Not a feature of the ambassador's smooth face changed.
"I find it only natural that the Prussian people should wish to pluck the richest fruits of a war in which their whole force," he said, with a slight emphasis, "was sent to the battle-field. But the wishes of the people are often different from the views of princes and governments. You are as much convinced as myself," he continued, in a lower voice, "that every period has its peculiar political maxims and views. To-day, for example, they are different from what they were in the time of Frederick the Great; it was then held right to keep what you had taken. At that time interests and demands were not so moderate as at present."
A slight frown appeared between Count Bismarck's eyebrows.
"Well," he said, with a smile, and in a calm voice, "I think Frederick the Great found it not so easy to keep what he had taken; that political maxim was practised on a large scale in the beginning of the present century by Napoleon I."
"That was the great fault of the founder of our imperial dynasty," said Benedetti, "at last it armed the whole of Europe against him; I am able to say this candidly, when I reflect on the wise moderation the emperor, my sovereign, has ever shown, when at the head of victorious armies, and the care with which he has avoided this mistake of his great uncle."
Count Bismarck looked for a moment thoughtfully before him.
"You know," he then said, with perfect frankness, "how important I deem our good understanding with France; the emperor knows it too, and particularly at this moment I would on no account even appear to have neglected the wishes or interests of France, or to have refused her advice. The good understanding of Prussia,--of Germany with France, the adjustment of the political requirements and necessities on both sides, the peaceful and friendly intercourse between the two countries, is in my opinion the first condition, for the peace and balance of power in Europe. Let us then discuss the situation calmly and with perfect candour. I can only repeat to you," he said, raising his piercing eyes and fixing them upon the ambassador, "that the increase of Prussia's power by the acquisition of the hostile states appears to me an absolute necessity. Do you think," he proceeded, "that the emperor will deem it needful for the interests of France to oppose these acquisitions?"
Benedetti hesitated for a moment before answering this direct question.
"The emperor has already," he then said, "recognized the necessity of arrangements for uniting the two separate halves of the Prussian monarchy, and this necessity I feel convinced he would now be less inclined than ever to deny. Whether the complete annexation of German states, whose rights were guaranteed by the rest of Europe, is absolutely needful, must be a matter of opinion, but I do not think the emperor will have any other view than for you to carry out your own ideas, and if he does not share, he will not contradict them."
Count Bismarck bowed his head approvingly.