Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/205

 BETWEEN THE CZAK AND THE SULTAN. 1G3 frauk co-operation on his part. But when lie Lad chap XI written these common things the truth broke out. ' The Emperor's legation,' said he, ' cannot stay ' at Constantinople under the circumstances in ' which it has been placed. It cannot submit ' to the secondary position to which it might be ' wished to reduce it.' * Lord Stratford, it would seem, had now little hope of being able to bring about an accommoda- tion, and henceforth his great object was to take care that the Torte should stand firm, but should so act that, in the opinion of England and of Europe, the Sultan should seem justified in exposing himself to the hazard of a rupture with Russia. Late at night Lord Stratford saw the Grand His advico Vizier at his country-house, and the Minister for Turkish nn • r-i i • l Minister*. loreign Affairs and the Seraskier were present. During the day there had been a little failing of heart, and when the Turkish Ministers were in the presence of M. de la Cour, they had seemed ' quences of Prince Mentschikoff s retiring in dis- ' pleasure ;'f but either they had dissembled their fears in the presence of the English Ambassador, or else, whilst Lord Stratford was in the same room with them, their fear of other Powers was suspended. They were unanimous in regarding the Convention as inadmissible. Lord Stratford's determination was that the demand of Prince Mentschikoff should be resisted ; but that at the
 * disposed to shrink from encountering the conse-
 * ' Eastern Tapers,' part i. p. 217. + Ibid. p. 177.