volt were
the Arab slave dealers, furious at the attempted suppression of their
trade. No one, not even Sir Samuel Baker, had tried harder to suppress
it than Gordon. Lastly, the whole movement had assumed a fanatical
character. Islam marched against the infidel. Gordon was a Christian.
His own soldiers were under the spell they were to try to destroy. To
them their commander was accursed. Every influence was hostile, and in
particular hostile to his person. The combined forces of race, class,
and religion were against him. He bowed before their irresistible
strength. On the very day of his arrival at Khartoum, while the
townsfolk were cheering his name in the streets and the batteries were
firing joyful salutes, while the people of England thought his mission
already accomplished and the Government congratulated themselves on the
wisdom of their action, General Gordon sat himself down and telegraphed
a formal request to Cairo for Zubehr Pasha.

The whole story of his relations with Zubehr is extremely
characteristic. Zubehr's son, Suliman, had been executed, if not by
Gordon's orders, at least during his administration of the Soudan and
with his complete approval. 'Thus,' he had said, 'does God make gaps in
the ranks of His enemies.' He had hardly started from London on his
new mission, when he telegraphed to Sir Evelyn Baring, telling him that
Zubehr was a most dangerous man and requesting that he might be at once
deported to Cyprus. This was, of course, quite beyond the powers or
intention of the British Agent. The General arrived in Cairo like a
whirlwind close behind his telegram, and was very angry to hear that
Zubehr was still in Egypt. Before starting up the river he went to see
Sherif Pasha. In the ex-Minister's ante-room he met the very man he had
determined to avoid--Zubehr. He greeted him with effusion. They had a
long talk about the Soudan, after which Gordon hurried to the Agency and
informed Sir Evelyn Baring that Zubehr must accompany him to Khartoum at
once. Baring was amazed. He did not himself disapprove of the plan.
He had, in fact, already recommended it. But he thought the change in
Gordon's attitude too sudden to be relied on. To-morrow he might change
again. He begged the General to think more seriously of the matter.
Gordon with his usual frankness admitted that his change of mind had
been very sudden. He had been conscious, he said, of a 'mystic feeling'
that Zubehr was necessary to save the si