Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/274

 244 GENERAL PELISSIER. chap, of War. Nay, unless I mistake, one can read '. — through the diction employed something like an assurance that, despite the sheer letter of the law, Pelissier's tenure of the command was restin j, after all, on a basis — not sure, but still — rather more stable than the whim of Louis Napoleon. Pelissier was told that he had the full confidence of the French impersonal ' On ' ; and the circum- stances were apparently such that this ' On ' really meant something more than the personal Emperor — meant something indeed not unlike what men call ' the State,' so that virtually, the sovereign could hardly withdraw his general from the field and from the enemy's presence without first ob- taining some sanction of a higher kind than his own unsupported will. It is true indeed that the Emperor once came to a decision dismissing his contumacious general, replacing him by General Niel, and ordering his Minister of War to communicate this change to Pelissier ; but he only, after all, gave occasion for one of those pranks which honest men, acting for the good of their country, are accustomed to play upon despots. Marshal Vaillant did so far obey as to despatch a letter to Pelissier in the terms commanded by the Emperor ; but, instead of sending it by telegraph, as he had been ordered to do, he committed it to the railway, thus gain- ing a good deal of time for the object on which he was bent. Then, supported by General Eleury, he persuaded the Emperor to revoke his decision, and did this so quickly as to be able to stop —