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 PHECEDING THE INVASION. 191 thoritative counsels sent out to liim from Paris, chap. Marshal St Arnaud suddenly announced that, for _^^'_ some time to come, the i>ench army could not be suffered to move towards the seat of the war. The measures for sending up the British forces to Varna were in progress, and the Light Division had been already despatched, when, at eleven o'clock at night, Colonel Trochu presented him- self at the British headquarters, and requested an immediate interview with Lord llaglan. The name of Colonel Trochu will recur in this narra- tive, for he was an officer of great weight in the councils of the French nrrny. He had come from France so lately as the 10th of May, and although his nominal office was simply that of first aide-de- camp to Marshal St Arnaud, it was known that he came out fully charged with the notions and the wishes of the French Emperor. Colonel Trochu was a cautious, tliiuking man, well versed in strategic science, and it was surmised that it was part of his mission to check anytliing like M'ild- ness in the movements of the French Marshal.* He stated that he had been sent by Marslial St Arnaud to request that Lord Eaglan would post- pone any further movement towards Varna, until the Marshal should have an opportunity of satis- fying himself that any considerable portion of the French army was in a condition to take the field. Up to this moment no doubt had been enter- tained of the forwardness of the French prepara-
 * Moderer la fougue de M. le MarechaU