什麼是胸襟、量度、大將之風︰一粒衣鈕！

Nelsonlai

一八五四年，克里米克戰爭期間，一個英國軍官給俄軍出其不意抓住，送去塞瓦斯托波爾市。俄國人在他口袋裏，找到多封信，其中一封是他情人寫的，那英國軍官力請不要拿去，但他越是要把這封信留下，俄國人越是執意要取去，並和其餘信件一起，送交俄軍總司令曼斯奇科夫親王。


寫那封信的小姑娘，為振起她勇武情郎的志氣，說希望他生擒曼斯奇科夫，並說：「生擒了他，記着把他的一粒衣鈕寄下。」她心上人獲發還那些信件時，一定感到非常意外。

和信件一起送到他手上的，是曼斯奇科夫寫的便條，還附有其衣鈕一粒，便條說：「事情雖未盡如貴女友所願，但曼斯奇科夫之衣鈕，謹此奉上，煩寄伊人。」


In 1854, during the Crimean War, a British officer was caught napping in the trenches by the Russians, and walked off to Sebastopol. Some letters were found in his pocket, amongst them one from his lady-love. It was in vain he protested against this one being taken from him: the more he clung to it, the more the Russians were determined to have it, and with the rest it was sent to Prince Mentschikoff, the Russian commander-in-chief.


In the letter, the young lady, by way of raising the spirits of her young chevalier, hoped he would take Mentschikoff prisoner, and, said she,"if you do, mind and send me one of his buttons." Fancy the young lover's surprise on receiving his letters back.

A note from Mentschikoff was sent with them, and in it one of his buttons."Though things have not turned out quite as your lady-love expected, here is one of Mentschikoff's buttons. Send it to her," such were the words of the note.