Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/161

SECRET TERMS OF NIEL'S MISSION. 129 in the future, the secret counsels aimed also at a chap. v. change of great moment intended to take effect . instantly, and indeed were of such a kind that, Theaiibut when once imparted to Canrobert, they could not conse- but tend to deflect him from the straight path of imparting ? . the Em- duty — the path of duty marked out for him by poor's piai engagements made with Lord Eaglan. robert. This is easily shown. To any thoughtful com- mander engaged in besieging a fortress it must always of course be distressing to have to ordain an assault which seems likely to cost him the sacrifice of numbers of his most precious troops ; and it is only under the cogency of what he deems a great purpose that he steels himself by sheer force of mind for so painful an effort of will ; but how doubly hard would he find it to perform the stern duty, if a General skilled in siege business were to come out express from his Sovereign and assure him with unflinching confidence that (un- less the essential preliminary of a thoroughly completed investment should first be made good) all this painfully contemplated sacrifice must, after all, fail in its object — must be therefore a sheer waste of life ! And how yet more hard — how impossible — will the effort become, if he himself by the processes of genuine conversion is brought to share the opinions thus authoritatively pressed on his mind by the recognised Chief of the State ! It is under this aspect that concealment of the ?f t °J£!m- pith of Niel's mission from our Government and practised from Lord Eaglan shows the stain of revolting English. VOL. VIII. I