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〃Yes； sir。 I was on my way back from the butts when I looked in。〃
〃Let me have the feel of it。 Lordy； but it seems like old times to have
one's hand on a musket。 What's the manual； sergeant； eh？ Cock your
firelocklook to your primingpresent your firelockeh； sergeant？ Oh；
Jimini； I've broke your musket in halves！〃
〃That's all right； sir；〃 cried the gunner laughing。 〃You pressed on the
lever and opened the breech…piece。 That's where we load 'em； you
know。〃
〃Load 'em at the wrong end！ Well； well； to think o' that！ And no
ramrod neither！ I've heard tell of it； but I never believed it afore。 Ah！ it
won't come up to brown Bess。 When there's work to be done； you mark
my word and see if they don't come back to brown Bess。〃
〃By the Lord； sir！〃 cried the sergeant hotly； 〃they need some change
out in South Africa now。 I see by this mornin's paper that the
Government has knuckled under to these Boers。 They're hot about it at
the non…com。 mess； I can tell you； sir。〃
〃Eheh；〃 croaked old Brewster。 〃By Jimini！ it wouldn't ha' done for
the Dook； the Dook would ha' had a word to say over that。〃
〃Ah； that he would； sir！〃 cried the sergeant； and God send us another
like him。 But I've wearied you enough for one sitting。 I'll look in again；
and I'll bring a comrade or two with me； if I may； for there isn't one but
would be proud to have speech with you。〃
So； with another salute to the veteran and a gleam of white teeth at
Norah； the big gunner withdrew； leaving a memory of blue cloth and of
gold braid behind him。 Many days had not passed； however； before he
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was back again； and during all the long winter he was a frequent visitor at
Arsenal View。 There came a time； at last； when it might be doubted to
which of the two occupants his visits were directed； nor was it hard to say
by which he was most anxiously awaited。 He brought others with him；
and soon； through all the lines； a pilgrimage to Daddy Brewster's came to
be looked upon as the proper thing to do。 Gunners and sappers； linesmen
and dragoons； came bowing and bobbing into the little parlour； with clatter
of side arms and clink of spurs； stretching their long legs across the
patchwork rug； and hunting in the front of their tunics for the screw of
tobacco or paper of snuff which they had brought as a sign of their esteem。
It was a deadly cold winter； with six weeks on end of snow on the
ground； and Norah had a hard task to keep the life in that time…worn body。
There were times when his mind would leave him； and when； save an
animal outcry when the hour of his meals came round； no word would fall
from him。 He was a white… haired child； with all a child's troubles and
emotions。 As the warm weather came once more； however； and the green
buds peeped forth again upon the trees； the blood thawed in his veins； and
he would even drag himself as far as the door to bask in the life…giving
sunshine。
〃It do hearten me up so；〃 he said one morning； as he glowed in the hot
May sun。 〃It's a job to keep back the flies； though。 They get owdacious
in this weather； and they do plague me cruel。〃
〃I'll keep them off you； uncle；〃 said Norah。
〃Eh； but it's fine！ This sunshine makes me think o' the glory to come。
You might read me a bit o' the Bible； lass。 I find it wonderful soothing。〃
〃What part would you like； uncle？〃
〃Oh； them wars。〃
〃The wars？〃
〃Aye； keep to the wars！ Give me the Old Testament for choice。
There's more taste to it； to my mind。 When parson comes he wants to get
off to something else； but it's Joshua or nothing with me。 Them Israelites
was good soldiersgood growed soldiers； all of 'em。〃
〃But； uncle；〃 pleaded Norah； 〃it's all peace in the next world。〃
〃No； it ain't； gal。〃
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〃Oh； yes； uncle； surely！〃
The old corporal knocked his stick irritably upon the ground。 〃I tell
ye it ain't； gal。 I asked parson。〃
〃Well； what did he say？〃
〃He said there was to be a last fight。 He even gave it a name； he did。
The battle of ArmArm〃
〃Armageddon。〃
〃Aye； that's the name parson said。 I 'specs the Third Guards'll be
there。 And the Dookthe Dook'll have a word to say。〃
An elderly； grey…whiskered gentleman had been walking down the
street； glancing up at the numbers of the houses。 Now as his eyes fell
upon the old man； he came straight for him。
〃Hullo！〃 said he； 〃perhaps you are Gregory Brewster？〃
〃My name； sir；〃 answered the veteran。
〃You are the same Brewster； as I understand； who is on the roll of the
Scots Guards as having been present at the battle of Waterloo？〃
〃I am that man； sir； though we called it the Third Guards in those days。
It was a fine ridgment； and they only need me to make up a full muster。〃
〃Tut； tut！ they'll have to wait years for that；〃 said the gentleman
heartily。 〃But I am the colonel of the Scots Guards； and I thought I
would like to have a word with you。〃
Old Gregory Brewster was up in an instant； with his hand to his rabbit…
skin cap。 〃God bless me！〃 he cried； 〃to think of it！ to think of it！〃
〃Hadn't the gentleman better come in？〃 suggested the practical Norah
from behind the door。
〃Surely； sir； surely； walk in； sir； if I may be so bold。〃 In his
excitement he had forgotten his stick； and as he led the way into the
parlour his knees tottered； and he threw out his hands。 In an instant the
colonel had caught him on one side and Norah on the other。
〃Easy and steady；〃 said the colonel； as he led him to his armchair。
〃Thank ye； sir； I was near gone that time。 But； Lordy I why； I can
scarce believe it。 To think of me the corporal of the flank company and
you the colonel of the battalion！ How things come round； to be sure！〃
〃Why； we are very proud of you in London；〃 said the colonel。 〃And
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so you are actually one of the men who held Hougoumont。〃 He looked at
the bony； trembling hands； with their huge； knotted knuckles； the stringy
throat； and the heaving； rounded shoulders。 Could this； indeed； be the
last of that band of heroes？ Then he glanced at the half…filled phials； the
blue liniment bottles； the long…spouted kettle； and the sordid details of the
sick room。 〃Better； surely； had he died under the blazing rafters of the
Belgian farmhouse；〃 thought the colonel。
〃I hope that you are pretty comfortable and happy；〃 he remarked after
a pause。
〃Thank ye； sir。 I have a good deal o' trouble with my toobesa deal
o' trouble。 You wouldn't think the job it is to cut the phlegm。 And I
need my rations。 I gets cold without 'em。 And the flies！ I ain't strong
enough to fight against them。〃
〃How's the memory？〃 asked the colonel。
〃Oh； there ain't nothing amiss there。 Why； sir； I could give you the
name of every man in Captain Haldane's flank company。〃
〃And the battleyou remember it？〃
〃Why； I sees it all afore me every time I shuts my eyes。 Lordy； sir；
you wouldn't hardly believe how clear it is to me。 There's our line from
the paregoric bottle right along to the snuff box。 D'ye see？ Well； then；
the pill box is for Hougoumont on the rightwhere we wasand Norah's
thimble for La Haye Sainte。 There it is； all right； sir； and here were our
guns； and here behind the reserves and the Belgians。 Ach； them
Belgians！〃 He spat furiously into the fire。 〃Then here's the French；
where my pipe lies； and over here； where I put my baccy pouch； was the
Proosians a…comin' up on our left flank。 Jimini； but it was a glad sight to
see the smoke of their