"Halt, there! not a word against Lord Raglan," cried Hyde.
"He is so slow."
"Yes, but he is uncommon sure. Have you ever seen him in action? I have. He knows how to command: so quiet and self-possessed. Such a different man from the French generals, who always shout and swear and make such a confounded row. What do you think of your generals, Anatole?"
"Canrobert is an imbecile; he never knows his own mind."
"Well, we shan't be troubled with him much longer," said a fresh arrival. "Canrobert has just resigned the chief command."
"Impossible!" said Anatole, when the news was interpreted to him.
"It is perfectly true, I assure you," replied the last speaker. "I have just come from the English headquarters, and saw the new French commander-in-chief there. Palliser, I think they call him."
"Pélissier," said the French sergeant, correcting him. "That is good news. A rare old dog of war that. We shan't wait long to attack if he has the ordering."
"They say the Russian generals have changed lately. Gortschakoff has succeeded Mentschikoff."
"Confound those koffs! They are worse than a cold in the head."