Hatzfeldt said that Moltke had written to Trochu telling him how affairs stood at Orleans, and expressing his readiness to allow one of Trochu’s officers to satisfy himself of the truth of his statement. He would be furnished with a safe conduct to Orleans. The Chief said: “I know that. But he should not have done so. They ought to find that out for themselves. Our lines are now thin at various points, and they have also a pigeon post. They will only imagine we are in a hurry to get them to capitulate.”
Tuesday, December 6th.—In the morning I telegraphed to Berlin and London more detailed particulars of the victory at Orleans. Then wrote articles for the Moniteur and the German papers on the way in which French officers interned in Germany are breaking their parole. So long as this unworthy conduct receives approval and encouragement from the Government of National Defence, it is impossible for us to carry on any negotiations with it.
Dr. Lauer and Odo Russell dined with us to-day. The conversation was not of particular interest. We had, however, a delicious Palatine wine—Deidesheimer Hofstück and Forster Kirchenstück, a noble juice, rich in all virtues, fragrant, and fiery. Aus Feuer ward der Geist erschaffen. Even Bucher, who usually drinks only red wine, did justice to this heavenly dew from the Haardt Hills.
I afterwards wrote an article in which I politely expressed surprise at the brazen impudence with which Grammont reminds the world of his existence in the Brussels Gaulois. He who, through his unparalleled ineptitude, has brought so much misery upon France, should, like his colleague Ollivier, have hidden himself in silence and been glad to be forgotten. Or, inspired by his ancient name, he should have joined the army and fought for his country, so as in some degree to expiate the wrong he has done it. Instead of doing anything of the kind, however, he dares to remind the world that he still lives, and once conducted the foreign policy of France. “A blockhead, a coward, an impudent fellow!” said the Chief, when he instructed me to write this article. “You can use the strongest expressions in dealing with him.”
CHAPTER XIV
THE PROSPECTS OUTSIDE PARIS IMPROVE
Wednesday, December 7th.—At dinner the Chief related some of his Frankfurt reminiscences. “It was possible to get on with Thun,” he said. “He was a respectable man. Taken altogether, Rechberg[18] was also not bad. He was at least honourable from a personal standpoint, although violent and irascible—one of those passionate, fiery blondes! It is true that as an Austrian diplomat of those days he was not able to pay too strict a regard to truth. I remember his once receiving a despatch in which he was instructed to maintain the best relations with us, a second despatch being sent to him at the same time enjoining him to follow an exactly opposite course. I happened to call upon him, and he inadvertently gave me the second despatch to read. I saw immediately how matters stood and read it through. Then handing it back to him I said: ‘I beg your pardon, but you have given me the wrong one.’ He was fearfully embarrassed, but I consoled him, saying I would take no advantage of his mistake, using it merely for my personal information.” “The third, however,—Prokesch—was not at all to my liking. In the East he had learnt the basest forms of intrigue and had no sense of honour or truth. A thoroughpaced liar. I remember being once in a large company where some Austrian assertion which was not in accordance with the truth was being discussed. Prokesch, raising his voice in order that I might hear him, said: ‘If that be not true, then the Imperial and Royal Cabinet has commissioned me to commit an act of perfidy, indeed his Imperial and Apostolic Majesty has lied to me!’ and he emphasised the word lied. He looked at me whilst he was speaking, and, when he had finished, I replied, quietly: ‘Quite so, Excellency!’ He was obviously aghast, and as he looked round and found all eyes cast down and a deep silence which showed approval of what I had said, he turned away without a word and went into the dining-room where the table was laid. He had recovered himself, however, after dinner, and came over to me with a full glass in his hand—but for that I should have thought he was going to challenge me—and said, ‘Well, let us make peace.’ ‘Certainly,’ I replied, ‘but what I said in the other room was true, and the protocol must be altered.’ The protocol was altered, an admission that it had contained an untruth. A rascally fellow!”
Thursday, December 8th.—Some one asked at dinner how the question of Emperor and Empire now stood. The Chief replied inter alia: “We have had a great deal of trouble with it in the way of telegrams and letters. But after all Holnstein has done the greater part of the work. He is a clever fellow, and not in the least spoilt by or prepossessed in favour of Court manners.” Putbus asked what position he held. “Master of the Horse. He showed himself very willing and energetic, making the journey to Munich and back in six days. In the present condition of the railways that requires a great deal of good will. Of course he has the necessary physique. Indeed, not merely to Munich, but to Hohenschwangau,—and there saw the King who had just been operated under chloroform for a tumour in the gum. But King Lewis also greatly contributed to the speedy settlement of the matter. He received the letter immediately, and at once gave a definite answer. He might easily have said that he must first take some fresh air in the mountains, and would answer in three or four days. The Count has certainly done us a very good service in the affair; but I really do not know how we can reward him.” I forget how the conversation came to deal with the terms “Swell,” “Snob,” and “Cockney,” which were the subject of much discussion. The Chief mentioned a certain diplomat as a “swell,” and observed: “It is really a capital word, but we cannot translate it into German. ‘Stutzer,’ perhaps, but that conveys at the same time pompousness and self-importance. ‘Snob’ is something quite different, while it is also very difficult for us to render properly. It denotes a variety of attributes, but principally one-sidedness, narrowness, slavery to local or class prejudices, philistinism. A ‘snob’ is something like our ‘Pfalbürger,’ yet not quite. It includes also a petty conception of family interests, political narrow-mindedness, rigid adherence to ideas and habits that have become a second nature. There are also female snobs and very distinguished ones. The feminine half of our Court are snobs. Our two most exalted ladies are snobs. The male element is not snobbish. One may also talk of party snobs—those who in larger political issues cannot emancipate themselves from the rules that govern private conduct—the ‘Progressist snob.’ The cockney again is quite another person. That term applies more particularly to Londoners. There are people there who have never been outside their own walls and streets, never got away from the brick and mortar, who have never seen life anywhere else nor travelled beyond the sound of Bow Bells. We have also Berliners who have never left their city. But Berlin is a small place compared to London, or even Paris, which has also its cockneys, although they are known by another name there. There are hundreds of thousands in London who have never seen anything but London. In such great cities conceptions are formed which permeate the whole community, and harden into the most inveterate prejudices. Such narrow and silly ideas arise in every great centre of population where the people have no experience, and often not the faintest notion of how things look elsewhere. Silliness without conceit is endurable, but to be silly and unpractical, and at the same time conceited, is intolerable. Country life brings people into much closer contact with realities. They may be less educated there, but what they know they know thoroughly. There are, however, snobs in the country also. (Turning to Putbus.) Just take a really clever shot. He is convinced that he is the first man in the world, and that sport is everything, and that those who do not understand it are worth nothing. And then a man who lives on his estate in a remote district, where he is everything, and all the people depend upon him; when he comes to the wool-market and finds that he is not of the same importance with the townspeople as he is at home, he gets into a bad temper, sits sulking on his sack of wool, and takes no notice of anything else.”
At tea, Keudell said that I ought really to see, not merely those political despatches, reports and drafts which I received from the Minister, but everything that came in and went out. He would speak on the subject to Abeken, who acts here as Secretary of State. I accepted his proposal with many thanks.
Bucher informed me that the Minister had made some very interesting remarks in the drawing-room while they were taking coffee. Prince Putbus mentioned his desire to travel in far distant lands. “It might be possible to manage that for you,” said the Chief. “You might be commissioned to notify the foundation of the German Empire to the Emperor of China and the Tycoon of Japan.” The Minister then discussed at length the duties of the German aristocracy, of course with special reference to his guest.