Driving his heels
into the horse, he rode him straight at the French general, as the
latter--who had dashed forward as Rupert unseated the trooper--came
at him. Rupert received a severe cut on the left shoulder, but the
impetus of the heavier horse and rider rolled the French officer
and his horse on to the ground. Rupert shifted his seat into the
saddle, leapt the fallen horse, and stooping down seized the
officer by his waist belt, lifted him from the ground as if he had
been a child, threw him across the horse in front of him, and
galloped forward towards the allied lines, amid a perfect roar of
cheering, just as a British cavalry regiment rode out from between
the infantry to check a body of French dragoons who were galloping
up at full speed from their side.
With a thundering cheer the British regiment reined up as Rupert
rode up to them, the French dragoons having halted when they saw
that the struggle was over.
"Why, as I live," shouted Colonel Forbes, "it's the little cornet!"
"The little cornet! The little cornet!" shouted the soldiers, and
waved their swords and cheered again and again, in wild enthusiasm;
as Colonel Forbes, Lauriston, Dillon, and the other officers,
pressed forward to greet their long-lost comrade.
Before, however, a word of explanation could be uttered, an officer
rode up.
"The Duke of Marlborough wishes to see you," he said, in French.
"Will you take charge of this little officer, colonel?" Rupert
said, placing the French general, who was half suffocated by
pressure, rage, and humiliation, on his feet again.
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