Ube Eai'l of CavDtaan 245 



Quixotic exaltation. His blue, frank-looking genial 

 eyes revealed none of the narrowness of disposition 

 which I have thought myself obliged to ascribe to him. 

 As might be supposed, he had an excellent cavalry seat, 

 and was erect — but also stiff — in the saddle. He wore 

 the uniform of his old regiment, the nth Hussars; but, 

 instead of dangling loose from the shoulders, his pelisse 

 — richly burdened in front with gold lace — was worn 

 closely put on, like a coat, and did not at all break 

 or mitigate the rigid outline of his figure. The charger 

 he rode was a thoroughbred chestnut, with marks of a 

 kind visible from afar, which in controversy it may be 

 well to remember. On the near side before, as well 

 as on the near side behind, the horse had one white 

 leg.' 



Even Cardigan's detractors are compelled to admit 

 that he led that charge in perfect style. He never for 

 a moment lost his coolness and nerve. Once, he laid his 

 sword across the breast of an excited officer, who wished 

 to quicken the pace, and said, ' Stay, sir ; how dare you 

 attempt to ride before your commanding officer ? ' He 

 regulated the pace of the charge as calmly and methodi- 

 cally as if he were on the review ground or in the 

 hunting-field. ' Lord Cardigan's valour,' says Kinglake, 

 ' was not at all of the wild, heedless kind, but the result 

 of strong determination. Even from his way of riding 

 to hounds, it was visible, they say, that the boldness he 

 evinced was that of a resolute man with a set purpose.' 

 As, ever in front, he led his men with unflinching firmness 

 into the storm of shot and shell, he must have realised 

 what a ' forlorn hope ' he was engaged upon, and what 

 small chance there was of any of those who rode down 

 that valley of death ever returning alive. But his duty 



