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234 MY TRANSFER TO STOCKHOLM [ch. xiv.
My answer having cut short the topic of the
correspondent and his pamphlet, Ferdinand turned the
conversation on to political ground, and began in a
tone of bitter sarcasm to ask me questions about
Russia’s ulterior intentions with regard to the
stipulations of the Treaty ot Bukharest. " What have you
decided about Kavala? What about the left bank of
the Vardar?" and how were we going to reconcile our
manifest desertion of Bulgaria with the telegram in
which, in the name of His Majesty the Emperor, the
promise had been given to shield Bulgaria from too
much humiliation and abasement? This time the blow
struck home, and it was impossible for me to parry it
with really plausible explanations. But being in my
turn glouboko vosmouchten at the most unseemly tone
which the King allowed himself to use to the Imperial
Minister of Russia, I replied :
"Sir, the Bulgarians have drawn their misfortunes
on themselves, and have forced Russia to give up all
attempts to come to their assistance. And Your Majesty
knows better than any one when the irreparable blow
was struck at Bulgaria’s interests: it was on the 16th
(29th) of June last. Your Majesty knows as well as I
do that I had nothing to do with that day of misfortune,
of which I was the first dupe."
Ferdinand cast his most evil glance at me, but
restrained himself, and after a short silence, without
raising his eyes, he said : "Yes, that was a great
mistake." Then he rose and took leave of me. I have not
seen him since.
From the King’s study I was led to the apartments
of Queen Eleanor. There quite a different, but no less
original, welcome awaited me. The Queen, almost while
the customary greetings were being exchanged, abruptly
asked me: " Do tell me, monsieur, how has all this
happened ? "
I answered Her Majesty quite frankly that I
permitted myself to consider that the King’s lack of
confidence in me was one of the causes of the political
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