CHAPTER XIX.
THE LINES.
When we reached Lescas, we found that an officer of Lord Wellington's staff had just arrived from the lines, and was occupied in making known the general order from headquarters; which set forth, with customary brevity, that the French armies, under the command of Massena, had retired from their position, and were in full retreat,--the second and third corps, which had been stationed at Villa Franca, having marched, during the night of the 15th, in the direction of Manal.

The officers in command of divisions were ordered to repair instantly to Pero Negro, to consult upon a forward movement, Admiral Berkeley being written to to provide launches to pass over General Hill's, or any other corps which might be selected, to the left bank of the Tagus.

All now was excitement, heightened by the unexpected nature of an occurrence which not even speculation had calculated upon.

It was but a few days before, and the news had reached Torres Vedras that a powerful reinforcement was in march to join Massena's army, and their advanced guard had actually reached Santarem.

The confident expectation was, therefore, that an attack upon the lines was meditated.
Now, however, this prospect existed no longer; for scarcely had the heavy mists of the lowering day disappeared, when the vast plain, so lately peopled by the thickened ranks and dark masses of a great army, was seen in its whole extent deserted and untenanted.
The smouldering fires of the pickets alone marked where the troops had been posted, but not a man of that immense force was to be seen.