At these Royston appeared rarely; and when he did
show there, was remarkably silent, and apt to let a favorable
opportunity, even for a sarcasm, go by. He seemed to prefer the solitude
of his own tent to the most tempting inducements of society. Men
remembered afterward how, if they went in and found him alone, he was
always busy with his revolver, or playing with his sabre. He had refused
two advantageous offers of staff appointments, for no apparent reason
except the desire not to be out of the way if any work were to be done:
and scarcely a day passed when he was not up at head-quarters, trying to
find out if there was any chance of a break in the long inaction of the
cavalry. Whether it was that the old blood-thirstiness had waked again
in a congenial atmosphere, or whether a great weariness weighing on his
spirits made him so impatient and restless, none can know for certain.
Again I say, let us not sift motives too inquisitively.
It is the morning of the 25th of October, and a lull comes between the
storm-gusts. The "Heavies" have just taken up their position, after that
magnificent charge, in which the Russian lancers were scattered like
dead leaves in autumn when the wind is blowing freshly.
Pages:
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329