allowance for the sympathy which the widow of the Emperor-Martyr inspires
in Frenchwomen) that France had accepted the accomplished fact, abandoned
her claims to Alsace-Lorraine, and the defence of her future interests in
common with Russia. In that case, he would have treated France as he
treats those who show him the greatest devotion. In order to get a clear
idea of the object pursued by William II, it is sufficient to read two
short extracts from the _Etoile Belge_, a blind admirer of the Emperor of
Germany, and to read them separately from the enthusiastic articles which
this paper published at the commencement of the journey of the Empress
Frederick.

The correspondent of the _Etoile Belge_ wrote as follows--

"In confiding his mother and his sister to the hospitality of Paris,
William II committed an act as clever as it was courageous. Let him
continue in this policy of pacific advances, and the idea of a
reconciliation with Germany will soon become more popular than the
Russian Alliance."

The Berlin correspondent of the same _Etoile_ wrote--

"Germany has at least as much as England to gain in bringing it about
that Russia should not feel too sure of French support."

Is not this clear enough? There you have it: the real object which
underlay the visit incognito of the Empress Frederick for the furtherance
of the interests of Germany, It meant a reconciliation with Germany,
which would have separated us from Russia, from which England had
everything to gain, which would once more have surrendered our credit to
Italy unconditionally, and would have compelled us to renounce
Alsace-Lorraine for good and all.

What then would have been the results had she paid us an official visit?
We have already seen that none of the alternative schemes for this
journey could work to Germany's detriment; we need, therefore, not be
astonished at the publicity given by the Count von Muenster to all the
comings and goings of the Empress, and at the determination shown by Her
Majesty to investigate the quality of our patriotism in all its various
aspects. The memories which the Empress went to recall at Saint-Cloud
and at Versailles were the same as those which she compelled us to call
from the past: memories glorious for her but unforgettably sad for us,
memories which, in reminding her of victory, were meant to remind us of a
defeat to which our conquerors have added cruelty.

I watch with fervour the expressio