Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/44

 Bier. 14 RESISTANCE CONTINUED. CHAP. On tin; other hand, Louis Napoleon was vio- ! — lently, indignantly adverse to all idea of provid- ofviofent m 8 ^hat the field operations should be preceded tween Louis D y the capture of the South Side; and it might Mni'riii.s- seem that the authority of an absolute sover- eign would perforce govern one of his generals; but the Emperor, as we know, always lived under that peculiar dread of offending his army which from time to time overrode what — only the moment before — had been his settled de- cisions, and was destined to involve him in ruin, along with not only his ' Empire ' but even that very army which he had feared to displease. ( 2 ) He apparently knew or believed that, to depose Telissier would be giving offence to his army on the Chersonese, and to his army in Algeria, but also — this above all — to his sensitive army at home; and accordingly we shall soon have to see him commanding, commanding, commanding, with- out being therefore for a moment obeyed, yet may, after all, not find him ready to vindicate his out- raged authority by any ulterior steps. There are signs that Marshal Vaillant the Minister of War perceived, nay, recognised this as the actual stair of what purported to be the governing power; * and perhaps some such light reached Pelissier; foi'j whilst steadily setting at nought the Emperor's orders, he had the air of obeying some esoteric authority which showed him his path of duty — which taught him that he — he alone — must bear the whole burthen of commanding the French in
 * See j'ost, chap, ix., Vaillant'^ use of the impersonal 'on.'