Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/53

 BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 27 English General, ho unconsciously yiekled, as chap. other men commonly did, to the spell of his , personal ascendancy ; and although he showed the sketch, and may have uttered, perhaps, a few hurried words to explain its meaning, he did not effectually bring himself to proffer advice to Lord Piaglan. Either lie altogether omitted the intended counsel, or else he so slurred it over as not to win for it any grave notice from even the most careful of listeners. When the conference ended, Lord Eaglan came out with his guests to the door of the hut. M. St Arnaud mounted his horse, and was elate ; hut he was elate, not with the knowledge of having achieved a purpose, but rather, it would seem, from the sense of that singular comfort which anxious men always derived from the mere power of Lord Eaglan's presence. Perhaps, when the Marshal reached his quarters, he began to see that, after all, there was a gulf between him and the English General, and that, notwithstanding his energy and boldness, he had been unaccount- ably hindered from passing it. IV. It had been determined that the troops should March of the Alliefi cet under arms without bugle or drum. Silently, therefore, on the morning of the 20th of September 1854, the men of the Allied armies rose from their bivouac, and made ready for the march which was to bring them into the presence