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300
THE TRAGIC WEEK [chap. xvii.
over those of an entire nation; in order that this
preponderance should be justified it is imperative that this
will and this reason should be the expression of a high
and beneficial idea, which would be lacking in the
majority of the country. In modern times, when the
spread of education and the influence of the Press had
replaced the rivalries of Governments and States by the
conscious rivalries of nations, sovereigns ought to
interpose their authority against the nefarious propaganda
of international hatred and competition. In any other
matter they could and should be the head servants of
their people; in questions of peace or war, they ought
resolutely to constitute themselves the champions of a
mutual solidarity which would have preserved the world
from the worst scourges. Some, like William II., have
done exactly the opposite; others have not understood
it sufficiently, hence the decay of the monarchical
principle throughout the world.
And here I am again judging sovereigns, in spite of
the earnest injunctions of His Majesty the King of
Sweden!
On Wednesday, the 29th July, the news was again
much worse, and violent agitation took hold of Sweden.
All sorts of reports began to circulate in the town and
amongst the Diplomatic Corps; it was affirmed that
Sweden was bound by a secret military convention to
Germany and that in the event of war the Swedes
would side resolutely with her. M. Wallenberg, whom
I saw on Wednesday, confessed to me that the situation
was making the Royal Government very anxious; he
then said, emphasising his words, that Sweden was
more interested than any one in the preservation of
European peace and that a collision between her two
neighbours would place her in a dangerous position.
" But," he added, " the King has not lost all hope that
matters may yet be arranged."
On Friday morning the new military attache to our
Legation, Lieutenant-Colonel Kandauroff, arrived from
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