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river…bed。 In the end； he himself came to recognise this。 'When
you have got the ink that has soaked into blotting…paper out of
it；' he said； 'then slavery will cease in these lands。' And yet
he struggled desperately on； it was not for him to murmur。 'I
feel my own weakness； and look to Him who is Almighty； and I
leave the issue without inordinate care to Him。'
Relief came at last。 The Khedive Ismail was deposed； and Gordon
felt at liberty to send in his resignation。 Before he left
Egypt； however； he was to experience yet one more remarkable
adventure。 At his own request； he set out on a diplomatic
mission to the Negus of Abyssinia。 The mission was a complete
failure。 The Negus was intractable； and； when his bribes were
refused； furious。 Gordon was ignominiously dismissed； every
insult was heaped on him； he was arrested； and obliged to
traverse the Abyssinian Mountains in the depth of winter under
the escort of a savage troop of horse。 When； after great
hardships and dangers； he reached Cairo； he found the whole
official world up in arms against him。 The Pashas had determined
at last that they had no further use for this honest and peculiar
Englishman。 It was arranged that one of his confidential
dispatches should be published in the newspapers； naturally； it
contained indiscretions； there was a universal outcry the man
was insubordinate； and mad。 He departed under a storm of obloquy。
It seemed impossible that he should ever return to Egypt。
On his way home he stopped in Paris； saw the English Ambassador；
Lord Lyons； and speedily came into conflict with him over
Egyptian
affairs。 There ensued a heated correspondence； which was finally
closed by a letter from Gordon； ending as follows： 'I have some
comfort in thinking that in ten or fifteen years' time it will
matter
little to either of us。 A black box； six feet six by three feet
wide；
will then contain all that is left of Ambassador； or Cabinet
Minister；
or of your humble and obedient servant。'
He arrived in England early in 1880 ill and exhausted； and it
might have been supposed that after the terrible activities of
his African exile he would have been ready to rest。 But the very
opposite was the case； the next three years were the most
momentous of his life。 He hurried from post to post； from
enterprise to enterprise； from continent to continent； with a
vertiginous rapidity。 He accepted the Private Secretaryship to
Lord Ripon； the new Viceroy of India； and； three days after his
arrival at Bombay； he resigned。 He had suddenly realised that he
was not cut out for a Private Secretary； when； on an address
being sent in from some deputation； he was asked to say that the
Viceroy had read it with interest。 'You know perfectly；' he said
to Lord William Beresford； 'that Lord Ripon has never read it；
and I can't say that sort of thing； so I will resign； and you
take in my resignation。' He confessed to Lord William that the
world was not big enough for him； that there was 'no king or
country big enough'； and then he added； hitting him on the
shoulder； 'Yes； that is flesh； that is what I hate； and what
makes me wish to die。'
Two days later； he was off for Pekin。 'Every one will say I am
mad；' were his last words to Lord William Beresford； 'but you say
I am not。' The position in China was critical； war with Russia
appeared to be imminent； and Gordon had been appealed to in
order to use his influence on the side of peace。 He was welcomed
by many old friends of former days； among them Li Hung Chang；
whose diplomatic views coincided with his own。 Li's diplomatic
language； however； was less unconventional。 In an interview with
the Ministers； Gordon's expressions were such that the
interpreter
shook with terror； upset a cup of tea； and finally refused to
translate
the dreadful words； upon which Gordon snatched up a dictionary；
and；
with his finger on the word 'idiocy'； showed it to the startled
Mandarins。
A few weeks later； Li Hung Chang was in power； and peace was
assured。
Gordon had spent two and a half days in Pekin； and was whirling
through
China； when a telegram arrived from the home authorities； who
viewed his movements with uneasiness； ordering him to return at
once to England。 'It did not produce a twitter in me；' he wrote
to his sister； 'I died long ago； and it will not make any
difference to me； I am prepared to follow the unrolling of the
scroll。' The world； perhaps； was not big enough for him； and yet
how clearly he recognised that he was 'a poor insect！' 'My heart
tells me that； and I am glad of it。'
On his return to England； he telegraphed to the Government of the
Cape of Good Hope； which had become involved in a war with the
Basutos； offering his services； but his telegram received no
reply。 Just then； Sir Howard Elphinstone was appointed to the
command of the Royal Engineers in Mauritius。 it was a thankless
and insignificant post； and； rather than accept it； Elphinstone
was prepared to retire from the Army unless some other officer
could be induced； in return for ￡800； to act as his substitute。
Gordon； who was an old friend； agreed to undertake the work upon
one condition： that he should receive nothing from Elphinstone；
and accordingly； he spent the next year in that remote and
unhealthy island； looking after the barrack repairs and testing
the drains。
While he was thus engaged； the Cape Government； whose
difficulties
had been increasing； changed its mind； and early in 1882； begged
for
Gordon's help。 Once more he was involved in great affairs： a new
field
of action opened before him； and then； in a moment； there was
another
shift of the kaleidoscope； and again he was thrown upon the
world。 Within
a few weeks； after a violent quarrel with the Cape authorities；
his mission
had come to an end。 What should he do next？ To what remote corner
or what
enormous stage； to what self…sacrificing drudgeries or what
resounding
exploits； would the hand of God lead him now？ He waited； in an
odd hesitation。
He opened the Bible； but neither the prophecies of Hosea nor the
epistles
to Timothy gave him any advice。 The King of the Belgians asked if
he would
be willing to go to the Congo。 He was perfectly willing； he would
go whenever
the King of the Belgians sent for him； his services； however；
were not required
yet。 It was at this juncture that he betook himself to Palestine。
His studies
there were embodied in a correspondence with the Rev。 Mr。 Barnes；
filling over
2；000 pages of manuscript a correspondence which was only put
an end to
when； at last； the summons from the King of the Belgians came。 He
hurried back to England； but it was not to the Congo that he was
being led by the hand of God。
Gordon's last great adventure； like his first； was occasioned by
a religious revolt。 At the very moment when； apparently forever；
he was shaking the dust of Egypt from his feet； Mahommed Ahmed
was starting upon his extraordinary career in the Sudan。 The time
was propitious for revolutions。 The effete Egyptian Empire was
hovering upon the verge of collapse。 The enormous territories of
the Sudan were seething with discontent。 Gordon's administration
had； by its very vigour； only helped to precipitate the
inevitable disaster。 His attacks upon the slave…trade； his
establishment of a government monopoly in ivory； his hostility to
the Egyptian officials； had been so many shocks； shaking to its
foundations the whole rickety machine。 The result of all his
efforts had been； on the one hand； to fill the most powerful
classes in the community the dealers in slaves and； ivory
with
a hatred of the government； and on the other to awaken among the
mass of the inhabitants a new perception of the dishonesty and
incompetence of their Egyptian masters。
When； after Gordon's removal； the rule of the Pashas once more
asserted
itself over the Sudan； a general combustion became inevitable：
the first
spark would set off the blaze。 Just then it happened that
Mahommed Ahmed；
the son of an insignificant priest in Dongola； having quarrelled
with the
Sheikh from whom he was receiving religious instruction； set up
as an
independent preacher； with his headquarters at Abba Island； on
the Nile；
150 miles above Khartoum。 Like Hong…siu…tsuen； he began as a
religious
reformer； and ended as a rebel king。 It was his mission； he
declared； to
purge the true Faith of its worldliness and corruptions； to lead
the followers of the prophet into the paths of chastity；
simplicity； and holiness； with the puritanical zeal of a Calvin；
be denounced junketings and merrymakings； songs and dances； lewd
living and all the delights of the flesh。 He fell into trances；
he saw visions； he saw t