Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/277

 GENERAL P^USSIEK. 247 And again, in a very different way, Pelissier CHAP, found himself called upon to take the main part in a strife which, though falling to the lot of a £^S tet " commander in the midst of raging war, was still interference in its nature a strife between statesmen — between duct of the a sovereign claiming full right to direct a cam- war; paign from afar, and a general in the enemy's presence declining to be bound by any such god- like prerogative. It was in resistance to this pre- tension that Pelissier served France, served her army, and served the Alliance with high courage, with unfailing resources of mind, and, above all, immense strength of will. From almost the time of its opening in the last century, the undying French Eevolution had often enough been presenting some new and strange phase to the eyes of astonished Europe ; and the last of these novelties was a man on a throne called 'the Emperor,' neither bred to arms, nor gifted, so far as men knew, with any warlike capacity, yet not only enabled by letter of law to command the commanders of his armies and fleets, but determined to use his power in the Eastern war, and possessed, besides, with a notion that, acting in person, he could victoriously direct a campaign ; or, if prevented from joining his army in a far-distant region, could still give it sure means of conquest by sending out his com- belief, when they brought with them into the thick of the war their king, their war minister (Von Iloon), and their Bismarck, Have the French any Bismarck in readiness to send with head- quarters in their next campaign ?