　he　comes　to　that　age；　it　will　be　a　brave　day
  for　me　and　not　a　bad　one　for　his　country。
  At　the　same　time　I　cannot　pretend　that　I　was　sorry　when　his　sister
  succeeded　in　his　place。　　She　brought　me　a　few　crusts　of　bread　and　a
  jug　of　milk；　which　she　had　handsomely　laced　with　whisky　after　the
  Scottish　manner。
  'I　am　so　sorry；'　she　said：　'I　dared　not　bring　on　anything　more。　　We
  are　so　small　a　family；　and　my　aunt　keeps　such　an　eye　upon　the
  servants。　　I　have　put　some　whisky　in　the　milk　…　it　is　more
  wholesome　so　…　and　with　eggs　you　will　be　able　to　make　something　of
  a　meal。　　How　many　eggs　will　you　be　wanting　to　that　milk？　for　I　must
  be　taking　the　others　to　my　aunt　…　that　is　my　excuse　for　being　here。
  I　should　think　three　or　four。　　Do　you　know　how　to　beat　them？　or
  shall　I　do　it？'
  Willing　to　detain　her　a　while　longer　in　the　hen…house；　I　displayed
  my　bleeding　palms；　at　which　she　cried　aloud。
  'My　dear　Miss　Flora；　you　cannot　make　an　omelette　without　breaking
  eggs；'　said　I；　'and　it　is　no　bagatelle　to　escape　from　Edinburgh
  Castle。　　One　of　us；　I　think；　was　even　killed。'
  'And　you　are　as　white　as　a　rag；　too；'　she　exclaimed；　'and　can
  hardly　stand！　　Here　is　my　shawl；　sit　down　upon　it　here　in　the
  corner；　and　I　will　beat　your　eggs。　　See；　I　have　brought　a　fork　too；
  I　should　have　been　a　good　person　to　take　care　of　Jacobites　or
  Covenanters　in　old　days！　　You　shall　have　more　to　eat　this　evening；
  Ronald　is　to　bring　it　you　from　town。　　We　have　money　enough；
  although　no　food　that　we　can　call　our　own。　　Ah；　if　Ronald　and　I
  kept　house；　you　should　not　be　lying　in　this　shed！　　He　admires　you
  so　much。'
  'My　dear　friend；'　said　I；　'for　God's　sake　do　not　embarrass　me　with
  more　alms。　　I　loved　to　receive　them　from　that　hand；　so　long　as　they
  were　needed；　but　they　are　so　no　more；　and　whatever　else　I　may　lack
  …　and　I　lack　everything　…　it　is　not　money。'　　I　pulled　out　my　sheaf
  of　notes　and　detached　the　top　one：　it　was　written　for　ten　pounds；
  and　signed　by　that　very　famous　individual；　Abraham　Newlands。
  'Oblige　me；　as　you　would　like　me　to　oblige　your　brother　if　the
  parts　were　reversed；　and　take　this　note　for　the　expenses。　　I　shall
  need　not　only　food；　but　clothes。'
  'Lay　it　on　the　ground；'　said　she。　　'I　must　not　stop　my　beating。'
  'You　are　not　offended？'　I　exclaimed。
  She　answered　me　by　a　look　that　was　a　reward　in　itself；　and　seemed
  to　imply　the　most　heavenly　offers　for　the　future。　　There　was　in　it
  a　shadow　of　reproach；　and　such　warmth　of　communicative　cordiality
  as　left　me　speechless。　　I　watched　her　instead　till　her　hens'　milk
  was　ready。
  'Now；'　said　she；　'taste　that。'
  I　did　so；　and　swore　it　was　nectar。　　She　collected　her　eggs　and
  crouched　in　front　of　me　to　watch　me　eat。　　There　was　about　this　tall
  young　lady　at　the　moment　an　air　of　motherliness　delicious　to
  behold。　　I　am　like　the　English　general；　and　to　this　day　I　still
  wonder　at　my　moderation。
  'What　sort　of　clothes　will　you　be　wanting？'　said　she。
  'The　clothes　of　a　gentleman；'　said　I。　　'Right　or　wrong；　I　think　it
  is　the　part　I　am　best　qualified　to　play。　　Mr。　St。　Ives　（for　that's
  to　be　my　name　upon　the　journey）　I　conceive　as　rather　a　theatrical
  figure；　and　his　make…up　should　be　to　match。'
  'And　yet　there　is　a　difficulty；'　said　she。　　'If　you　got　coarse
  clothes　the　fit　would　hardly　matter。　　But　the　clothes　of　a　fine
  gentleman　…　O；　it　is　absolutely　necessary　that　these　should　fit！
  And　above　all；　with　your'　…　she　paused　a　moment　…　'to　our　ideas
  somewhat　noticeable　manners。'
  'Alas　for　my　poor　manners！'　said　I。　　'But　my　dear　friend　Flora；
  these　little　noticeabilities　are　just　what　mankind　has　to　suffer
  under。　　Yourself；　you　see；　you're　very　noticeable　even　when　you
  come　in　a　crowd　to　visit　poor　prisoners　in　the　Castle。'
  I　was　afraid　I　should　frighten　my　good　angel　visitant　away；　and
  without　the　smallest　breath　of　pause　went　on　to　add　a　few
  directions　as　to　stuffs　and　colours。
  She　opened　big　eyes　upon　me。　　'O；　Mr。　St。　Ives！'　she　cried　…　'if
  that　is　to　be　your　name　…　I　do　not　say　they　would　not　be　becoming；
  but　for　a　journey；　do　you　think　they　would　be　wise？　　I　am　afraid'　…
  she　gave　a　pretty　break　of　laughter　…　'I　am　afraid　they　would　be
  daft…like！'
  'Well；　and　am　I　not　daft？'　I　asked　her。
  'I　do　begin　to　think　you　are；'　said　she。
  'There　it　is；　then！'　said　I。　　'I　have　been　long　enough　a　figure　of
  fun。　　Can　you　not　feel　with　me　that　perhaps　the　bitterest　thing　in
  this　captivity　has　been　the　clothes？　　Make　me　a　captive　…　bind　me
  with　chains　if　you　like　…　but　let　me　be　still　myself。　　You　do　not
  know　what　it　is　to　be　a　walking　travesty　…　among　foes；'　I　added
  bitterly。
  'O；　but　you　are　too　unjust！'　she　cried。　　'You　speak　as　though　any
  one　ever　dreamed　of　laughing　at　you。　　But　no　one　did。　　We　were　all
  pained　to　the　heart。　　Even　my　aunt　…　though　sometimes　I　do　think
  she　was　not　quite　in　good　taste　…　you　should　have