Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/46

 4 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1853 t'HAP. seemed to pine for more fighting. Yet they hail army on the mainland. They watched it over the sea. They saw it land. They followed its march. They saw it in action. They tasted of the joy of victory. Then came the time when they had to hear to see their army dying upon a bleak hill from cold and want, In their anguish this people strove to know their general. They had seen him in the hour of battle, and their hearts had bounded with pride. They saw him now commanding a small force of wan, feeble, dying men, yet holding a strong enemy at bay, and comporting himself as though lie were the chief of a strong, besieging army. They hardly knew at the time that for forty days the fate of two armies and the lasting fame and relative strength of great nations were hanging upon the quality of (me man's mind. Tormented with grief and anger for the cruel sufferings of their countrymen, they tinned upon the Chief with questioning looks, and seeing him always holding his ground and always composed, they strove to break in upon the mystery of his calm. But there, their power fell short. Except by withstanding the enemy, he made them no sign; and when he was reinforced and clothed once more with power, he still seemed the same to them. At length they saw him die. Thence- forth they had to look upon the void which was left by his death. They grew more patient They did not become less resolute. What they hoped and what they feared in all these trials, what they
 * • witnessed checkered scenes. They counted their