Does not kill me, none will kill me, and if He
says, 'You must die,' none can save me: remember the history of
Hezekiah and Sennacherib." Theodore appeared very calm and composed
during that conversation. Two days afterwards he said to some of
his workmen, "I long for the day I shall have the pleasure of seeing
a disciplined European army. I am like Simeon; he was old, but
before he died he rejoiced his heart by holding the Saviour in his
arms. I am old, too; but I hope God will spare me to see them before
I die. My soldiers are nothing compared to a disciplined army,
where thousands obey the command of one man." Evidently he still
entertained some vague hope that the coming event might turn to his
advantage, as on another occasion he said to Mr. Waldmeier, "We
have a prophecy in our country that a European king will meet an
Abyssinian one, and that afterwards a king will reign in Abyssinia
greater than any before him. That prophecy is going to be fulfilled
at the present time; but I do not know whether I am the king alluded
to, or if it is some one else."
We were delighted at the receipt of this intelligence; for a long
time we believed that Theodore knew of the landing of our troops,
but as he had never made any mention of the fact we still had our
doubts on the subject, and were somewhat in dread of his first burst
of passion on the intelligence reaching him.
On the 15th of February a letter from the Commander-in-Chief addressed
to Theodore was brought to us by the messenger to whom it had been
entrusted, as he was afraid of handing it over to his Majesty
himself. This placed us in a difficult position; though as regarded
the Amharic translation, it was perhaps as well that it had not
reached Theodore, as that version, on some important points, gave
a totally different meaning from that of the letter itself. I was
quite delighted at listening to the Commander-in-Chief's manly and
straightforward language. The letter was as firm as it was courteous,
and I felt happy and proud, even in my captivity, that at last an
English general had torn asunder the veil of false humility which
for so long a time had concealed the bold and haughty spirit of
England. We felt strengthened by the conviction that the hour was
come when right and might would prevail, and the merciless despot
who had acted towards us with such unheard-of treachery would meet
his fate.
According to the latest news we had received from the Imperial camp,
Theodore did not seem inclined to vent upon us his disappointment
and anger at seeing all his plans frustrated by the landing of an
English army; it was therefore decided to keep for the present the
important and valuable document that had so accidentally fallen
into our hands, as a powerful weapon to use, should a change take
place in the line of conduct Theodore had adopted since he was made
conversant of the fact that force was at last resorted to to effect
our deliverance:
