dead horses, and dead cattle, that the whole line was infected with pestilential vapours, and, being impassable for vehicles, could only be traversed on horseback.
All these days great impatience had prevailed in the English camp. It was asked why the cannonade had been begun if not to be followed to its legitimate conclusion. The key to the mystery is to be found in the following chapter.
CHAPTER X.
IMPORTANT EVENTS ELSEWHERE.
Death of the Czar— The Vienna Conference — Louis Napoleon's Plan — He intends to go to the Crimea — Lord Clarendon sent to dissuade Him — The Emperor visits the Queen — Terms proposed at Vienna — Austria frames a Proposal — The Emperor abandons His Intention — English Advocates of Russian Interests — First Embarkation for Kertch — The Expedition recalled — Conference of Commanders — Canrobert resigns the command.
THE bearing of the Czar Nicholas, so haughty and arrogant at the outset of the war, had undergone a notable alteration. Following on the defeats on the Danube, that of the Alma wrung from him, in his communications with Menschikoff, utterances almost of despair, mingled, however, with expressions of determination to oppose his evil fortune to the bitter end. Then came the terrible slaughter of Inkerman, almost pressing hope out of him. But some new comfort dawned with the news of the sufferings of the Allies in the beginning of winter, and it was then he uttered a saying, famous at the time, that there were two generals who were about to fight for him, " Janvier et Fevrier." But, as we have seen, in this last month came the defeat at Eupatoria. It is generally believed that this blow, aggravated to his proud spirit because inflicted by the
216 Death of the Czar.
despised Turks, was fatal. A very few days after receiving the news, while he was still engaged in issuing orders to his generals, and reviewing his troops, his splendidly powerful frame suddenly collapsed. On his return from the parade ground on the 27th of February, a difficulty of breathing was manifest, paralysis of the lungs ensued, and on the 2d March he died. Survivors of that time may remember a terrible cartoon in Punch of the Czar dead upon his camp bed, while a skeleton, in Russian garb and helmet, pressed its hand on his breast, with the inscription, " General Fevrier turned traitor." The French sent the news to the general commanding in Sebastopol by a flag of truce ; but he kept it secret, until it should be confirmed from St Petersburgh. It came, accompanied by a message from the new Czar, to tell the defenders that, " passed away into life eternal, the supreme chief of the orthodox warriors blessed from on high their unequalled constancy and valour."
It was soon seen that Alexander II. was under the influence of the war party, for a manifesto issued on the day of his accession was not merely warlike, but menacing, and though his prudent minister, Nesselrode, sought in a circular to diminish its effect, the friends of peace found nothing in the change of sovereigns to encourage them.
In the meantime the conference of the Powers, broken off months before by Russia's rejection of the four points which formed its basis, was revived. Prince Gortschakoff, cousin of the general, had been sent as Minister to Vienna, and had managed so to represent
[fragment illegible in the scan of the first edition]
The Vienna Conference. 217