Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/32

 2 GENERAL PELISSIER. chap, tache, with all the imperious features that glowed, ! — or seemed to be glowing in the prime, or fierce mid-da^ : of ■ life. « His, 1 nighty bull-neck, strongly built upon broral'/ massive. -shoulders, gave prom- ise o£ /i.'iH^.Vlubdy.ljglcts/gaVv warning of angry moods, and even of fuirou's- outbursts. He however, it seems, could at pleasure unleash or control his fierce rage, thus treating wrath as a power that he knew how to wield, and not suf- fering the strong, useful demon to have a real mastery over him. He was capable of choosing and loyally pursuing a policy. He had Norman- like gifts that well fitted him to throw his antag- onists in many a wrestle for power, and to make him a chief strong in war. His accustomed manner of speech, though so forcible, and so freely unbridled as to be in a sense dramatic, was after all — not a mask, but — the genuine though boisterous utterance of a violent, absolute man. When first meeting in conference one who, though only then commanding a corps, still ex- pended a huge force in speech, Lord liaglan was apparently startled, if not even a little repelled, and could not help telling his Government that Pelissier ' talked a good deal ' ; but he even then said, that the general so eager to speak seemed also eager to act, and he happily found before long that the Norman was 'as good as his word.' In one respect, it is true, Pelissier's demeanour and speech tended strongly to mislead an ob- server ; for, whether owing to whim or to exuber- ant strength, he greatly liked putting on what —