Tombstone epitaph., 1915-05-02

off1ce, whence l dispatched the follow ing message to Lord Soames:
 "'You have been misinformed There is no such letter
 And I was right. For on the way per into hundred fragments, and had swallowed them every one. The ambassador stopped abruptly and made as if he would turn his at tention to the stage.
 Surely that is not all?" said. Gan you not tell me what occurred on the Saturday,"
 His excellency smiled pleasantly. "I had the account some time after through my friend Soames, who got 1t from his colleague in Beylin. It ap- pears that Bismarck never once looked inside the envelope till he and the Eng | fish ambassador met in the kaisers presence at the time appointed. The old chancellor had not in | formed his master of the precise na- l 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? Will England join us?'
 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
 "Thereupon the prince tapped his famous yellow box.
 II 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. ous 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 I really think you have been imposed upon, he replied quietly. I 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 it 10 the other. The kaiser looked on. helpless, and divided, nc doubt, between anger at the manner in which I had outwitted him, and pleasure at the modification in store for his overbearing minister.
 "The Englishman unfolded the pa per and read aloud:
 Proposal for an Offensive Alliance Between France and Germany
 "'Ha. What did I 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 tC absolutely decline entering into any such alliance as
 He had got to there when the over whelmed chancellor, uttering a cry oi rage, snatched the paper from hi: hand and fastened upon its contents with his eyes starting from his head and his features wrinkled up in lool of positively ludicrous consternation.
 Then Wilhelm II saw his chance. ] Herr Prince he said sternly what is the meaning of this comedy What are these proposals which you have made without my authority, fol an alliance against the government o a country which l regard with friend ship?'
 The prince flung down the papel with growl like that of an infuriatet mastiff.
 For the first time in my life, sire my dispatchbox has been tempered with he rapped out in surly tones At this moment I 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 Flu rope was astonished to hear tha, Prince Bismarck was no longer chan cellor of the German empire.
 You understand" added my friend after minute, that it is only because of the years that have passed since the death of poor Soames that l am able to tell you all this
 T understand perfectly"
 As I was helping his excelIency or with his overcoat at the conclusion oi the performance my eye happened tc fall upon the decorated buttonhole
 'By-the-by, NJ. fAmbassadeur, did NJ. Fleuriot fulfil his promise about the grand cross?"
 The ambassador turned round with a momentary look of annoyance.
 My friend, you should restrain your too great curiosity. Believe me, it is detestabIe vice. No, unfortunately he did not. But it was scarcely his fault. The fact is that, during the few days I was absent in Berlin there occurred a change of government Poor Fleuriot lost his portfolio, and |