SECRET TERMS OF NIEL'S MISSION. 125 'gSne,' as he expressively called it — that would chap. be laid upon the Allies before Sebastopol by the ! — Emperor's undesired presence ; * but he did not allow himself to be made at all anxious on the subject, being sanguine enough to believe, in face of all contrary assurances, that the Em- peror would never come out.t No one seems to have divined that the Emperor — though a man strangely fond of effecting theatric surprises, and believed to be intent on the notion of as- suming high command at the seat of war — might desire to keep Canrobert's army in a state of re- straint, with its fires, as the phrase is, ' banked ' up ' until the time of his own arrival, when troubles unnumbered, and successive disappoint- ments, and the weariness of hope long deferred would be all at once followed by what the play- books call ' flourishes,' by victory, conquest, and triumph. The 'mission' of General Niel was full fraught, as we saw, with this purpose; yet — secrecy being maintained — it did not afford to Thecon- ... cealment observers apt means of seeing the truth. Lord from Lord . , Raglan Eaglan knew that the General — an Engineer main- ° ... tainedwith officer — had come out with instructions ' to look continued success. • into the state of the siege ' ; but, far from ap-
- Lord Raglan to Lord Panmure, Private Letter, March 17,
1855. Lord Raglan liked Louis Napoleon personally; and after writing to the effect above stated, he added this : — ' Per- ' sonally I should have no difficulty in communicating with ' him.' t Same to same, April 3, 1855. t Lord Raglan to Duke of Newcastle, Private Letter, Jan uary 29, 1855.
