India 2001 books

He had with him a couple of guides, who knew the
country well, and accompanied by these, he resolved to attack Clisson
that night, to burn the chateau of M. de Lescure, and, if possible, to
carry back with him to Bressuire the next morning the two Vendean
chiefs, whom he knew were staying there.
Westerman understood enough of the tactics of the Vendeans to know that
this was practicable, and he had the quick wit and ready hand to
conceive the plan, and put it in practice: he knew that the peasants
would not remain in barracks, or even assembled together during the
night, if they were near enough to their own homes to reach them; he
knew that they would spend the remainder of their long summer evening
in drinking, dancing, and rejoicing, and that they would then sleep as
though no enemy were within a hundred miles of them; he knew that
nothing could induce them to take on themselves the duties of sentinels,
and that there would, in all probability, be but little to oppose him
in attacking Clisson that night.


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