"Local operation!" snorted Billy.  "In other days it would have been counted a big battle.  Why, if Waterloo were pulled off now do you know how the papers would describe it?  They'd say that there was 'considerable activity on a section of the line over near Hougomont Farm yesterday, where certain units under Napoleon and Wellington came in contact.  The artillery fire was fairly strong, and there were clashes between a few infantry regiments and the French were repulsed. Apart from this there is nothing to report.'"