WILLIAM AND MART.

91

While he was amusing himself after his wonted fashion, the map.confederate princes discovered that their counsels were he- 1692trayed. A peasant picked up a letter which had been dropped, nauie ofand carried it to the Elector of Bavaria. It contained full proofsof the guilt of Millevoix. William conceived a hope that hemight be able to take his enemies in the snare which they hadlaid for him. The perfidious secretary was summoned to theroyal presence and taxed with his crime. A pen was put into hishand: a pistol was held to his breast; and he was commandedto write on pain of instant death. His letter, dictated by William,was conveyed to the French camp. It apprised Luxemburg thatthe allies meant to send out a strong foraging party on the nextday. In order to protect this party from molestation, somebattalions of infantry, accompanied by artillery, would marchby night to occupy the defiles which lay between the armies.

The Marshal read, believed and went to rest, while Williamurged forward the preparations for a general assault on theFrench lines.

The whole allied army was under arms while it was stilldark. In the grey of the morning Luxemburg was awakenedby scouts, who brought tidings that the enemy was advancingin great force. He at first treated the news very lightly. Hiscorrespondent, it seemed, had been, as usual, diligent andexact. The Prince of Orange had sent out a detachment toprotect his foragers, and this detachment had been magnifiedby fear into a great host. But one alarming report followedanother fast. All the passes, it was said, were choked withmultitudes of foot, horse and artillery, under the banners ofEngland and of Spain, of the United Provinces and of the Em-pire; and every column was moving towards Steinkirk. Atlength the Marshal rose, got on horseback, and rode out to seewhat was doing.

By this time the vanguard of the allies was close to his out-