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influence upon the fate of General Gordon。 At the end of the
first stage； he had become convinced that he was responsible for
Gordon's appointment to Khartoum。 At the end of the second； he
had perceived that his conscience would not allow him to remain
inactive in the face of Gordon's danger。 At the end of the third；
he had made an attempt to induce the Cabinet to send an
expedition to Gordon's relief。 At the end of the fourth； he had
realised that the Cabinet had decided to postpone the relief of
Gordon indefinitely。 At the end of the fifth； he had come to the
conclusion that he must put pressure upon Mr。 Gladstone。 At the
end of the sixth； he had attempted to put pressure upon Mr。
Gladstone； and had not succeeded。 At the end of the seventh； he
had succeeded in putting pressure upon Mr。 Gladstone； the relief
expedition had been ordered； he could do no more。
The turning…point in this long and extraordinary process occurred
towards the end of April； when the Cabinet； after the receipt of
Sir Evelyn Baring's final dispatch； decided to take no immediate
measures for Gordon's relief。 From that moment it was clear that
there was only one course open to Lord Hartington to tell Mr。
Gladstone that he would resign unless a relief expedition was
sent。 But it took him more than three months to come to this
conclusion。 He always found the proceedings at Cabinet meetings
particularly hard to follow。 The interchange of question and
answer； of proposal and counterproposal； the crowded counsellors；
Mr。 Gladstone's subtleties； the abrupt and complicated
resolutionsthese things invariably left him confused and
perplexed。 After the crucial Cabinet at the end of April； he came
away in a state of uncertainty as to what had occurred； he had to
write to Lord Granville to find out； and by that time； of course；
the Government's decision had been telegraphed to Egypt。 Three
weeks later； in the middle of May； he had grown so uneasy that he
felt himself obliged to address a circular letter to the Cabinet
proposing that preparations for a relief expedition should be set
on foot at once。 And then he began to understand that nothing
would ever be done until Mr。 Gladstone； by some means or other；
had been forced to give his consent。 A singular combat followed。
The slippery old man perpetually eluded the cumbrous grasp of his
antagonist。 He delayed； he postponed； he raised interminable
difficulties； he prevaricated； he was silent； he disappeared。
Lord Hartington was dauntless。 Gradually； inch by inch； he drove
the Prime Minister into a corner。 But in the meantime many weeks
had passed。 On July 1st； Lord Hartington was still remarking that
he 'really did not feel that he knew the mind or intention of the
Government in respect of the relief of General Gordon'。 The month
was spent in a succession of stubborn efforts to wring from Mr。
Gladstone some definite statement upon the question。 It was
useless。 On July 31st； Lord Hartington did the deed。 He stated
that； unless an expedition was sent； he would resign。 It was； he
said； 'a question of personal honour and good faith； and I don't
see how I can yield upon it'。 His conscience had worked itself to
rest at last。
When Mr。 Gladstone read the words； he realised that the game was
over。 Lord Hartington's position in the Liberal Party was second
only to his own； he was the leader of the rich and powerful Whig
aristocracy； his influence with the country was immense。 Nor was
he the man to make idle threats of resignation； he had said he
would resign； and resign he would： the collapse of the Government
would be the inevitable result。 On August 5th； therefore；
Parliament was asked to make a grant of ￡300；000； in order 'to
enable Her Majesty's Government to undertake operations for the
relief of General Gordon； should they become necessary'。 The
money was voted； and even then； at that last hour； Mr。 Gladstone
made another； final； desperate twist。 Trying to save himself by
the proviso which he had inserted into the resolution； he
declared that he was still unconvinced of the necessity of any
operations at all。 'I nearly；' he wrote to Lord Hartington； 'but
not quite； adopt words received today from Granville。 〃It is
clear； I think； that Gordon has our messages； and does not choose
to answer them。〃' Nearly； but not quite！ The qualification was
masterly； but it was of no avail。 This time； the sinuous creature
was held by too firm a grasp。 On August 26th； Lord Wolseley was
appointed to command the relief expedition； and on September 9th；
he arrived in Egypt。
The relief expedition had begun； and at the same moment a new
phase opened at Khartoum。 The annual rising of the Nile was now
sufficiently advanced to enable one of Gordon's small steamers to
pass over the cataracts down to Egypt in safety。 He determined to
seize the opportunity of laying before the authorities in Cairo
and London； and the English public at large； an exact account of
his position。 A cargo of documents； including Colonel Stewart's
Diary of the siege and a personal appeal for assistance addressed
by Gordon to all the European powers； was placed on board the
Abbas； four other steamers were to accompany her until she was
out of danger from attacks by the Mahdi's troops； after which；
she was to proceed alone into Egypt。 On the evening of September
9th； just as she was about to start； the English and French
Consuls asked for permission to go with hera permission which
Gordon； who had long been anxious to provide for their safety；
readily granted。 Then Colonel Stewart made the same request； and
Gordon consented with the same alacrity。
Colonel Stewart was the second…in…command at Khartoum； and it
seems strange that he should have made a proposal which would
leave Gordon in a position of the gravest anxiety without a
single European subordinate。 But his motives were to be veiled
forever in a tragic obscurity。 The Abbas and her convoy set out。
Henceforward the Governor…General was alone。 He had now；
definitely and finally； made his decision。 Colonel Stewart and
his companions had gone； with every prospect of returning
unharmed to civilisation。 Mr。 Gladstone's belief was justified；
so far as Gordon's personal safety was concerned； he might still；
at this late hour； have secured it。 But he had chosen he stayed
at Khartoum。
No sooner were the steamers out of sight than he sat down at his
writing…table and began that daily record of his circumstances；
his reflections； and his feelings； which reveals to us； with such
an authentic exactitude； the final period of his extraordinary
destiny。 His Journals； sent down the river in batches to await
the coming of the relief expedition； and addressed； first to
Colonel Stewart； and later to the 'Chief of Staff； Sudan
Expeditionary Force'； were official documents； intended for
publication； though； as Gordon himself was careful to note on the
outer covers； they would 'want pruning out' b