Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/164

 134 THE EMPEROR STILL HARPING ON HIS PLAN. chap, with fate as the one at last reached, — the eve, as vi. it were, of a battle, — he could not but see staring danger in so bold a measure as that of removing Pelissier from the command of an army drawn up in the enemy's presence. It may be that the French in the Crimea would have regarded the withdrawal of their commander with somewhat mixed feelings, for many of them deemed him a chief who was prodigal — unduly prodigal — of the lives of his men ; but it is believed that the French army elsewhere — more especially the army in France, which gave what there was of security to the second French Empire — would have looked with ill favour on the change, and even perhaps with grave anger. Be that as it may, the Empe- ror faltered, and, as is usual with men in his state, sent dubious, weak, clashing words: 'Certainly,' said the Emperor to Pelissier, ' I have confidence 'in you, but that does not prevent me from having ' my personal conviction. Besides, there is noth- ing dishonouring to a general in executing the ' orders of his Government if he believes them ' capable of being executed. It was thus that the 'Kertch Expedition took place by orders of the 'English Government.^) If the instructions of ' the 14th arc too absolute, modify them; but it is 'impossible to close one's eyes to the evidence, 'and to refrain from telling you' — here again supervened the old dream — ' that the key of the ' Crimea is at Simph^ropol, and that an expedition ' like that of Kertch, but with double the strength, 'and lauding at Aloushta and holding Simphero-