the Redan
had been stopped by solid rock; the French approaches to the Little
Redan, now only forty yards from it, had also got into soil so stony as
no longer to afford cover. The most advanced approach to the Malakoff
was separated from it by only twenty-five yards; in the soft soil the
trenches might have been pushed to the very edge of the ditch, but only
with great loss, and, besides, the facility of mining below them would
increase as the distance lessened. It was therefore deemed that the time
for assault had come, and it only remained to determine the details.

Accordingly, a council of war considered the matter. After the members
had delivered their opinions, Pelissier expressed himself thus: "I too
have my plan, but I will not breathe it to my pillow." There is,
however, no need to be so reticent with the reader. The French commander
had learned that the relief of the troops in the works before him took
place at noon, and that in order to avoid the great additional loss
which would be caused by introducing the new garrisons before the old
ones moved out, the contrary course was followed of marching out most of
the occupants before replacing them. Thus noon was the time when the
Malakoff would be found most destitute of defenders, and noon was to be
the hour of the assault. Also another advantage was offered to the
French. The salient of the Malakoff had been adapted to the form of the
tower which it covered, and was therefore circular; consequently there
was a space in it which could not be seen or fired on from the flanks;
that was the space upon which the troops were to be directed.

Roadways twenty yards wide were made through the trenches, and then
masked by gabions, easily thrown down, by which the reserves could be
brought up in the shortest time. The Malakoff, the curtain, and the
Little Redan were each to be attacked by a division, supported by a
brigade; and four divisions, with other troops, were destined to attack
the central bastion and works near it, and break thence by the rear,
into the flagstaff bastion. But first the cannonade was to be renewed.
It began on September 5th, and this time it encircled the whole
fortress, the French batteries before the town opening no less
vigorously than the rest. At night a frigate in the harbor was set on
fire by a shell, and the conflagration for hours lighted up the
surrounding scenery. On the 6th and 7th the _feu d'enfer_ went on, the
Russians replying but