Grey, I have good reason to think, did not consider that Russia would
fight. He erred with that great number of educated Germans who thought
the sword had only to be rattled a little more loudly in the scabbard
for Russia to weaken, and for Germany to gain, without cost, the supreme
object of her policy--_an increasing ascendancy in the Balkans_. But
this time Russia was ready, and this time Lord Carnock knew Russia would
fight. I am not sure that Lord Carnock was not the only statesman in
Europe who possessed this knowledge--the knowledge on which everything
hung.

It is easy for thoughtless people, either in their hatred or love of
Bolshevism, to forget that the old Russia saved France from destruction
and made a greater sacrifice of her noblest life than any other nation
in the great struggle. The first Russian armies, composed of the very
flower of her manhood, fought with a matchless heroism, and, so
fighting, delivered France from an instant defeat.

Lord Carnock may justly be said to have prepared Russia for this
ordeal--for a true friend helps as well as gives good advice. But it
would be a total misjudgment of his character which saw in this great
work a clever stroke of diplomatic skill.

Lord Carnock was inspired by a moral principle. He saw that Russia was
tempting the worst passions of Germany by her weakness. He felt this
weakness to be unworthy of a country whose intellectual achievements
were so great as Russia's. He had no enmity at all against the Germans.
He saw their difficulties, but regretted the spirit in which they were
attempting to deal with those difficulties--a spirit hateful to a nature
so gentle and a mind so honourable.