"Have you seen this article from the 'Journal de St.-Pétersbourg'?" asked the emperor, handing his secretary the paper he had received from Drouyn de Lhuys.
"I have," replied Piétri, after glancing at it hastily; "I had it ready to present to your majesty."
"All goes on excellently," said the emperor, rubbing his hands. "We must increase this difficulty arising for the victor of Königgrätz in the East as much as possible. I have ordered Talleyrand to dwell upon the identity of the French and Russian interests."
Piétri bowed.
The emperor slightly turned the points of his moustache.
"You might write to him quite confidentially," he proceeded, "saying that there is no intention of allowing the idea to transpire hastily; but that since 1854 and 1856, the European situation has much changed, and that now an understanding between France and Russia upon the Eastern question would, perhaps, be possible and desirable. Should a common policy facilitate the arrangement of the German difficulty, a revision of the Treaty of Paris would probably not be refused here. But this must be quite private," he said, with emphasis, "engaging us to nothing, and in the strictest confidence."
"Very good, it shall be done at once," said Piétri.
"Sire," he said, after waiting for a moment, during which the emperor was silent, "Herr Klindworth is here, and wishes to see your majesty."
"Klindworth?" cried the emperor, laughing, "that old stormy petrel could not keep out of a crisis which has raised such a tempest in European policy. What does he want?"
"He comes from Vienna, and wants to impart to your majesty much that is interesting."