; "If you speak to me of Europe, I will speak of the Emperor," was
Bismarck's answer. He threatened to open negotiations with him and to
send him back to France at the head of Bazaine's army. On another
occasion--it was during the discussion of finance--another scene took
place which Favre describes:

"As the discussion continued, he grew animated, he interrupted
Thiers at every word, accused him of wishing to spoil everything;
he said that he was ill, at the end of his powers, he was
incapable of going further, in a work that we were pleased to
make of no use. Then, allowing his feelings to break out, walking
up and down the little room in which we were deliberating with
great strides, he cried, 'It is very kind of me to take the
trouble to which you condemn me; our conditions are
ultimatums--you must accept or reject them. I will not take part
in it any longer; bring an interpreter to-morrow, henceforward I
will not speak French any longer.'"

And he began forthwith to talk German at a great rate, a language which
of course neither of the Frenchmen understood.

It is interesting to compare with this Bismarck's own account of the
same scene:

"When I addressed a definite demand to Thiers, although he
generally could command himself, he sprang up and cried, 'Mais
c'est un indignite.' I took no notice but began to talk German.
For a time he listened, but obviously did not know what to think
of it. Then in a plaintive voice he said, 'But, Count, you know
that I do not understand German.' I answered him now in French.
'When just now you spoke of _indignite_, I found that I did not
understand French enough and preferred to speak German, here I
know what I say and hear.' He understood what I meant and at once
agreed to that which he had just refused as an indignite."

Bismarck's part in these negotiations was not altogether an easy one,
for it is probable that, in part at least, he secretly sympathised with
the arguments and protests of the French. He was far too loyal to his
master and his country not to defend and adopt the policy which had been
accepted; but there is much reason to believe that, had he been
completely master, Germany would not have insisted on having Metz, but
would have made the demand only to withdraw it. The arguments for the
annexation of Alsace were indeed unanswerable, and again and again
Bismarck had pointed out that Germany could never be safe so lon