"Bah!" said the old soldier, with something more like a groan
than was ever heard from him while his wounds were being dressed,
"I could face all the armies of Napoleon better than this!"
And he sat more and more in the cottage door, as if that could
leave the trouble behind; but it stood staring before him, all
the same, till it almost shut the rosebush and the bees out of
sight. But one morning a tremendous surprise came to him like a
flash out of the sky! He heard the sound of galloping troops,
and he pricked up his ears, for that always made him think of a
cavalry charge.
"Who goes there?" he cried; but without answering his challenge
the sound came nearer and nearer, and a lackey in full livery
dashed up to the door, and presented him with a note sealed with
the blood-red seal of the castle arms. It was an invitation to
dine at the castle with a company of noblemen and officers of the
army. His lordship, who had also fought at Waterloo, had just
learned that a comrade was living on his estate, and made haste
to do him honor, and secure a famous guest for his dinner party.
The old soldier rose up proudly, and gave the lackey a military
salute.
"Tell his lordship," he said, "that I shall report myself at
headquarters, and present my thanks for the honor he has done
me."
The lackey galloped off, and the veteran pushed his chair over
with his wooden leg, and clattered across the cottage floor.
"Ho, Peggy!" he cried, "did I not say that luck comes and trouble
flies if you only face the enemy long enough? This is the
beginning of good things, I tell you! A hero of Waterloo, and
fit to dine with lords and generals, will certainly have other
good fortune coming to him, till he can keep his wife and
daughters like princesses.
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