eminent victorians-第53章

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in　wait　for　the　sons　of　men？　At　that　very　moment；　in　the　south…

eastern　corner　of　the　Sudan；　another　Frenchman；　of　a　peculiar

eminence；　was　fulfilling　a　destiny　more　extraordinary　than　the

wildest　romance。　In　the　town　of　Harrar；　near　the　Red　Sea；　Arthur

Rimbaud　surveyed　with　splenetic　impatience　the　tragedy　of

Khartoum。　'C'est　justement　les　Anglais；'　he　wrote；　'avec　leur

absurde　politique；　qui　minent　desormais　le　commerce　de　toutes　ces

cotes。　Ils　ont　voulu　tout　remanier　et　ils　sont　arrives　a　faire

pire　que　les　Egyptiens　et　les　Turcs；　ruines　par　eux。　Leur　Gordon

est　un　idiot；　leur　Wolseley　un　ane；　et　toutes　leurs　entreprises

une　suite　insensee　d'absurdites　et　de　depredations。'　So　wrote　the

amazing　poet　of　the　Saison　d'Enfer　amid　those　futile　turmoils　of

petty　commerce；　in　which；　with　an　inexplicable　deliberation；　he

had　forgotten　the　enchantments　of　an　unparalleled　adolescence；

forgotten　the　fogs　of　London　and　the　streets　of　Brussels；

forgotten　Paris；　forgotten　the　subtleties　and　the　frenzies　of

inspiration；　forgotten　the　agonised　embraces　of　Verlaine。



When　the　contents　of　Colonel　Stewart's　papers　had　been

interpreted　to　the　Mahdi；　he　realised　the　serious　condition　of

Khartoum；　and　decided　that　the　time　had　come　to　press　the　siege

to　a　final　conclusion。　At　the　end　of　October；　he　himself；　at　the

head　of　a　fresh　army；　appeared　outside　the　town。　From　that

moment；　the　investment　assumed　a　more　and　more　menacing

character。　The　lack　of　provisions　now　for　the　first　time　began　to

make　itself　felt。　November　30ththe　date　fixed　by　Gordon　as　the

last　possible　moment　of　his　resistancecame　and　went；　the

Expeditionary　Force　had　made　no　sign。　The　fortunate　discovery　of

a　large　store　of　grain；　concealed　by　some　merchants　for　purposes

of　speculation；　once　more　postponed　the　catastrophe。　But　the

attacking　army　grew　daily　more　active；　the　skirmishes　around　the

lines　and　on　the　river　more　damaging　to　the　besieged；　and　the

Mahdi's　guns　began　an　intermittent　bombardment　of　the　palace。　By

December　10th　it　was　calculated　that　there　was　not　fifteen　days'

food　in　the　town；　'truly　I　am　worn　to　a　shadow　with　the　food

question'；　Gordon　wrote；　'it　is　one　continuous　demand'。　At　the

same　time　he　received　the　ominous　news　that　five　of　his　soldiers

had　deserted　to　the　Mahdi。　His　predicament　was　terrible；　but　he

calculated；　from　a　few　dubious　messages　that　had　reached　him；

that　the　relieving　force　could　not　be　very　far　away。　Accordingly；

on　the　14th；　he　decided　to　send　down　one　of　his　four　remaining

steamers；　the　Bordeen；　to　meet　it　at　Metemmah；　in　order　to

deliver　to　the　officer　in　command　the　latest　information　as　to

the　condition　of　the　town。　The　Bordeen　carried　down　the　last

portion　of　the　Journals；　and　Gordon's　final　messages　to　his

friends。　Owing　to　a　misunderstanding；　he　believed　that　Sir　Evelyn

Baring　was　accompanying　the　expedition　from　Egypt；　and　some　of

his　latest　and　most　successful　satirical　fancies　played　around

the　vision　of　the　distressed　Consul…General　perched　for　days　upon

the　painful　eminence　of　a　camel's　hump。　'There　was　a　slight　laugh

when　Khartoum　heard　Baring　was　bumping　his　way　up　here　a

regular　Nemesis。'　But；　when　Sir　Evelyn　Baring　actually　arrived

in　whatever　condition　what　would　happen？　Gordon　lost　himself　in

the　multitude　of　his　speculations。　His　own　object；　he　declared；

was；　'of　course；　to　make　tracks'。　Then　in　one　of　his　strange

premonitory　rhapsodies；　he　threw　out；　half　in　jest　and　half　in

earnest；　that　the　best　solution　of　all　the　difficulties　of　the

future　would　be　the　appointment　of　Major　Kitchener　as　Governor…

General　of　the　Sudan。　The　Journal　ended　upon　a　note　of　menace　and

disdain：　'Now　MARK　THIS；　if　the　Expeditionary　Force；　and　I　ask

for　no　more　than　200　men；　does　not　come　in　ten　days；　the　town　may

fall；　and　I　have　done　my　best　for　the　honour　of　our　country。

Good…bye。C。　G。　G0RD0N。



'You　send　me　no　information；　though　you　have　lots　of　money。　C。　G。

G。'



To　his　sister　Augusta　he　was　more　explicit。　'I　decline　to　agree；'

he　told　her；　'that　the　expedition　comes　for　my　relief；　it　comes

for　the　relief　of　the　garrisons；　which　I　failed　to　accomplish。　I

expect　Her　Majesty's　Government　are　in　a　precious　rage　with　me

for　holding　out　and　forcing　their　hand。'　The　admission　is

significant。　And　then　came　the　final　adieux。　'This　may　be　the

last　letter　you　will　receive　from　me；　for　we　are　on　our　last

legs；　owing　to　the　delay　of　the　expedition。　However；　God　rules

all；　and；　as　He　will　rule　to　His　glory　and　our　welfare；　His　will

be　done。　I　fear；　owing　to　circumstances；　that　my　affairs　are

pecuniarily　not　over　bright　。。。　your　affectionate　brother；　C。　G。

G0RD0N。



'P。S。　I　am　quite　happy；　thank　God；　and；　like　Lawrence；　I　have

TRIED　to　do　my　duty。'



The　delay　of　the　expedition　was　even　more　serious　than　Gordon　had

supposed。　Lord　Wolseley　had　made　the　most　elaborate　preparations。

He　had　collected　together　a　picked　army　of　10；000　of　the　finest

British　troops；　he　had　arranged　a　system　of　river　transports　with

infinite　care。　For　it　was　his　intention　to　take　no　risks；　he

would　advance　in　force　up　the　Nile；　he　had　determined　that　the

fate　of　Gordon　should　not　depend　upon　the　dangerous　hazards　of　a

small　and　hasty　exploit。　There　is　no　doubtin　view　of　the

opposition　which　the　relieving　force　actually　met　withthat　his

decision　was　a　wise　one；　but　unfortunately；　he　had　miscalculated

some　of　the　essential　elements　in　the　situation。　When　his

preparations　were　at　last　complete；　it　was　found　that　the　Nile

had　sunk　so　low　that　the　flotillas；　over　which　so　much　care　had

been　lavished；　and　upon　which　depended　the　whole　success　of　the

campaign；　would　be　unable　to　surmount　the　cataracts。　At　the　same

timeit　was　by　then　the　middle　of　Novembera　message　arrived

from　Gordon　indicating　that　Khartoum　was　in　serious　straits。　It

was　clear　that　an　immediate　advance　was　necessary；　the　river

route　was　out　of　the　question；　a　swift　dash　across　the　desert　was

the　only　possible　expedient　after　all。　But　no　preparations　for

land　transport　had　been　made；　weeks　elapsed　before　a　sufficient

number　of　camels　could　be　collected；　and　more　weeks　before　those

collected　were　trained　for　military　march。　It　was　not　until

December　30thmore　than　a　fortnight　after　the　last　entry　in

Gordon's　Journalthat　Sir　Herbert　Stewart；　at　the　head　of　1；100　

British　troops；　was　able　to　leave　Korti　on　his　march　towards

Metemmah；　170　miles　across　the　desert。　His　advance　was　slow；　and

it　was　tenaciously　disputed　by；　the　Mahdi's　forces。　There　was　a

desperate　engagement　on　January　17th　at　the　wells　of　Abu　Klea；

the　British　square　was　broken；　for　a　moment　victory　hung　in　the

balance；　but　the　Arabs　were　repulsed。　On　the　19th　there　was

another　furiously　contested　fight；　in　which　Sir　Herbert　Stewart

was　killed。　On　the　21st；　the　force；　now　diminished　by　over　250

casualties；　reached　Metemmah。　Three　days　elapsed　in

reconnoitering　the　country；　and　strengthening　the　position　of　the

camp。　0n　the　24th；　Sir　Charles　Wilson；　who　had　succeeded　to　the

command；　embarked　on　the　Bordeen；　and　started　up　the　river　for

Khartoum。　On　the　following　evening；　the　vessel　struck　on　a　rock；

causing　a　further　delay　of　twenty…four　hours。　It　was　not　until

January　28th　that　Sir　Charles　Wilson；　arriving　under　a　heavy　fire

within　sight　of　Khartoum；　saw　that　the　Egyptian　flag　was　not

flying　from　the　roof　of　the　palace。　The　signs　of　ruin　and

destruction　on　every　hand　showed　clearly　enough　that　the　town　had

fallen。　The　relief　expedition　was　two　days　late。



The　details　of　what　passed　within　Khartoum　during　the　last　weeks

of　the　siege　are　unknown　to　us。　In　the　diary　of　Bordeini　Bey；　a

Levantine　merchant；　we　catch　a　few　glimpses　of　the　final　stages

of　the　catastropheof　the　starving　populace；　the　exhausted

garrison；　the　fluctuations　of　despair　and　hope；　the　dauntless

energy　of　the　Governor…General。　Still　he　worked　on；

indefatigably；　apportioning　provisions；　collecting　ammunition；

consulting　with　the　townspeople；　encouraging　the　soldiers。　His

hair　had　suddenly　turned　quite　white。　Late　one　evening；　Bordeini

Bey　went　to　visit　him　in　the　palace；　which　was　being　bombarded　by

the　Mahdi's　cannon。　The　high　building；　brilliantly　lighted　up；

afforded　an　excellent　mark。　As　the　shot　came　whistling　around　the

windows；　the　merchant　suggested　that　it　would　be　advisable　to

stop　them　up　with　boxes　full　of　sand。　Upon　this；　Gordon　Pasha

became　enraged。　'He　called　up　the　guard；　and　gave　them　orders　to

shoot　me　if　I　moved；　he　then　brought　a　very　large　lantern　which

would　hold　twenty…four　candles。　He　and　I　then　put　the　candles

into　the　sockets；　placed　the　lantern　on　the　table　in　front　of　the

window；　lit　the　candles；　and　then　we　sat　down　at　the　table。　The

Pasha　then　said；　〃When　God　was　portioning　out　fear　to　all　the

people　in　the　world；　at　last　it　came　to　my　turn；　and　there　was　no

fear　left　to　give　me。　Go；　tell　all　the　people　in　Khartoum　that

Gordon　fears　nothing；　for　God　has　created　him　without　fear。〃　'



On　January　5th；　Omdurman；　a　village　on　the　opposite　bank　of　the

Nile；　which　had　hitherto　been　occupied　by　the　besieged；　was　taken

by　the　Arabs。　The　town　was　now　closely　surrounded；　and　every

chance　of　obtaining　fresh　supplies　was　cut　off。　The　famine　became

terrible；　dogs；　donkeys；　skins；　gum；　palm　fibre；　were　devoured　by

the　desperate　inhabitants。　The　soldiers　stood　on　the

fortifications　like　pieces　of　wood。　Hundreds　died　of　hunger

daily：　their　corpses　filled　the　streets；　and　the　survivors　had

not　the　strength　to　bury　the　dead。　On　the　20th；　the　news　of　the

battle　of　Abu　Klea　reached　Khartoum。　The　English　were　coming　at

last。　Hope　rose；　every　morning　the　Governor…General　assured　the

townspeople　that　one　day　more　would　see　the　end　of　their

sufferings；　and　night　after　night　his　words　were　proved　untrue。



On　the　23rd；　a　rumour　spread　that　a　spy　had　arrived　with　letters；

and　that　the　English　army　was　at　hand。　A　merchant　found　a　piece

of　newspaper　lying　in　the　road；　in　which　it　was　stated　that　the

strength　of　the　relieving　forces　was　15；000　men。　For　a　moment；

hope　flickered　up　again；　only　to　relapse　once　more。　The　rumour；

the　letters；　the　printed　paper；　all　had　been　contrivances　of

Gordon　to　inspire　the　garrison　with　the　courage　to　hold　out。　On

the　25th；　it　was　obvious　that　the　Arabs　were　preparing　an　attack；

and　a　deputation　of　the　principal　inhabitants　waited　upon　the

Governor…General。　But　he　refused　to　see　them；　Bordeini　Bey　was

alone　admitted　to　his　presence。　He　was　sitting　on　a　divan；　and；

as　Bordeini　Bey　came　into　the　room；　he　snatched　the　fez　from　his

head　and　flung　it　from　him。　'What　more　can　I　say？'　he　exclaimed；

in　a　voice　such　as　the　merchant　had　never　heard　before。　'The

people　will　no　longer　believe　me。　I　have　told　them　over　and　over

again　that　help　would　be　here；　but　it　has　never　come；　and　now

they　must　see　I　tell　them　lies。　I　can　do　nothing　more。　Go；　and

c