For Sceptre and Crown Volume II Part 33

After about a quarter of an hour, Herr von Keudell brought the Bavarian minister to the cabinet.

The full tall form of this statesman was bent, and showed signs of bodily weakness. His large gentle face, surrounded with dark hair, was pale and exhausted, his eyes gazed mournfully through the gla.s.ses of his spectacles.

Count Bismarck was standing perfectly upright, his features expressed icy coldness; with the stiffest military bearing, but with formal politeness, he advanced towards the Bavarian minister and returned his greeting. He then with an equally cold and courteous movement invited him to be seated on the chair Benedetti had just left, and placing himself opposite to him he waited for him to speak.

"I come," said Herr von der Pfordten, in a voice of some emotion, and in the southern dialect, "to prevent further bloodshed and misery from this war. The campaign is really decided, and decided in your favour, and Bavaria cannot hesitate to conclude a war, which," he said in a low voice, "it would, perhaps, have been better never to have commenced."

Count Bismarck looked at him severely for a moment with his hard clear eyes.

"Do you know," he said, "that I have a perfect right to treat you as a prisoner of war?"

Herr von der Pfordten started. For a moment he was speechless, gazing at the Prussian minister in amazement.

"Bavaria is at war with Prussia, negotiations are impossible," said Count Bismarck; "a Bavarian minister can only be a prisoner at the Prussian head-quarters,--intercourse can only be carried on by the bearer of a flag of truce."

Herr von der Pfordten sorrowfully bowed his head. "I am in your power,"

he said calmly, "and this proves how greatly I desire peace. What would you gain by arresting me?"

Count Bismarck was silent.

"I am amazed at your boldness in coming here," he said after a pause; "you prove indeed that you desire peace."

Herr von der Pfordten shook his head slightly.

"I fear," he said, "that my step has been in vain."

"A step in the right path is never in vain, even though it should be too late," said Count Bismarck, with a slight tone of friendship in his voice; "what a position might Bavaria have held, had you taken this step four weeks ago--if you had come to me four weeks ago in Berlin!"

"I held firmly to the German Confederation which had been sanctioned by all Europe," replied the Bavarian minister, "and I believed I was doing my duty towards Germany and Bavaria; I was wrong; the past has gone for ever; I come to speak to you of the future."

"The future lies in _our_ hands," cried Count Bismarck. "Austria makes her own peace, and troubles herself neither about the Confederation, nor her allies."

"I know it," said Herr von der Pfordten faintly.

"Germany now sees," continued Bismarck, "where Austria has dragged her.

I am especially sorry for Bavaria, for I always thought that Bavaria would have taken an important part in the national development of Germany, and, united with Prussia, would have stood at the head of the nation."

"If Bavaria took a false step under my guidance," said Herr von der Pfordten,--"and the result has shown it _was_ a false step--let us now amend the fault, even though late. My decision is made. I have but _one_ duty to fulfil, to make every effort to avert from my country and my young king the evil results of my fault. To fulfil this duty I am here, and because I expect and desire nothing for myself in the future, I believe I can the more freely and impartially discuss it with you, count."

Count Bismarck was silent for a moment, and his fingers tapped the table slightly.

"I am not in a position," he then said, "to speak as Prussian minister to the minister of Bavaria; the situation forbids it, the king's permission is wanting. But this hour shall not be unfruitful," he continued in a milder tone; "I will prove to you how much I personally regret that we could not understand each other, that we could not work together; your advice, your experience would have been so useful to Germany. Let us speak as Baron von der Pfordten and Count Bismarck, a Bavarian and a Prussian patriot, on the present position of affairs; perhaps," he continued laughingly, "both the Prussian and the Bavarian minister may learn something from us."

Herr von der Pfordten's face brightened up. He looked at the count through his spectacles with a happy expression.

"What do you think," said Bismarck, "will become of Bavaria? What can Prussia do with Bavaria?"

"I suppose," said Herr von der Pfordten, "that Prussia will have undivided authority in North Germany."

"Who can dispute it?" asked Count Bismarck.

"I may then remark that an annexation of South German territory, so entirely heterogeneous, would hardly be to Prussia's interest, and that it would be a greater advantage to come to an understanding on the future of Germany, with an independent and unweakened Bavaria."

"And on the first opportunity to find ourselves in fresh difficulties?"

asked Count Bismarck.

"After the experience of this day--" began the Bavarian minister.

"My dear baron," interrupted Bismarck, "I will speak quite openly to you. The future belongs neither to you nor to me. Words and promises, however much in earnest, cannot be the foundation upon which the future peace and strength of Prussia and of Germany must rest. We must have guarantees. Prussia cannot again be exposed to the danger she has just overcome, nor again be called upon to make the sacrifice she has just made. Bavaria has been, very much to her own disadvantage, as I always knew, our foe. We must have full security that this cannot happen in the future. To attain this there are two ways."

Herr von der Pfordten listened anxiously.

"Either," proceeded Count Bismarck, "to take so much of your territory as will prevent Bavaria from being able to hurt us in the future----"

"Have you thought of the difficulties of a.s.similating Bavarian territory and the Bavarian people?" asked Herr von der Pfordten.

"They would be great," said Bismarck calmly, "I own it; but we should overcome them, and for the safety of Prussia I despise difficulties."

The Bavarian minister sighed.

"The complications that such a course would cause!" he said in a low voice, and with a penetrating glance at Bismarck's face.

Count Bismarck looked at him firmly.

"From whence are they to come?" he asked. "From Austria? In the quarter where complications might arise," he continued, looking proudly at the Bavarian minister, "they would not refuse a share in the spoil."

Von der Pfordten bowed his head.

"Let us not speak of it," said Bismarck. "We are Germans; let us manage the affairs of Germany without our neighbours."

"And the other way?" asked Herr von der Pfordten, with hesitation.

"The inner life of Bavaria is foreign to us," said Count Bismarck thoughtfully, "and we would rather not interfere with it. What Germany needs for strength and power--what Prussia needs for safety, is that the supreme direction of the national forces should be placed in the hands of the most powerful military state of the German nation--her natural leader in war. If Bavaria will acknowledge this national necessity--if, in short, she will agree, by a binding treaty, in the event of a national war, to give up the command of her army to the king of Prussia, the needful guarantee for Germany's defence and power, for Prussia's safety, will be obtained."

The face of the Bavarian minister cleared up more and more.

"The command of the army in a national war?" he asked.

"Of course, with certain conditions, which would make a common command, an incorporation of the Bavarian army with the Prussian forces, possible," said Count Bismarck.

"Without prejudice to the king's command of the army?" asked Herr von der Pfordten.

"I should consider any further curtailment of his powers unnecessary,"

replied the Count.

Herr von der Pfordten drew a deep breath.

"These, then, would be your conditions of peace?" he asked.