Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/350

 318 BEARING OF CZAR'S DEATH ON THE PROSPECT. chap, ceased in effect for the time to be one of 'the XII ' ' five Great Powers ' — not because it had lost any part of its physical strength, but rather owing to failings which brought its king into discredit. So low indeed had he fallen or seemed to fall, that there was even a question of calling upon him to agree that as a pledge for his future conduct he should suffer one of his fortresses to be occupied by Austria, another by France, and another again by England.* Question as When Nicholas died, many thought that the to the effect. „ • i i j 11 ofNichoias'a passing away 01 a sovereign who had personally death on the I ,° % ,-,,■,.,, 1 prospects of brought on the war would be likely to accelerate peace. ° its end ; but some of those who had means of forming a judgment believed that the late Czar — well schooled by adversity — had not only re- solved to make peace, if attainable on terms not derogatory to his sense of honour, but also — thanks to his habit of long -sustained absolute rule and to the dominating strength of his char- acter — would have been perfectly able to enforce his will on all Russia against what might be the desire of many of his more warlike subjects ; and again, as already we have seen, there was room for believing that the task thus regarded as feas- connections at this cruel time, see Sir Theodore Martin's ' Life ' of Prince Albert. ' There virtually sat on the king what the French call a ' conscil de famille,' and the tribunal, it seems, was not merciful. ment instantly rejected the suggestion ; but it was one sub- mitted for consideration on very high authority.
 * England was to be asked to occupy Dantsic. Our Govern-