text:  We hear his words--_"L'Abbe all is lost!"_ Even so when the English soldier reeling from his anguish and weariness was admitted into the beleaguered fortress his first words more homely in expression than Murat's were to the same dreadful purpose--"Your honour " he said "all is dished;" and this being uttered by way of prologue he then delivered himself of the message with which he had been charged and _that_ was a challenge from the Kandyan general to come out and fight without aid from his artillery