BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 177 either from mental excitement or from the viol- CHAP, euce of his bodily exertion, the officer should seem ' discomposed ; but what tormented him most was lo>(1 Rag- ■^ . lan's way the sight of the young man standing bareheaded, withh-iL for to tell him to be covered would be to assume that the bared head was an obeisance meant to be rendered to himself Bending in his saddle, Lord Eaglan turned kindly round towards his right — towards the side of his maimed arm — and his expression was that of one intent to assuage another's pain, but the sunshine of the last two days had tanned him so crimson that it masked the generous flush which used to come to his face in such moments. He did not look at all like an anxious and vexed commander who had to listen to a desponding message in the midst of a battle. He was rather the courteous, lively host enter- taining a shy, youthful visitor, and trying to place him at his ease. In his comforting, cheerful way, he said, ' I can spare you a battalion.' * But it was something of more worth than the promise of a battalion that the aide-de-camp carried back with him. He carried back tidings of the spirit in which Lord Eaglan was conducting the battle. At the time when the French were cast down, it was of some moment to them to learn that the
- ' Je puis vous douner un bataillon.' I heard Lord Eaglau
make that answer. Lord Raglan, I imagine, meant to fulfil the promise by detaching one of the two battalions about to arrive under Adams ; but by the time that force came up the course of events rendered it unnecessary to send the promised aid. However, Sir Eichard England afterwards moved into the close neighbourhood of Prince Napoleon's Division. VOL. HL M
