148 ORIGIN OF THE WAK OF lb53 CHAPTER XL CHAP. XI. Angry de- spatches from St Petersburg. Whilst the question of the Holy Tlaces was ap- proaching its solution, Prince Mentschikoff went on with his demand for the protectorate of the Greek Church in Turkey ; but the character of his mis- sion was fitfully changed from time to time by the tenor of his instructions from home. On the 12th of April, the peaceful views which had prevailed at St Petersburg some weeks before were still governing the Russian Embassy at Constantinople; and Lord Stratford was able to report that the altered tone and demeanour of Prince Mentschi- koff corresponded with the conciliatory assurances which Count Nesselrode had been giving in the previous month to Sir Hamilton Seymour. But on the following day all was changed. Fresh despatches came in from St Petersburg. They breathed anger and violent impatience, and of this anger and of this impatience the causes were visible. It was the measure adopted in Paris, several weeks before, which had rekindled the dying embers of the quarrel at St Petersburg, and the torch was now brought to Constantinople
