Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/210

 180 TKANSACTIONS CHAP, andertakinsf to act in concert, one of the chief XII dangers lay in that kind of mental activity which is generated by the process of arguing. He made it a rule to avoid and avert all needless discus- sion ; and he regarded as needless, not only those discussions which spring out of abstract questions, but many also of those which are generated by men's anxiety to provide for hypothetical conjunc- tures. He was very English in this respect, and he was no less English in the simple contrivance by which he sought to ward off the evil. When- ever there seemed to be impending a question which he regarded as avoidable, he prevented or obstructed its discussion by interposing for con- sideration some practical matter which was more or less important in its way, but not unsafe. And now, when there was perhaps some fear that questions of an embarrassing and delicate kind might be raised by the pondering Emperor, Lord Kaglan kept them aloof by engaging atten- tion to the choice of the camping-ground best suited for the two armies. He seems to have succeeded in confining all discussion to this one safe and practical subject. When the P^mperor at length brought his guest back into the outer room, there were there assem- bled Prince Jerome, the Duke of Cambridge, Marshal Vaillant the Minister of War, Marshal St Arnaud, and Lord De Eos. The vital busi- ness of making arrangements best fitted to pre- vent collision between the armies was anxiously weighed. Marshal Vaillant, laborious, well in-