The conversation then turned on Roon’s asthma, which according to Lauer is now improving. His rage at the appearance of the Grand Duke during the dinner hour still visibly affected the Chief, who asked Lauer, “What should one drink with marena when in a bad temper?” and on Lauer recommending something the name of which I could not catch, the Minister continued: “It upsets my digestion when anything exasperates me at meals; and here I have had good reason to be angry. They think that one is only made for their use.” Then addressing the servant again the Chief said: “Mind you send away the red lackeys, and say that I am not at home. Remember that! And you, Karl (to Bohlen), must take care that this is done.”
The name of Arnim Boitzenburg, the former Minister, then came up. The Chancellor said he had been his chief at Aix-la-Chapelle, and he went on to describe him as “amiable, clever, but unstable and incapable of persistent or energetic action. He was like an india-rubber ball that bounces again and again, but each time with diminishing force until at length it ceases to move. He first had an opinion, then weakened it by arguing against it himself, and went on criticising his own criticism, until at last there was nothing left and nothing done.”
Delbrück praised the son-in-law (Harry Arnim) as being well-informed and intelligent, though unsympathetic and unambitious. This was confirmed by the Chief, who said: “Yes, he is a rocket in which they forgot to put in the powder. He has, however, a good head, but his reports are not the same on any two successive days—often on the same day two thoroughly contradictory views. No reliance can be placed upon him.”
Arnim’s lack of ambition led some one to speak of orders and titles, and the Chief said his first decoration was a medal for saving life, which he received for having rescued a servant from drowning. “I was made an ‘Excellency’ at the palace in Königsberg in 1861. I however, already had the title in Frankfurt, only there I was not a Prussian but a Federal Excellency. The German Princes had decided that each Minister to the Diet should have that title. For the matter of that I did not trouble myself much about it—nor afterwards either—I was a distinguished man without it.”
Sunday, November 13th.—The Chancellor, in a general’s uniform and helmet, and wearing several orders, went to-day to dine with the King. As he was leaving, Bohlen said to him: “But you ought to have the ribbon of the Iron Cross in your button-hole.”
“It is there already,” replied the Minister. “In other circumstances I should not wear it. I am ashamed before my own sons and many others who have earned it but not got it, while all the loafers at headquarters swagger about with it.”
In the evening the Chancellor desired me to send a démenti of a false report published by the Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung, to the effect that Count Arnim paid a visit to headquarters before his departure for Rome. The Chief at the same time remarked: “I have told you more than once that you must not write so violently. Here you are again, speaking of ‘hallucination’ (in correction of an article by Archibald Forbes in the Daily News). Why not be civil? I, too, have to be civil. Always this carping, malignant style! You must learn to write differently if you want to work in such a distinguished Foreign Office, or we must make other arrangements. And such a bullying style! Just like Brass, who might have had a brilliant position if he were not so brutal.” “Hallucination” was the word used by the Minister himself; but in future I shall be careful to sift my phrases so as to eliminate all rough words and only let soft ones find their way into the press.
Hatzfeldt told me at tea that the Chief had also “carried on awfully” with him, adding that if he remained in such a temper for long he (Hatzfeldt) would think of leaving. The Count will, however, in all probability, take plenty of time to reconsider this matter.
Tuesday, November 15th.—The Chief is still unwell. Theiss reports that the Court have their things ready packed to-day, and this is confirmed at lunch. The position of affairs between here and Orleans is not as good as it might be. The Minister also on sitting down to table mentions the possibility of our having to retire, and evacuate Versailles for a time. There might be an attack from Dreux combined with a sortie on a large scale from Paris. He had repeatedly spoken of that possibility to members of the general staff. Even a layman could see that a successful attempt of that kind in which not only the Court and general staff but also the heavy siege guns would be in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy, must be the sole chance of relieving Paris, and that the French, therefore, may well hazard the attempt.