“The Duke of Berwick bids me say, gentlemen, that he is supping with the marshal, who has sent these dishes to you from his own table.”

“Please to give our thanks to the Duke of Vendome, for his kindness,” Desmond said; but when the soldier had left the tent, he went on, “I have no doubt that this is the result of a suggestion on the part of Berwick, and greatly obliged to him we must feel.  We had just been saying that we supposed we should get nothing to eat till tomorrow morning, while here is a supper worthy of the marshal, and four flasks of wine, which I doubt not are good.”

It was ten o’clock before the duke returned to his tent, when he at once sent for his aides-de-camp.

“There will be nothing more for you to do, tonight, gentlemen.  Sleep soundly, for we shall have a hard day’s work tomorrow.  We are to cross the Scheldt again at daybreak.  The enemy are on the other side of the Dender, and the next day a pitched battle will probably be fought.  You may be surprised that we do not wait until my forces arrive, but we have heard that Eugene’s reinforcements are within two days’ march of Marlborough, and, as they are more numerous than those I command, it has been decided to accept battle at once.  Good night.”

“The general is in a good temper,” d’Eyncourt said, as they reentered their tent.  “I expect that his views have been adopted, and that there was a warm discussion over them.”

This was indeed the case.  The Duke of Burgundy, an obstinate man without any knowledge of war, had been in favour of pushing forward, crossing the Lys as well as the Scheldt, and attacking the allies as soon as they met them.  Vendome, on the other hand, was of opinion that the army which was now collected near Ghent had better advance against Oudenarde, which might be carried by a coup de main before Marlborough could come to its assistance, which he might be some days in doing, seeing that he was in command of a mixed force, composed of Dutch, Danes, Hanoverians, Prussians, and British.  Burgundy then maintained that they should retire, and fight near Ypres, where they would be close to the frontier, and could retire upon Lille in case matters went against them.  Berwick, however, at last managed to persuade him to agree to Vendome’s plan, as the capture of Oudenarde was a matter of the utmost importance, and it would be as easy to fall back thence to Lille as it would be from Ypres.

This Burgundy had sullenly assented to, and the next morning the army marched to the position fixed upon.  This was on steeply rising ground, with the river Norken running at its foot.  Beyond this were two other eminences, on each of which stood a windmill.  That on the west was called the windmill of Oycke, and that on the adjoining hill the windmill of Royegham, the latter flanking the main position.  Oudenarde being found to be strongly garrisoned, it was decided, in spite of the opposition of Burgundy, to cross the Scheldt at Gavre, and then to give battle to the allies between that river and the Dender.