198 THE WINTER TROUBLES. Oil AT. SO genuine that, to give his camp and his people ' the appearance of resolution and strength, he had only to obey the dictates of his own tem- perament, and was thus, in a measure, relieved from what would have been to him the irksome, untitting task of trying to act a part.(^) Danger But In his cndeavoui to fend off the enemy's pubnwty°'" hosts for the next few weeks by showing them a firm, assured countenance, Lord Kaglan was in danger of being baffled by his own fellow- countrymen, nay, even by the Queen's Govern- ment, and this, too, with the aid of materials derived from himself; for, unless he should venture to deviate audaciously from the ordinary course of duty, he by almost every mail must needs be sending home words which perhaps — spoken out of a whisper — might bring down the toppling avalanche. And England was no place for State whispers. Publicity there reigned so largely that, if the Cabinet should once become horror-struck on perceiving the desperate plight of our troops, its alarm of a certainty before many hours would become the alarm of the people; and the electric wire straining in readiness to tell all London knew to St Petersburg, and through St Petersburg to the Eussian Commander in the Crimea, there might soon be an end to the success of that shadowy, unsubstantial defence which consisted in seeming confident without the support of real strength. Under such conditions, how was Lord Eaglan to conduct his correspondence with the Home Gov- ernment ? Was he to conceal from them the
