You encumber my front, and we shall not be able to charge. Take your guns away, sir; instantly, I say--take them away!” It was in vain that I endeavoured to explain my intentions, and that our fire would allow his charge to be made with more effect. “No, no; take them out of my way, sir!” was all the answer I could get; and, accordingly, I was preparing to obey, when up came Lord Uxbridge, and the scene changed in a twinkling. “Captain Mercer, are you loaded?” “Yes, my lord.” “Then give them a round as they rise the hill, and retire as quickly as possible.” “Light dragoons, threes right; at a trot, march!” and then some orders to Sir Ormsby, of whom I saw no more that day. “They are just coming up the hill,” said Lord Uxbridge. “Let them get well up before you fire. Do you think you can retire quick enough afterwards?” “I am sure of it, my lord.” “Very well, then, keep a good look-out, and point your guns well.” I had often longed to see Napoleon, that mighty man of war--that astonishing genius who had filled the world with his renown. Now I saw him, and there was a degree of sublimity in the interview rarely equalled. The sky had become overcast since the morning, and at this moment presented a most extraordinary appearance. Large isolated masses of thundercloud, of the deepest, almost inky black, their lower edges hard and strongly defined, lagging down, as if momentarily about to burst, hung suspended over us, involving our position and everything on it in deep and gloomy obscurity; whilst the distant hill lately occupied by the French army still lay bathed in brilliant sunshine. Lord Uxbridge was yet speaking, when a single horseman,[15] immediately followed by several others, mounted the plateau I had left at a gallop, their dark figures thrown forward in strong relief from the illuminated distance, making them appear much nearer to us than they really were. For an instant they pulled up and regarded us, when several squadrons, coming rapidly on the plateau, Lord Uxbridge cried out, “Fire!--fire!” and, giving them a general discharge, we quickly limbered up to retire, as they dashed forward supported by some horse-artillery guns, which opened upon us ere we could complete the manœuvre, but without much effect, for the only one touched was the servant of Major Whinyates, who was wounded in the leg by the splinter of a howitzer shell.