“Of Ziethen.  Seidlitz had a wider grasp, I suppose.”  He pursed his month, pondering.  “No; and in the Austrian service, too; generals of cavalry are left to whistle for an independent command.  There’s a jealousy of our branch!” The injured warrior frowned and hummed.  He spoke his thought mildly:  “Jealousy of the name of soldier in this country!  Out of the service, is the place to recommend.  I’d have advised a son of mine to train for a jockey rather than enter it.  We deal with that to-morrow, in my papers.  You come to me?  Mr. Abner has arranged the terms?  So I see you at ten in the morning.  I am glad to meet a young man—­Englishman—­who takes an interest in the service.”

Weyburn fancied the hearing of a step; he heard the whispering dress.  It passed him; a lady went to the armchair.  She took her seat, as she had moved, with sedateness, the exchange of a toneless word with my lord.  She was a brune.  He saw that when he rose to do homage.

Lord Ormont resumed:  “Some are born to it, must be soldiers; and in peace they are snubbed by the heads; in war they are abused by the country.  They don’t understand in England how to treat an army; how to make one either!

“The gentleman—­Mr. Weyburn:  Mr. Arthur Abner’s recommendation,” he added hurriedly, with a light wave of his hand and a murmur, that might be the lady’s title; continuing:  “A young man of military tastes should take service abroad.  They’re in earnest about it over there.  Here they play at it; and an army’s shipped to land without commissariat, ambulances, medical stores, and march against the odds, as usual—­if it can march!

“Albuera, my lord?”

“Our men can spurt, for a flick o’ the whip.  They’re expected to be constantly ready for doing prodigies—­to repair the country’s omissions.  All the country cares for is to hope Dick Turpin may get to York.  Our men are good beasts; they give the best in ’em, and drop.  More’s the scandal to a country that has grand material and overtasks it.  A blazing disaster ends the chapter!”

This was talk of an injured veteran.  It did not deepen the hue of his ruddied skin.  He spoke in the tone of matter of fact.  Weyburn had been prepared for something of the sort by his friend, Arthur Abner.  He noted the speaker’s heightened likeness under excitement to Lady Charlotte.  Excitement came at an early call of their voices to both; and both had handsome, open features, bluntly cut, nothing of aquiline or the supercilious; eyes bluish-grey, in arched recesses, horny between the thick lids, lively to shoot their meaning when the trap-mouth was active; effectively expressing promptitute for combat, pleasure in attack, wrestle, tag, whatever pertained to strife; an absolute sense of their right.

As there was a third person present at this dissuasion of military topics, the silence of the lady drew Weyburn to consult her opinion in her look.