Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/66

 36 HTS WAY OF RESISTANCE. CHAP. But which? ! There are signs, though not proofs, that the need of arresting wild, hazardous efforts to direct a campaign from the Tuileries was felt to be pain- fully cogent by more than one man in authority ; but, whether he acted in circumstances implying something like concert, or was singly obeying the call of a duty he owed to his country, or whether again he was ruled by the sheer force of judgment, paissier's or in part by temper or temperament, Pedissier at all events guarded France, and the honour of her army, from the meddling hand of a sovereign who, not being either a trained, or by natural gifts a born soldier or even a soldier at all, and not act- ing under the guidance of any responsible Min- isters, still supposed himself fitted — by wisdom — to conduct from Paris a war carried on under novel conditions against the empire of Kussia; uis method, and how, when driven to words, Pedissier used them as means which helped towards averting the mischief we have partly been able to see ; but it was not by words alone that he kept the perturber at bay. lie often used ' golden ' silence, and from time to time answered with deeds nunc convincing than all worded arguments. occupation With before him his Emperor's message de- bv the Allies. ,, . •. -, . , , , of fresh crying any resolve to take ground towards the wards the" Tchernaya, Pedissier promptly made bold to set Tel) 6i*n3. vu. the measure on foot; and — concurrently with troops of all arms supplied by the other allies — he carried it into effect. It was on the 25th of May, at the close of a march begun before mid-