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1912] FUTILE PROTESTS 109
next day to M. Gueshov, one after the other, and in a
verbal form but strictly identical. To effect this we
drew our communication up together, and each of us
was to read the text to M. Gueshov. It is not difficult
to guess that not one of us expected any result from
this proceeding. The evening before, my French
colleague and I had confessed as much to one another.
The next day, when I was on my way to the Foreign
Office at the appointed hour, I met Count Tarnowski,
the Austro-Hungarian Minister, coming out of his
Legation.
" Well, so we are going to take our famous step, are
we ? " he asked with a sarcastic smile.
"Certainly," I replied.
"And you think that something will come of it?"
" I doubt it."
"And I am quite sure that nothing will," replied my
colleague sharply; "Europe is simply placing herself
in a ridiculous position ! "
I did not answer, but in my heart of hearts I could
not but agree that Tarnowski was perfectly right. A
few weeks later, when the final and brilliant success of
the Balkan States was clearly evident, the Powers
completely forgot the declaration they had made during the
mobilisation ; every one in Europe began to court the
victors, more especially the Bulgarians. Such always
has been and such always will be the power of success.
But after this what must the Bulgarians, Serbians, etc.,
have thought of the august decisions of Europe, of her
warnings, her threats?
The mobilisation went off splendidly in Bulgaria
and in Serbia. I should never have thought that a
people so reserved as the Bulgarians were capable of
the enthusiasm they displayed during those memorable
days. There were no drunkards: there never are in
Balkan countries. Everywhere exemplary order reigned,
except in a few railway stations where the reservists
who had been called up took the trains by assault, and
even climbed up on the roofs of the carriages in order
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