The conversation turned upon the cost of maintaining Napoleon at Wilhelmshöhe, which is stated to be something enormous. On this the Chief remarked: “It is at the Queen’s instance that Napoleon has been allowed to maintain a Court at the King’s expense. His Majesty had only proposed to give him one domestic who was to keep watch over him. But he himself observed to me that women are always addicted to extravagance.”
Mention was made of General Ducrot, who was taken prisoner at Sedan, and who, being allowed greater liberty on pledging his word not to escape, disgraced himself by absconding on the way to Germany. The Chief remarked: “When one catches scoundrels of that kind who have broken their word (of course, I don’t blame those who get away without it) they ought to be strung up in their red breeches with the word Parjure written on one leg, and Infâme on the other. In the meantime that must be put in its proper light in the press. The fellow must be shown up.” The barbarous manner in which the French were conducting the war having been again referred to, the Minister said: “If you peel the white hide off that sort of Gaul you will find a Turco under it.”
Added later.—Von Suckow, the Würtemberg Minister of war, has been a considerable time with the Chief to-day, and it is understood that the German cause is making excellent progress amongst the Suabians. Things appear to be going less well in Bavaria, where the Minister, Bray, seems to be as hostile to the national cause as he well can be in the present circumstances.
Monday, September 19th.—It is said to be certain that Favre will arrive here to-day at noon for the purpose of negotiating with the Chief. He will have fine weather for his business. About 10 o’clock Count Bismarck-Bohlen comes from the Chief. We are to start immediately for the Château of Ferrières, four or five hours’ journey from here. So we pack up in all haste.
CHAPTER VIII
BISMARCK AND FAVRE AT HAUTE-MAISON—A FORTNIGHT IN ROTHSCHILD’S CHÂTEAU
Jules Favre not having arrived up to midday on the 19th of September, our party started. The Minister, however, left a letter for Favre at the Mairie, and told a servant to mention the fact to him in case he came. The Chief and the Councillors rode on ahead of the carriages, of which I had one entirely to myself. We first passed by the residence of the King, who was quartered in a handsome château on the Promenade, and between the villages of Mareuil and Montry we met a two-horse hackney, in which a Prussian officer sat with three civilians. One of the latter was an elderly gentleman with a grey beard and a protruding under lip. “That’s Favre,” I said to Kruger, the Chancery attendant who sat behind me. “Where is the Minister?” He was not to be seen, but had probably gone on before us, and the long train of conveyances cut off our view in front. We drove on rapidly, and after a while I met the Chief and Keudell riding back in the opposite direction.
“Favre has driven by, Excellency,” I said.
“I know,” he replied, smiling, and trotted on.
Next day Count Hatzfeldt gave us some particulars of the meeting between the Chancellor of the Confederation and the Parisian lawyer, now one of the rulers of France. The Minister, Count Hatzfeldt and Keudell were half an hour ahead of us when Hofrath Taglioni, who drove with the King’s suite, told them that Favre had passed by. He had come by another route and had only reached its junction with our road after the Chief had ridden by. The Minister was very angry at not having been sooner informed of this. Hatzfeldt galloped after Favre, with whom he returned, finally meeting the Chief at Montry. Here the attention of the Minister was called to the little château of Haute-Maison, situated on a height some ten minutes from the village, as a suitable place for the interview with the Frenchman. There the party found two Würtemberg dragoons, one of whom was instructed to take his carbine and mount guard before the house. They also met there a French peasant, who looked as if he had just received a good thrashing. While our people were asking this man whether it was possible to get anything to eat or drink, Favre, who had gone into the house with the Chancellor, came out for a moment and addressed his countryman in a speech full of pathos and noble sentiments. Disorderly attacks had been made, he said, which must be stopped. He, Favre, was not a spy, but, on the contrary, a member of the new government which had undertaken to defend the interests of the country and which represented its dignity. In the name of international law and of the honour of France he called upon him to keep watch, and to see that the place was held sacred. That was imperatively demanded by his, the statesman’s, honour, as well as by that of the peasant, and so forth. The honest rustic looked particularly silly as he listened open-mouthed to all this high falutin, which he evidently understood as little as if it were so much Greek. Keudell remarked, “If this is the individual who is to preserve us from a surprise, I for my part prefer to trust to the sentry.”