from  the  beaten  path,  and  to  trust,  as  we  were
compelled  to  do,  being  absolutely  pennil^s,  to
the  generosity  of  the  French  people  themselves.
Nor  had  we  the  slightest  reason  to  repetnt  of
this.  Everywhere  the  door  was  open  to  receive
us,  and  no  one  seemed  to  grudge  what  our  ne-
cessities required.
^*  It  is  far  from  pleasant  to  travel,  even  in
such  a  country,  with  empty  pockets,  and  we
were  gloomy  enough :  when  at  one  of  our  stages

fell  in,  to  his  great  surprise,  with  a

man  of  his  own  regiment,  who,  like  himself,  had
been  wounded  and  taken  at  Talavera.  The
man  instantly  made  up  to  him,  and,  having  as-
certained that  his  officer  was  destitute,  he  has-
tened to  convince  him  that  there  are  firw  ties
more  strong  than  those  which  bind  a  good  man

and   a  good  officer  together.    and  I

were  sitting  melancholy  enongh  in  our  apart-
ment, when  the  poor  fellow  entered,  and,  rip-
ping up  the  lining  of  his  jacket,  he  drew  forth  a
bag  containing  twenty  napoleons.—^

^  I  saved  up  these/  said  he,  '  by  working  at
my  trade  as  a  shoemaker,  in  Verdun.  You
shall  take  them,  sir;   and  when   we  get  to


ARRIVAL   IN    ENGLAND.  247

England  you  can  repay  me,  as  aoon  as  it  may
be  convenient  to  yourself,  but  not  sooner.'

We  were  both  deeply  affected  by  the  man's
generosity,  but  refused  to  take  advantage  of  it.
