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第73章

eminent victorians-第73章

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'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

collect all the people you can on the lines; and make a good

stand。 Now leave me to smoke these cigarettes。' Bordeini Bey knew

then; he tells us; that Gordon Pasha was in despair。 He left the

room; having looked upon the Governor…General for the last time。



When the English force reached Metemmah; the Mahdi; who had

originally intended to reduce Khartoum to surrender through

starvation; decided to attempt its capture by assault。 The

receding Nile had left one portion of the town's circumference

undefended; as the river withdrew; the rampart had crumbled; a

broad expanse of mud was left between the wall and the water; and

the soldiers; overcome by hunger and the lassitude of

hopelessness; had trusted to the morass to protect them; and

neglected to repair the breach。 Early on the morning of the 26th;

the Arabs crossed the river at this point。 The mud; partially

dried up; presented no obstacle; nor did the ruined


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