Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/370

 340 THE LANDING. CHAP, tiire of the expedition from Varna, Lord De lios ^•^"^ returned to England,* the Quartermaster-Gen- eralship was again pressed upon General Airey in terms which made it unbecoming for him to refuse the burthen. His loyalty and affec- tionate devotion to Lord Eaglan were without bounds ; and he imagined that he was always acting with a strict deference to the wishes of his chief. But then Airey was a man of great ardour, of a strong will : and having also a rapid, decisive judgment, he certainly accustomed him- self to put very swift constructions upon Lord Eaglan's words. No one ever used to see him in the pain of suspense between two opinions. Either he really knew with minuteness Lord Eaglan's views, or else he was so prone to take a great deal upon himself, that in his zeal for the public service he might almost be called unscrupulous. Men who were hesitating and trying to make out what was the path of their duty, soon came to know that Airey was the officer wlio would thrust away their doubts for them ; because rightly or wrongly, whether with or without due authority, he used to speak in such a way as to untie or to cut every knotf He was himself, it would seem, unconscious of exercising so much power as he really did ; but it is certain enough that those who complained was so ill that he had to be carried on board. t An illustration of this way of his (which was supplied to me after the publication of the 3d Edition) will be found ;?o««, in the note at the foot of p. 355.
 * Lord de Ros went home on account of ill-liealth. He