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1913] AUDIENCE OF THE EMPEROR
the agreement between Serbians and Bulgarians, directed
in substance against Turkey.
"Yes, yes, I know that; Sazonoff showed me your
letters," said the Emperor. I passed on to subsequent
events and, speaking of the recent Bulgarian disaster,
I drew an accurate picture for His Majesty of the
present situation in Bulgaria, not concealing that not
only King Ferdinand but also the majority of the
Bulgarian people were nursing bitter resentment against
Russia.
"And yet," I added, "among the larger number of
Bulgarians, this feeling has not completely obliterated
the traditions of gratitude and devotion towards their
Great Liberator and the ’ White Tsar.’ These traditions
are dimmed, but they could and should revive. I
allow myself to pronounce frankly the opinion that at
the Peace Conference of Bukharest the Bulgarians were
too hardly treated. If we could make the Bulgarians
understand that at the first favourable opportunity we
would cause at least a part of what they have just lost
to be restored to them they would live on that hope.
It is dangerous to denude a people of all hope: it
humiliates them, depresses them and exposes them to
the most hateful influences. . . ."
" But what do you think one could restore to the
Bulgarians?" interrupted the Emperor rather sharply.
" Part of Macedonia, sir, if the Serbians could obtain
the access to the Adriatic that has been so unjustly
taken from them. But more especially, and above all
else, Adrianople and Kirk-Kilisseh."
The Emperor reflected for an instant. " Yes," he
said finally, "but at the present time it would be
extremely difficult. . . . No, no! just now it cannot even
be thought of; and how can we allow them to nourish
unrealisable hopes?" A vein of sincere regret was
apparent in this reply. After a slight pause I resumed :
" I still have to crave your forgiveness, sir, for not
having been able to carry out Your Majesty’s generous
schemes with regard to Bulgaria."
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