Page 143 - A Jacobite Exile

Chapter 8

: The Passage of the Dwina.

A few hours after Charlie's arrival home, Major Jervoise and Harry came
round to the house.

"I congratulate you, Jervoise, on your new rank," Sir Marmaduke said

heartily, as he entered; "and you, too, Harry. It has been a great comfort to
me, to know that you and Charlie have been together always. At present
you have the advantage of him in looks. My lad has no more strength than a

girl, not half the strength, indeed, of many of these sturdy Swedish
maidens."

"Yes, Charlie has had a bad bout of it, Carstairs," Major Jervoise said
cheerfully; "but he has picked up wonderfully in the last ten days, and, in as

many more, I shall look to see him at work again. I only wish that you
could have been with us, old friend."

"It is of no use wishing, Jervoise. We have heard enough here, of what the
troops have been suffering through the winter, for me to know that, if I had

had my wish and gone with you, my bones would now be lying somewhere
under the soil of Livonia."

"Yes, it was a hard time," Major Jervoise agreed, "but we all got through it
well, thanks principally to our turning to at sports of all kinds. These kept

the men in health, and prevented them from moping. The king was struck
with the condition of our company, and he has ordered that, in future, all

the Swedish troops shall take part in such games and amusements when in
winter quarters. Of course, Charlie has told you we are going to have a
regiment entirely composed of Scots and Englishmen. I put the Scots first,

since they will be by far the most numerous. There are always plenty of
active spirits, who find but small opening for their energy at home, and are

ready to take foreign service whenever the chance opens. Besides, there are
always feuds there. In the old days, it was chief against chief. Now it is
religion against religion; and now, as then, there are numbers of young