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188 QUARRELS BETWEEN THE ALLIES [ch. xi.
of the Balkan section of our Foreign Office. It is a
matter for sincere regret, for the generous proposition
of the Emperor came a little too late: M. Gueshov was
already on the point of resigning, and pending the early
return of M. Danev the vacillating will of the King was
guided by M. Rizov, who had been sent for from Rome
on purpose. As soon as Danev returned Rizov took
him in hand also and bent him to his will, until the
catastrophe of July, 1913.
Of course, I transmitted His Majesty’s telegram to
the Palace the same day, and I also informed M.
Gueshov of its contents. He, however, did not evince
much pleasure, or any wish to impress on his colleagues
the enormous significance of the Emperor of Russia’s
generous step. The aged President of the Council,
who felt that the King wished to get rid of him at all
costs, and who perceived that his conference with
Pachitch was criticised even in the bosom of the
Council, was only awaiting Danev’s return from London
to hand in his resignation.
Hence, I was reduced to going to Todorov, and to
the King’s Secretary, Dobrovitch, to insist on an
immediate answer in the affirmative being sent to the
Emperor’s telegram. Todorov at once realised the
gravity of the matter; Dobrovitch did not dare to
pronounce any private opinion, but I knew that he had
transmitted most accurately to the King all that I had
said to him. As regards the Bulgarian Foreign Office,
every one there was apparently waiting to know what
impression the telegram had made on the Serbians, and
how they would look on the Russian proposition.
As a matter of fact, the Emperor of Russia’s telegram
had produced dangerous friction in Belgrade.
King-Peter hastened to answer the Emperor, in a manner as
respectful as it was cordial, that personally he could
only thank His Majesty for this fresh proof of his
solicitude with regard to Serbia and the Slav cause, but
that the constitution of the country did not allow him
to answer, with respect to the substance of the question,
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