The Dermott news., 1915-07-01
had bowed myself out and left the

palace
81 drove straight to the telegraph
Office, whence dispatched the follow
ing message to Lord Soames:
You have been msinformed. There
is no such letter
And ! was right. For on the way
from the palace | had torn up the pa
per into a hundred fragments and had
swallowed them every one.
The ambassador stopped abruptly
| ana made as If he would turn his at
tention to the stage.
Surely that is not all ?" said Can
you not tell me what occurred on the
Saturday."
His eXcellency smiled pleasantly
Il had the account some time after
through my friend Soames. who got 1t
from his colleague in Berlin II ap-
pears that Bismarck never once looked
inside the envelope till he and the Eng
lish ambassador met in the kaisers
presence at the time appointed.
The old chancellor had not in
formed his master of the precise ma
ture of the business to be transacted.
Prince Bismarck opened the inter-
view. therefore. by explaining to the
kaiser the purpose for which he had
summoned the meeting. Then turn
ing to the British envoy, he added
with confidence
Well sir what is your answer?
VIII England join u.s.
The Englishman kept perfectly
cool. He had. of course, been warned
by Lord Soames how matters stood.
Before you have any right to de
mand my answer he said, you must
fulfill your undertaking to produce
some evidence that France contem-
plates an attack on US
"rhereupon the prince tapped his
famous yellow box.
Il have here he returned, a writ
ten proposal from the French govern
ment for an offensive alliance against
you.
This was the first hint to the kaiser
OF the real significance of the mysteri-
Gus document he had allowed me to
recover. He drew back in his chair
| and began to gnaw his mustache.
But the Englishman merely smiled
Excuse me. prince. but really
think you have been imposed upon
he replied quietly cannot believe
that the government of the republic
would be guilty of such folly
bismarck now smiled in his turn,
and with an air OF triumph took out
the paper from its envelope. and
passed 1t to the other. The kaiser
looked on. helpless and divided. no
doubt. between anger ut the manner
in which | had outwitted him, and
pleasure at the modification in store
for his overbearng minister
The EnEliehman unfolded the pa
per and read aloud
Proposal for an Offensive Alliance
Between France and German
Ha, What did say" interrupted
the chancellor.
The French government. after
according due consideration TO the pro-
posal laid before it on behalf OF the
German government, has decided TO
absolutely decline entering into any
such alliance as
HE had got TO there when the over.
whelmed chancellor. uttering cry of
rage, snatched Che paper from his
hand and fastened upon its contents.
with his eyes starting from his head.
and his features wrinkled up in a look
of positively ludicrous CONSERVATION.
Then Wilhelm II saw his chance.
"'Ilerr Prince, he said sternly,
what is the meaning OF this comedy?
What are these proposals which you
have made without my authority. for
an alliance against the government of
a country which / regard with friend
ship
The prince flung down the paper
with growl like that OF an Infatuated
mastf.
For the first time in my life, sire,
my dispatch-box has been tempered
with he raped out in surly tones.
AT this moment | can only assure you
and the ambassador here that the pro-
posal came. not from me. but from the
French government
AT this point the kaiser turned
away and ceased to listen. The Eng
lishman shrugged HIS shoulders with
an incredulous air. and rose To go.
The audience broke up. England
remained outside the triple alliance,
and before a month was over all Eu-
rope was astonished To hear that
Prince Bismarck was no longer chan
cellor Of the German empire.
You understand" added my friend.
after minute. that II is only because
OF the years that have passed since
the death of poor Soames that | am
able 10 tell you all this.
Il understand perfectly"
AS | was helping his excellency on
with his overcoat at the conclusion OF
the performance my eye happened to
fall upon the decorated buttonhole.
"By-the-by. NJ lAmbassadeur, did