Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/176

 1 16 UKROIC RESISTANCP: of SEB.VSTOrOL UHAT. of 011(3 }naii, which (even from across the spaco " which divided besie.^ed and besiegers) they could perceive to l)e of value to the garrison. In that ceaseless diligent horseman, as wo now know, they saw the great volunteer whose brain was defending Sebastopol* X. KoniiiofTs Although tiie spirit which Korniloft' roused in 7ucssi„ns others was one which forbade dismal fears, lie time.' himself, it would seem, in secret was living al- most without hope. The encouragement he had given the gairison, by speaking of aid from the army, was not warranted by any tidings which had reached him. The whole of the 2Gth had passed away, as we saw, without bringing him a word of account concerning Prince Mentschikoft ; and on the 27th it was the same. ' Of the Prince,' he wi'ote on that night, 'nothing is still to be ' heard.' What rumour had told him before, and told him only too trul}^ wrs, that the Piussian field army had retreated to Baktchi Serai, and the distance thus interposed was too great to allow of his believing that any assault on Sebastopol, which the Allies might at once undertake, would be checked or embarrassed by a flank attack from 1864, and in the course of conversation which {lasscd between him and some of his former adversaries, that he was ascertained to bo the officer on the black charger, whose movements had often been watched from the trenches. One of the shots specially directed against him struck the car of his horse.
 * It was (luring Genernl de To<llL'bon's visit to England in