Page:Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope.djvu/182

 would turn the day in your master's favour."—"How would you do that?" asked the officer: "perhaps I could put two field-pieces at your disposal."—"If you could," said Mr. L., "I would plant them on yonder height" (pointing at the same time to it), "and let my head answer for my presumption, if I do not effect what I promise."

The bearing of the Frenchman and his energetic manner of speaking, together with his evident coolness and self-possession on a field of battle, made a great impression on the Mahratta officer. "Come with me, young man," said he, "I will conduct you to the rajah."—"With all my heart," replied Mr. L. When brought into his presence, Seindeah asked the officer what the stranger wanted, and the officer repeated the conversation that had just passed. "Well," says Seindeah, "he does not ask for money, he only asks for guns: give them to him, and let them ber served by some of my best gunners. The idea may be good: only be expeditious, or we may soon be where that infernal battery of the English can annoy us no longer."

Accordingly, without a moment's delay, two field-pieces were dragged up by the back of the cliff to the spot pointed out, Mr. L. entrusting the command of one of them to another Frenchman, whose curiosity had brought him on the field also. The very second