‘And were they as big as Morgan pretended?’ asked my comrade.  I could not help laughing at his simplicity.

‘Do you suppose,’ cried I, ’that Morgan ever came back?  No, no; once free, he was too wise for that.  He has bought a snug farm in Tipperary with the money that was given him to secure his brothers; and I fancy few men of the guards ever profited so much by it.’

The Prussian captain laughed exceedingly at this story, said that the English were the cleverest nation in the world, and, on my setting him right, agreed that the Irish were even more so.  We rode on very well pleased with each other; for he had a thousand stories of the war to tell, of the skill and gallantry of Frederick, and the thousand escapes, and victories, and defeats scarcely less glorious than victories, through which the King had passed.  Now that I was a gentleman, I could listen with admiration to these tales:  and yet the sentiment recorded at the end of the last chapter was uppermost in my mind but three weeks back, when I remembered that it was the great general got the glory, and the poor soldier only insult and the cane.

‘By the way, to whom are you taking despatches?’ asked the officer.

It was another ugly question, which I determined to answer at hap-hazard; and so I said ‘To General Rolls.’  I had seen the general a year before, and gave the first name in my head.  My friend was quite satisfied with it, and we continued our ride until evening came on; and our horses being weary, it was agreed that we should come to a halt.

‘There is a very good inn,’ said the Captain, as we rode up to what appeared to me a very lonely-looking place.

‘This may be a very good inn for Germany,’ said I, ’but it would not pass in old Ireland.  Corbach is only a league off:  let us push on for Corbach.’

‘Do you want to see the loveliest woman in Europe?’ said the officer.  ‘Ah! you sly rogue, I see that will influence you;’ and, truth to say, such a proposal was always welcome to me, as I don’t care to own.  ‘The people are great farmers,’ said the Captain, ’as well as innkeepers;’ and, indeed, the place seemed more a farm than an inn yard.  We entered by a great gate into a Court walled round, and at one end of which was the building, a dingy ruinous place.  A couple of covered waggens were in the court, their horses were littered under a shed hard by, and lounging about the place were some men and a pair of sergeants in the Prussian uniform, who both touched their hats to my friend the Captain.  This customary formality struck me as nothing extraordinary, but the aspect of the inn had something exceedingly chilling and forbidding in it, and I observed the men shut to the great yard-gates as soon as we were entered.  Parties of French horsemen, the Captain said, were about the country, and one could not take too many precautions against such villains.

We went into supper, after the two sergeants had taken charge of our horses; the Captain, also, ordering one of them to take my valise to my bedroom.  I promised the worthy fellow a glass of schnapps for his pains.