rumbling of his
entire policy and that of the chancellor, which had been to make
friends with Great Britain, and then, through Great Britain, to
get closer to France. I said that this sudden end to my work in
Berlin was to me also a matter of deep regret and disappointment,
but that he must understand that under the circumstances and in
view of our engagements, his majesty's Government could not
possibly have acted otherwise than they had done.

"I then said that I should like to go and see the chancellor, as
it might be, perhaps, the last time I should have an opportunity
of seeing him. He begged me to do so. I found the chancellor very
agitated. His excellency at once began a harangue, which lasted
for about twenty minutes. He said that the step taken by his
majesty's Government was terrible to a degree; just for a
word--'neutrality,' a word which in war time had so often been
disregarded--just for a scrap of paper Great Britain was going to
make war on a kindred nation who desired nothing better than to
be friends with her. All his efforts in that direction had been
rendered useless by this last terrible step, and the policy to
which, as I knew, he had devoted himself since his accession to
office had tumbled down like a house of cards. What we had done
was unthinkable; it was like striking a man from behind while he
was fighting for his life against two assailants. He held Great
Britain responsible for all the terrible events that might
happen. I protested strongly against that statement, and said
that, in the same way as he and Herr von Jagow wished me to
understand that for strategical reasons it was a matter of life
and death to Germany to advance through Belgium and violate the
latter's neutrality, so I would wish him to understand that it
was, so to speak, a matter of 'life and death' for the honor of
Great Britain that she should keep her solemn engagement to do
her utmost to defend Belgium's neutrality if attacked. That
solemn compact simply had to be kept, or what confidence could
anyone have in engagements given by Great Britain in the future?
The chancellor said: 'But at what price will that compact have
been kept. Has the British Government thought of that?' I hinted
to his excellency as plainly as I could that fear of consequen