Now there was one blank page in the book given over to the sketch that Dick had
not drawn of the crowning exploit in the Nilghai's life; when that man, being
young and forgetting that his body and bones belonged to the paper that
employed him, had ridden over sunburned slippery grass in the rear of Bredow's
brigade on the day that the troopers flung themselves at Caurobert's artillery,
and for aught they knew twenty battalions in front, to save the battered 24th
German Infantry, to give time to decide the fate of Vionville, and to learn ere
their remnant came back to Flavigay that cavalry can attack and crumple and
break unshaken infantry. Whenever he was inclined to think over a life that
might have been better, an income that might have been larger, and a soul that
might have been considerably cleaner, the Nilghai would comfort himself with
the thought, "I rode with Bredow's brigade at Vionville," and take heart for
any lesser battle the next day might bring.
"I know," he said very gravely. "I was always glad that you left it out."
"I left it out because Nilghai taught me what the Germany army learned then,
and what Schmidt taught their cavalry. I don't know German.
What is it? 'Take care of the time and the dressing will take care of itself.
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