ATTACKS OF THE 18TH OF JUNE. 157
established on the WoronzofF Ridge: and thither chap.
VII
(having left all the horses on a less exposed part L_
of the ground) he came on foot with his staff be-
fore the break of day.
In the precincts of the French headquarters, Midnight at
• i • n- • i • i tho French
men were busied in saddling at midnight ; but, headquar-
° » ters -
whether detained by work, or craving for some
moments of sleep that indeed might have done
him good service, Pedissier, it seems, did not Peiissier's
• • • personal
mount until two o clock m the morning. Consid- movements.
ering that his own plans required him to be at the
Lancaster Battery before the break of day, and
that he could not or would not ride long at a pace
beyond that of a walk, the distance to be traversed
was such that he ought to have been in his saddle
at an earlier hour. This after a while became
plain, it seems, even to him ; and whilst fretting
with natural vexation at the thought of having al-
lowed himself to be behindhand with time, he saw
and heard that which might well throw a man of
his violent, choleric temperament into frenzies of
rage. Not brought about, he well knew, by any
word or sign from himself, lie all at once saw and what ha
saw ami
heard a nre ot great guns and of musketry break- heard before
« sunrise.
mg out from the far eastern wing of the Karabel-
naya defences.
IV.
5 rea
from the Mamelon with the trail of light from its attack"™
Observing what was really a shell thrown up Mayan's
