108 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1853 chap. Wheu the Emperor Nicholas learned that the VIL advance of the French fleet had been disapproved by England, his anger was followed by gladness, and the relations between the Governments of St Petersburg and London then seemed to be upon so friendly a footing as to exclude the fear of a disagreement. Count Nesselrode assured Sir The czar's Hamilton Seymour that Russia was alleging no menu. " grievance against the Turkish Government except in regard to the question of the Holy Places; and even this one remaining subject of complaint he began to treat as a slighter matter than it had hitherto appeared to be. It is hard to have to believe that all this good-humour of the Court of St Petersburg was simulated; and yet the assur- ances of Count Nesselrode distinctly went to ex- clude the belief that Russia could ever do that which she was actually doing. Yielding, it would seem, to an instinct of wild cunning, the Czar failed to understand that the chance of carrying a point at Constantinople by a diplomatic surprise could never be of such worth as to deserve to be set against his old reputation for truthfulness. If he thought at all, he would see that the differ- ence between what he was saying and what he was doing would be laid bare in three weeks. Yet he gave way to the strange impulse which forced him to go and try to steal a trophy for his Church. lie concealed from the French as well as from our Government all knowledge of his intention to endeavour to extort from the Sultan an engagement giving to Ptiissia the protectorate
