are now in a position to take revenge for the humiliation which we then
endured, probably out of excessive prudence. If we inscribe the word
FASHODA on the tricolour there will not be in the whole of France a man
capable of bearing arms who will not follow our lead with enthusiasm."
It appeared to me to be politic to assure myself whether the Government
or the inspired press would not perhaps promise the people the recovery
of Alsace-Lorraine as the price of a victorious issue of the war. But
the Minister replied decidedly, "No. The question of Alsace-Lorraine,"
he declared, "must remain outside our view as soon as we make up our
minds to go in for practical politics. Nothing could possibly be more
fatal than to rouse bad blood in Germany. For the German Emperor is the
tongue of the balance in which the destinies of the world are weighed.
England in her own esteem has nothing to fear from him. She regards him
more as an Englishman than a German. Her confidence in this respect must
not be disturbed; it forms one of the props on which British arrogance
supports itself. The everlasting assurances of the German Emperor, that
he intends peace and nothing but peace, appear, of course, to confirm
the correctness of this view. But I am certain that the Emperor
William's love of peace has its limits where the welfare and the
security of Germany are seriously jeopardised. In spite of his impulsive
temperament, he is not the ruler to allow himself to be influenced
by every expression of popular clamour, and to be driven by every
ebullition of public feeling, to embark on a decisive course of action.
But he is far-seeing enough to discern at the right moment a real
danger, and to meet it with the whole force of his personality. I do
not, therefore, look upon the hope of gaining him for an ally as a
Utopian dream, and I trust that Russian diplomacy will join with ours
in bringing this alliance about. A war with England without Germany's
support would always be a hazardous enterprise. Of course we are
prepared to embark upon such a war, alike for our friendship with Russia