At eight o'clock in the evening, there was a
little gathering of elderly gentlemen at Victoria Station.
Gordon, accompanied by Colonel Stewart, who was to act as his
second-in-command, tripped on to the platform. Lord Granville
bought the necessary tickets; the Duke of Cambridge opened the
railway-carriage door. The General jumped into the train; and
then Lord Wolseley appeared, carrying a leather bag, in which was
?200 in gold, collected from friends at the last moment for the
contingencies of the journey. The bag was handed through the
window. The train started. As it did so, Gordon leaned out and
addressed a last whispered question to Lord Wolseley. Yes, it had
been done. Lord Wolseley had seen to it himself; next morning,
every member of the Cabinet would receive a copy of Dr. Samuel
Clarke's Scripture Promises. That was all. The train rolled out
of the station.
Before the travellers reached Cairo, steps had been taken which
finally put an end to the theory-- if it had ever been seriously
held-- that the purpose of the mission was simply the making of a
report. On the very day of Gordon's departure, Lord Granville
telegraphed to Sir Evelyn Baring as follows: 'Gordon suggests
that it may be announced in Egypt that he is on his way to
Khartoum to arrange for the future settlement of the Sudan for
the best advantage of the people.
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