Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series - 1819.djvu/186

176 an instant to speak to my landlady, when I should have gone to roll-call."

"And doubtless, sir," replied Lord Menteith, "you have gone through some hot service, as well as this same cold duty you talk of?"

"Surely, my lord, it doth not become me to speak; but he that hath seen the fields of Leipsic and of Lutzen, may be said to have seen pitched battles. And one who hath witnessed the intaking of Frankfort, and Spanheim, and Nuremberg, and so forth, should know something about leaguers, storms, onslaughts and outfalls."

"But your merit, sir, and experience, were, doubtless, followed by promotion."

"It came slow, my lord, dooms slow," replied Dalgetty; "but as my Scottish countrymen, the fathers of the war, and the raisers of those valorous Scottish regiments that were the dread of Germany, began to fall pretty thick, what with pestilence and what with the sword, why we,