Later.—Another English mail arrived, and another letter from you of the 27th and 28th, with papers to the 27th, &c. The great news which yours contained as to Lord Castlereagh we had heard through the French outpost five days since; but the report only stated that he had actually landed at Morlaix, on his way to Manheim, to the general Congress, for a peace. This was believed before your account came, as it agreed with the general tenor of the late English news; at least I thought so, for one. Whether it will end in a peace, however, is very doubtful, especially if Bonaparte finds that in consequence of this negotiation he keeps all quiet in France, and the conscription goes on without resistance, and his armies in March next will be formidable. If he can once assume an imposing position, it is doubtful in my opinion whether he will come into the terms of the Allies. Mais c’est à voir, and he has much to do to put himself in such a position.
Many of the French conscripts here join almost without any uniforms or necessaries for a soldier, yet every deserter who comes in has everything nearly new, and is better provided for than any of our men, except the few who have just had their new clothing, &c., of which the Guards, who, by the by, returned here last night to their old quarters, form part. Just now the Italians begin to desert the French, and say it is in consequence of their having heard that their division, which was marched to the rear some short time since, was all disarmed and treated as prisoners of war. This may not be fact; but the effect is that many Italians come over to us.
CHAPTER XIX.
Rumours of War—The Rival Dinner-Tables—“Slender Billy”—Bonaparte’s Trickery—Spanish Violence—Wellington with the Hounds—French and English Aspects; the Outsides of the Nations.
Head-quarters, St. Jean de Luz,
January 11, 1814.
My dear M——,
Fine weather is now returned, and no doubt before we have been quiet another week, should it last, we shall be stirred up a little by the French. At present, all our usual avocations are proceeding, and all is quiet.
The only event in my own establishment which has occurred is my taking into my service a Spanish lad, in addition to my other servants, but it will end in my getting rid of an idle Portuguese, who does nothing. I found the lad begging and in misery, by the sea-side, and asked his history. He told me he was without father and mother, and came from a village two leagues beyond Madrid; that he had been under-stable servant to a French Commandant, who had gone wounded from Bayonne to the rear, towards Paris, and had turned him off. He therefore came back here, towards Spain. At first I only gave him food, and then, that I might not have to try him, took him to General Alava, who promised to send him to General Frere, to make a drummer of him. The next morning he called upon me before he started, and, being prepossessed by his looks, I have taken him on trial. He seems active and useful; and I hope will not return my charity by robbing me, of which there is some risk.
A party of our suttling merchants here behaved ill the other night, by insulting a sick officer; the worst among them escaped. One is now in confinement, and I have sent in his charge. They are all in a terrible fright of military law. Most probably he will not be tried if he makes an apology; but it has answered Lord Wellington’s intention by convincing these men that there is law here, and that they are followers of the army and liable to that law.
On the neutral ground, on the great road to Bayonne, between our picquets and the French, in front of Biaritz, there are at present, in one of the houses unoccupied by either party, three young damsels alone. They are rather pretty and interesting, and all say very modest. For a time General Stopford, I believe, out of gallantry, put a safeguard there, but it was considered out of our position, and there was some quizzing. So the damsels are left quiet and alone again. They come daily into our lines, to bring milk, &c., and some flirtation goes on; but there they are safe. This is creditable to both sides.