NARVA OT

proverb to the effect that fou folk come to no harm; I think
that is more applicable in the present case.”

The major laughed. “The fou folk relates rather to
drunkenness than madness, Jervoise. But of course it
would do for both; I own that the whole enterprise did
seem to me to be absolute madness, but the result has
justified it. That sudden snowstorm was the real cause
of our victory, and had it not been for that I still think that
we could not have succeeded. The Russian cannon cer-
tainly continued to fire, but it was wholly at random, and
they were taken by surprise when we suddenly appeared at
the side of the ditch, while we were across before they
could gather any force sufficient to defend it. After that,
panic did the rest. The commander-in-chief fell early
into our hands. There was no one to give orders, no
one to rally them, and I expect the Russian soldiers
gave us credit for having brought on that storm, to cover
our assault, by the aid of malign spirits. Well, Jads,
and how did you feel when the shots were whistling
about?”

“YT did not like it at all, major,” Charlie said. “It
seemed such a strange thing marching along in the thick
of that snowstorm, hearing the rush of cannon-balls over-
head, and the boom of guns, and yet be unable to see
anything but the rear files of the company in front.”

“Tt was an uncanny feeling, Charlie. I felt it myself,
and was very grateful that we were hidden from the enemy,
who of course were blazing away in the direction in which
they had last seen us. We only lost three killed and twelve
wounded altogether, and I think those were, for the most
part, hit by random shots. Well, if this is the way the
king means to carry on war, we shall have enough of it
before we are done.”

The sick and wounded were sent into the town the first
thing, but it was not until the Russians had all crossed the