that his army is in good fighting condition, again make an
effort to recover that prestige which is so vital to him, by using
some pretext for picking a quarrel with us. I do not think he is
personally eager for that war, I think he would rather avoid it, but
the precariousness of his situation will drive him to it. My
calculation is that the crisis will come in about two years. We have
to be ready, of course, and we are. We shall win, and the result will
be just the contrary of what Napoleon aims at--the total unification
of Germany outside of Austria, and probably Napoleon's downfall."

[Illustration: PRINCE OTTO VON BISMARCK

FROM THE PAINTING BY FRANZ VON LENBACH
_Photographed by the Berlin Photographic Co._]

This was said in January, 1868. The war between France and Prussia and
her allies broke out in July, 1870, and the foundation of the German
Empire and the downfall of Napoleon were the results. No prediction
was ever more shrewdly made and more accurately and amply fulfilled.

[Illustration: COUNT HELLMUTH VON MOLTKE

FROM THE PAINTING BY FRANZ VON LENBACH
_Photographed by the Berlin Photographic Co._]

I have introduced here Bismarck as speaking in the first person. I did
this to present the substance of what he said to me in a succinct
form. But this does not pretend to portray the manner in which he said
it--the bubbling vivacity of his talk, now and then interspersed with
French or English phrases; the lightning flashes of his wit
scintillating around the subjects of his remarks and sometimes
illuminating, as with a search-light, a public character, or an event,
or a situation; his laugh, now contageously genial, and then grimly
sarcastic; the rapid transitions from jovial, sportive humor to
touching pathos; the evident pleasure taken by the narrator in his
tale; the dashing, rattling rapidity with which that tale would at
times rush on; and behind all this that tremendous personality--the
picturesque embodiment of a power greater than any king's--a veritable
Atlas carrying upon his shoulders the destinies of a great nation.
There was a strange fascination in the presence of the giant who
appeared so peculiarly grand and yet so human.

[Illustration: THE CHANCELLOR'S PALACE ON THE WILHELMSTRASSE WHERE CARL
SCHURZ VISITED BISMARCK IN 1878.

_Photographed by the Berlin Photographic Co._]

While he was still speaking with unabated animation I looked at the
clock opposite me and was astounded when I