She expanded and grew brilliant in the sunshine of
admiration (she had even a smile and compliment from Washington
himself, at a ball in honour of the rebel declaration of independence)
in which she lived during the time when New York abounded with rebel
troops.
But that was a short time; for the British disembarked upon Long
Island, met Washington's army there and defeated it, so that it had to
slip back to New York in boats by night; then landed above the town,
almost in time to cut it off as it fled Northward; fought part of it
on the heights of Harlem; kept upon its heels in Westchester County;
encountered it again near White Plains; and came back triumphant to
winter in and about New York. And now we loyalists and the rebel
sympathisers exchanged tunes; and Margaret was as much for the king
again as ever--she never cared two pins for either cause, I fancy,
save as it might, for the time being, serve her desire to shine.
She was radiant and joyous, and made no attempt to disguise her
feelings, when it was a settled fact that the British army should
occupy New York indefinitely.
"'Tis glorious!" said she, dancing up and down the parlour before Tom
and me. "This will be some relief from dulness, some consolation! The
town will be full of gallant generals and colonels, handsome majors,
dashing captains; there are lords and baronets among 'em; they'll be
quartered in all the good houses; there will be fine uniforms,
regimental bands, and balls and banquets! Why, I can quite endure
this! War has its compensations.
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