reconciliation with Germany will soon become more popular than the
Russian Alliance."


The Berlin correspondent of the same _Étoile_ wrote--


"Germany has at least as much as England to gain in bringing it about
that Russia should not feel too sure of French support."


Is not this clear enough? There you have it: the real object which
underlay the visit incognito of the Empress Frederick for the furtherance
of the interests of Germany, It meant a reconciliation with Germany,
which would have separated us from Russia, from which England had
everything to gain, which would once more have surrendered our credit to
Italy unconditionally, and would have compelled us to renounce
Alsace-Lorraine for good and all.

What then would have been the results had she paid us an official visit?
We have already seen that none of the alternative schemes for this
journey could work to Germany's detriment; we need, therefore, not be
astonished at the publicity given by the Count von Münster to all the
comings and goings of the Empress, and at the determination shown by Her
Majesty to investigate the quality of our patriotism in all its various
aspects. The memories which the Empress went to recall at Saint-Cloud
and at Versailles were the same as those which she compelled us to call
from the past: memories glorious for her but unforgettably sad for us,
memories which, in reminding her of victory, were meant to remind us of a
defeat to which our conquerors have added cruelty.