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reaching England； and a feeling of anxiety began to spread。 Among
the first to realise the gravity of the situation was Queen
Victoria。 'It is alarming；' she telegraphed to Lord Hartington on
March 25th。 'General Gordon is in danger； you are bound to try to
save him。。。 You have incurred a fearful responsibility。' With an
unerring instinct； Her Majesty forestalled and expressed the
popular sentiment。 During April； when it had become clear that
the wire between Khartoum and Cairo had been severed； when； as
time passed； no word came northward； save vague rumours of
disaster； when at last a curtain of impenetrable mystery closed
over Khartoum； the growing uneasiness manifested itself in
letters to the newspapers； in leading articles； and in a flood of
subscriptions towards a relief fund。 At the beginning of May； the
public alarm reached a climax。 It now appeared to be certain； not
only that General Gordon was in imminent danger； but that no
steps had yet been taken by the Government to save him。
On the 5th； there was a meeting of protest and indignation at St。
James's Hall； on the 9th there was a mass meeting in Hyde Park；
on the 11th there was a meeting at Manchester。 The Baroness
Burdett…Coutts wrote an agitated letter to 〃The Times〃 begging
for further subscriptions。 Somebody else proposed that a special
fund should be started with which 'to bribe the tribes to secure
the General's personal safety'。 A country vicar made another
suggestion。 Why should not public prayers be offered up for
General Gordon in every church in the kingdom？ He himself had
adopted that course last Sunday。 'Is not this；' he concluded；
'what the godly man； the true hero； himself would wish to be
done？' It was all of no avail。 General Gordon remained in peril；
the Government remained inactive。 Finally； a vote of censure was
moved in the House of Commons； but that too proved useless。 It
was strange； the same executive which； two months before； had
trimmed its sails so eagerly to the shifting gusts of popular
opinion； now； in spite of a rising hurricane； held on its course。
A new spirit； it was clear a determined； an intractable spirit…
… had taken control of the Sudan situation。 What was it？ The
explanation was simple； and it was ominous。 Mr。 Gladstone had
intervened。
The old statesman was now entering upon the penultimate period of
his enormous career。 He who had once been the rising hope of the
stern and unbending Tories； had at length emerged； after a
lifetime of transmutations； as the champion of militant
democracy。 He was at the apex of his power。 His great rival was
dead； he stood pre…eminent in the eye of the nation； he enjoyed
the applause； the confidence； the admiration； the adoration；
even； of multitudes。 Yet such was the peculiar character of the
man； and such was the intensity of the feelings which he called
forth at this very moment； at the height of his popularity； he
was distrusted and loathed； already an unparalleled animosity was
gathering its forces against him。 For； indeed； there was
something in his nature which invited which demanded the
clashing reactions of passionate extremes。 It was easy to worship
Mr。 Gladstone； to see in him the perfect model of the upright
manthe man of virtue and of religion the man whose whole life
had been devoted to the application of high principles to affairs
of State； the man； too； whose sense of right and justice was
invigorated and ennobled by an enthusiastic heart。 It was also
easy to detest him as a hypocrite； to despise him as a demagogue；
and to dread him as a crafty manipulator of men and things for
the purposes of his own ambition。
It might have been supposed that one or other of these
conflicting judgments must have been palpably absurd； that
nothing short of gross prejudice or wilful blindness； on one side
or the other； could reconcile such contradictory conceptions of a
single human being。 But it was not so； 'the elements' were 'so
mixed' in Mr。 Gladstone that his bitterest enemies （and his
enemies were never mild） and his warmest friends （and his friends
were never tepid） could justify； with equal plausibility； their
denunciations or their praises。 What； then； was the truth？ In the
physical universe there are no chimeras。 But man is more various
than nature； was Mr。 Gladstone； perhaps； a chimera of the spirit？
Did his very essence lie in the confusion of incompatibles？ His
very essence？ It eludes the hand that seems to grasp it。 One is
baffled； as his political opponents were baffled fifty years ago。
The soft serpent coils harden into quick strength that has
vanished； leaving only emptiness and perplexity behind。 Speech
was the fibre of his being； and； when he spoke； the ambiguity of
ambiguity was revealed。 The long； winding； intricate sentences；
with their vast burden of subtle and complicated qualifications；
befogged the mind like clouds； and like clouds； too； dropped
thunder bolts。 Could it not then at least be said of him with
certainty that his was a complex character？ But here also there
was a contradiction。
In spite of the involutions of his intellect and the contortions
of his spirit； it is impossible not to perceive a strain of
naivete in Mr。 Gladstone。 He adhered to some of his principles
that of the value of representative institutions； for instance
with a faith which was singularly literal； his views upon
religion were uncritical to crudeness； he had no sense of humour。
Compared with Disraeli's； his attitude towards life strikes one
as that of an ingenuous child。 His very egoism was simple…minded；
through all the labyrinth of his passions there ran a single
thread。 But the centre of the labyrinth？ Ah！ the thread might
lead there； through those wandering mazes； at last。 Only； with
the last corner turned； the last step taken； the explorer might
find that he was looking down into the gulf of a crater。 The
flame shot out on every side； scorching and brilliant； but in the
midst； there was a darkness。
That Mr。 Gladstone's motives and ambitions were not merely those
of a hunter after popularity was never shown more clearly than in
that part of his career which； more than any other； has been
emphasised by his enemieshis conduct towards General Gordon。 He
had been originally opposed to Gordon's appointment； but he had
consented to it partly； perhaps； owing to the persuasion that its
purpose did not extend beyond the making of a 'report'。 Gordon
once gone； events had taken their own course； the policy of the
Government began to slide； automatically； down a slope at the
bottom of which lay the conquest of the Sudan and the annexation
of Egypt。 Sir Gerald Graham's bloody victories awoke Mr。
Gladstone to the true condition of affairs； he recognised the
road he was on and its destination； but there was still time to
turn back。
It was he who had insisted upon the withdrawal of the English
army from the Eastern Sudan。 The imperialists were sadly