326 THE BATTLE OF INKEllMAN. CHAP. VI. id Period. Hesitation of the French battalion : loeyond over Pennefather's camp without seeing so much as one body of English infantry formed up to oppose their advance ; * but a French bat- talion was approaching — the battalion of the 7th L^ger. This force halted in front of the camp, and formed line with its left on the Post-road. Met thus by a body confronting them with a strength of 900 men, the Piussiaus at some mo- ments stopped, at others moved doubtfully for- ward. They had the bearing of soldiery who knew that they were strongly supported, and were not in such a state of hot zeal as to disregard the advantage. The battalion of the 7th Leger began to ad- vance up the slope, but all at once came to a halt. Plainly something was wrong. An English staff officer rode galloping down to the battalion and stopped when he reached its left flank. From this part of the battalion there presently arose a low murmur which swelled and ran along its ranks. The murmur perhaps meant no more than a protest against fighting in line ; but in another moment the battalion was visibly faltering. Then the English staff officer undertook nothing less than to harangue the battalion in French, asking all within reach of his voice whether they were indeed of that nation which had so nobly con- tended with ours in the Peninsula. The men listened, nay listened with favour. The battalion took heart, and once more began to move for- • Nor indeed could they see the approach of Egertou then ooming up from tlio west with iiome 200 men.
