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i io
i io THE BALKAN WAR, 1912 [chap. ix.
his new country house near Sofia : this was in April, 1913.
My German colleague, who was on the best of terms
with me throughout our time in Sofia, told me about
this himself, adding that the object of his interview with
the King and of their conversation had been the affairs
and private concerns of Queen Eleanor, nee Princess of
Reuss.
I think, however, that I am justified in asserting that
von Below’s interview with the King, which took place
at Vrana, on purpose so that the Sofia public should
not know about it or comment thereon—was of quite a
different nature from the forced meetings of His Majesty
with me and with M. de Panafieu. If the information I
received on the subject from a strictly confidential
source is true, Herr von Below received from Berlin
the order to communicate to the King that Germany
was willing to uphold the Bulgarian cause against the
Serbians and the Greeks, if only the Bulgarians would
consent to come to friendly terms with the Turks on
the subject of Adrianople, and would lessen, generally
and in a tangible way, their claims in Thrace. This is
what the German Minister had discussed with the King
after luncheon at Vrana. This proposition, coming
after the capture of Adrianople by the Bulgarians, was
declined by Ferdinand as well as by his Government,
who had been much startled at it. When the
Bulgarians were beaten by their former allies Germany
remembered this refusal of Ferdinand’s, and not only
prevented Austria from going to his assistance against
the Serbians, but further lent her most essential political
support to Turkey, who had just occupied Adrianople
and Kirk-Kilisseh without striking a blow. But the
information on the subject of this German step only
reached me long after it had been taken—that is to say,
during the wunter of 1913-14.
As 1 said above, Bulgaria during the last months of
the year was the object of the suspicions and complaints
not only of her allies but also of Rumania. For the
Rumanians, the sudden rise and increase of power of
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