He knew enough to be uneasy at the attitude of the neutral States; for public opinion was veering round in England, Austria, and Italy to a feeling of keen sympathy for France, and even Russia was restless at the sight of the great military Empire that had sprung into being on her flank.

The recent proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles--an event that will be treated in a later chapter--opened up a vista of great developments for the Fatherland, not unmixed with difficulties and dangers.

Above all, sharp differences had arisen between him and the military men at the German headquarters, who wished to "bleed France white" by taking a large portion of French Lorraine (including its capital Nancy), a few colonies, and part of her fleet.

It is now known that Bismarck, with the same moderation that he displayed after Koeniggraetz, opposed these extreme claims, because he doubted the advisability of keeping Metz, with its large French population.

The words in which he let fall these thoughts while at dinner with Busch on February 21 deserve to be quoted:-- If they (the French) gave us a milliard more (L40,000,000) we might perhaps let them have Metz.