her military power, united to that of her allies, will be worth as much
as ours. It is better to strike a powerful blow now. It is necessary to
take advantage of this opportunity. . . . War. Preventive war!"

All his clan were listening in silence. Some did not appear to feel the
contagion of his enthusiasm. War! . . . In imagination they saw their
business paralyzed, their agencies bankrupt, the banks cutting down
credit . . . a catastrophe more frightful to them than the slaughters
of battles. But they applauded with nods and grunts all of Erckmann's
ferocious demonstrations. He was a Herr Rath, and an officer besides.
He must be in the secrets of the destiny of his country, and that was
enough to make them drink silently to the success of the war.

Julio thought that the Counsellor and his admirers must be drunk. "Look
here, Captain," he said in a conciliatory tone, "what you say lacks
logic. How could war possibly be acceptable to industrial Germany? Every
moment its business is increasing, every month it conquers a new
market and every year its commercial balance soars upward in unheard of
proportions. Sixty years ago, it had to man its boats with Berlin
hack drivers arrested by the police. Now its commercial fleets and war
vessels cross all oceans, and there is no port where the German merchant
marine does not occupy the greatest part of the docks. It would only be
necessary to continue living in this way, to put yourselves beyond the
exigencies of war! Twenty years more of peace, and the Germans would be
lords of the world's commerce, conquering England, the former mistress
of the seas, in a bloodless struggle. And are they going to risk all
this--like a gambler who stakes his entire fortune on a single card--in
a struggle that might result unfavorably?" . . .

"No, war," insisted the Counsellor furiously, "preventive war. We live