Diplomatic reminiscences before and during the World War, 1911-1917

Preface

My Diplomatic Reminiscences include the period between February, 191 1, when I was appointed Russian Minister to Sofia, and September, 1917, when I put an end to my ephemeral term of office in Madrid by refusing my further services to M. Kerensky's Government.

The first fourteen chapters deal with my work in Bulgaria and with the two Balkan Wars, that of 1912 and that of 1913, which form the prelude to the catastrophe of 1914. The succeeding chapters have to do with Sweden, with the World-War and with the Russian Revolution as I saw them from my post in Stockholm.

In my Reminiscences I describe what came under my notice, not disdaining small touches ; I note what I was able to gather ; but as by virtue of my diplomatic position my range of vision and my information were limited, 1 in no way aspire to explain the whole of the great drama which has just been performed. Moreover, circumstances have obliged me to compile my work far awa}'' from sources at which I might have refreshed and verified m}' impressions,^ and consequently there are a few inevitable gaps in the narrative, probably also a few inexactitudes and some errors in dates. I tender my apologies beforehand to the reader for these involuntary errata, and I leave them to become the prey of those who might wish to profit b}'- them to invalidate my testimony when this testimony does not suit them.

^ My Reminiscences were written at Nice between June, 1918, and July, 1919.

f> vi PREFACE

Nevertheless I venture to cherish the hope that the faithful description of what I have been enabled to see, to hear and to know, and even the judgments that I pass — in all sincerity — on men and matters, will form a contribution to the study of those events which have destroyed an entire world, and which are inaugurating a new and unknown order of things.

This order of things is greeted by some with ecstasy ; others view it with terror ; others again hope to exploit it to their own advantage or to that of their old moral and political conceptions which they are striving to disguise as best they can.

I prefer to confess at once that— although sincerely deploring the disappearance of a world to which I was bound by my former habits, my mentality and my work — I do not suffer from any illusion as to the possible return of this old world, of this ancient order of things. And more especially must I realise this where it is a question of Russia and of her future destinies.

All of us who have taken an active part in the tremendous events which have just occurred, belong to an irrevocable past, and history is already preparing to engrave our final sentence on its tables of bronze.

That is why — contrary to established custom — I have allowed myself, in the course of these Reminiscences, to judge my contemporaries with complete frankness, and to say all I think about them and the part they have played, when I have observed them, heard them or seen them act. And the dead — I bury my dead as my conscience dictates : To some — the pomp of a national funeral, the mournful chants of Melpomene, the fumes of incense and of smouldering torches ; to others — the modest procession of relatives and a few friends ; to others again — the felon's end.

A. N.

Chapter I My Appointment To Sofia

PAGES

My former relations with M. SazonolT — Scheme for a Russo-Bulgarian military convention — Question of relations with King Ferdinand — Audience of the Emperor ; H.I.M. gives me his instructions — Serious illness of M. SazonolT — I leave for Sofia ...... i-6

CHAPTER n

KING FERDINAND OF BULGARIA

His youth ; his sudden rise to power — First years of his reign — His reconciliation with Russia — Relations between the King and the people ; the King's janizaries — Moral and political portrait of Ferdinand ; his distrust ; his irresolution ....... 7~IS

CHAPTER in

BULGARIA IN 191I

My audience of the King — Fall of the Malinov Cabinet ; its antecedents — The Turkish Revolution of 1908 — The crisis of the annexation of Bosnia ; complete independence of Bulgaria ; we favour the new Kingdom in the settlement of the crisis — Ulterior Bulgarian ambitions dictate the formation of a new Nationalist and essentially Russophile Cabinet .......... 16-24

CHAPTER IV

RUSSIAN AND BULGARIAN RELATIONS

M. John Gueshov — M. Todorov — M. Danev ; my first conversation with him — My relations with Gueshov — The Great Sobrattji of Tirnova in June, 191 1 — Visit to Russia of the Crown-Prince Boris ; matrimonial schemes — Death of M. Stolypin ; his characteristics ; influence of his disappearance on the foreign policy of Russia — Visit of the Russian Squadron to Varna — Outbreak of the Italo-Turkish war . . 25-37

CHAPTER V

SERBO-BULGARIAN RELATIONS

Serbo-Bulgarian relations ; the Bulgarians enter on fresh parleyings with the Serbians — Historical statement of Russian action with regard to the Serbians and Bulgarians — My journey to Davos — An unexpected meeting — Conversation with M. Sazonoff — Return by Belgrade ; conversation with M. Hartwig; characteristics of the latter . . S^^S^ viii CONTENTS

CHAPTER VI

THE SERBO-nULGARIAN TREATY pages

Scrbo-Bulgarian negotiations — Demarcation of the " spliercs of influence " in Macedonia — Fixing boundaries — Conversations with the King — I warn St. Petersburg of the dangers which might result from a Scrbo- Bulgarian alliance — The alliance is concluded with our approval — Festivities for the coming-of-age of Prince Boris — Personal service rendered to King Ferdinand by H.I.M. the Emperor — Audience of the King before my departure for St. Petersburg — Ferdinand's perplexities and suspicions ......... 52-66

CHAPTER VII

RASPUTIN

Arrival in St. Petersburg ; violent speech by M. Gutchkoff at the Duma — Rasputin ; his peculiarities become a subject for scandal ; his influence — Mile. Tutcheff" — Audience of II. I. M. the Emperor — The Empress Alexandra spends an afternoon in St. Petersburg — Conversation with General Jilinsky, the Chief of the General Staff — Conversations with MM. Kokovtzoff^ and Gutchkoff; drawing-room gossip — Reception at the Sazonoffs' ; the " Rasputin crisis " is successfully settled — I return to Sofia 67-81

CHAPTER VIII

INTRIGUES AT SOFIA

Bulgarian "activist" party; M. Danev's journey to Russia — Colonel Merrone — Italian military circles know of the Serbo-Bulgarian agreement— Intrigues directed against me ; I fall into disfavour with Ferdinand ; the King's candidates for my post ; M. Rizov enters the arena — King Ferdinard's Policy — My reconciliation with the King — Rumours of my recall — ^Journey to Constantinople ; conversations with M. de Giers and with General Holmsen ; their opinion of the Turkish Army — Political ferment in Sofia and Belgrade ; my telegram of the 4th July ; my warning disregarded ; Kotchana and Ishtib incidents — M. Gutchkoff in Sofia and Belgrade — Prince Alexander goes to inspect the army — The Schipka Veterans' Fete; "it is war!" — M. de Giers warns Bulgaria — Europe does not believe it — Jubilee for the twenty-five years' reign of Ferdinand — M. Sazonoffs apathy . . 82-107

CHAPTER IX

THE BALKAN WAR, I912

Mobilisation of the Balkan allies ; futile protests of the Cabinets ; war breaks out — First decisive successes of the Allies — Lozengrad taken — Greco-Bulgarian incident at Salonika — Victory of Lule-Burgas ; Bulgarians and Greeks at Salonika ; torrential rains alone stop the Bulgarian advance — King Ferdinand's elation ; his inordinate ambition ; his dreams — Reverse of Chataldja — In St. Petersburg the question of the " prohibited area " in Thrace is raised ; I succeed in causing this prohibition to be removed — Russian concessions — Ferdinand wishes to have Rodosto at any cost — General Radko-Dmitriev's mission to St. Petersburg — The Bulgarians allow the propitious moment for the conclusion of peace to escape ....... 10S-113

CONTENTS ix

CHAPTER X

THE BALKAN WAR, 1912 {continued) pages

The Serbians, having to renounce an outlet to the Adriatic, demand compensations in Macedonia — My conversations on the subject with my Serbian colleague — Serbian claims — Msit of M. Venizelos to Sofia ; our conversation — My advice to Gueshov ; his powerlessness — Two meetings with Ferdinand ; the French Minister's audience of the King ; The German Minister's audience — Bulgaro-Rumanian relations ; the Dobrudja — Russo-Rumanian relations ; M. Rosetti-Solesco ; our representatives at Bukharest ; succeeded by M. Nicolas Schebeko ; jubilee of the annexation of Bessarabia ; commencement of the Russo- Rumanian intimacy — Rectification of the Dobrudja frontier in favour of Rumania .......... 132-153

CHAPTER XI

QUARRELS BETWEEN THE ALLIES '

Capture of Adrianople — Quarrels with the Serbians — Bulgarian cruelties ; the character of the Bulgarian people is a product of their history — I advocate the creation of a small autonomous State, embracing those parts of Macedonia which the Balkan Allies are contesting — Emperor Alexander II. 's letter to Prince Alexander — My suggestion rejected — Idea of an Anti-Bulgarian league ; this idea is carried out owing to the Bulgarian faults ; the Serbo-Greek alliance is concluded — The Press in St. Petersburg is against the Bulgarians — I am ordered to preach conciliation to them — Madame Karavelov ; scene in the military hospital in Sofia — Peace signed in London — Interview between Gueshov and Pachitch — My Serbian colleague and I begin to hope — The Emperor of Russia offers himself as mediator ; telegrams exchanged — Conflict in Sofia about the Russian proposal — King Ferdinand's telegram attributed falsely to me — Greece and Serbia continue to arm — Bulgaria suggests a time limit —Satisfactory outlook .... IS4~^7S

CHAPTER XH

BULGARIA ATTACKS HER ALLIES

Danev's return spoils everything — Warlike preparations — An earthquake — Gueshov leaves the Cabinet ; Danev remains alone at the 'head — The King holds a Council ; our mediation is accepted ; I entreat Danev to start at once for St. Petersburg — The Bulgarians treacherously attack the Serbians — The shameful underhand play — War begins — Soldiers refuse obedience — The Bulgarians beaten by the Greeks and by the Serbians ; my advice to Danev ; Mission of General Paprikov and Colonel Romanowski ; the Rumanian Aimy enters Bulgaria and approaches Sofia ; the Turks return to Adrianople — Fall of the Danev Ministry — Collapse of Bulgarian Army — The King summons the foreign representatives ; a ridiculous conference — Russian influence — The Bulgarians forced to conclude the Peace of Bukharest . 176-202

CHAPTER XHI

THE PEACE OF BUKHAREST

Comparison of the conditions of the Peace of London (May, 1913) with those of the Peace of Bukharest (September, 1913) — The question of Mount Athos; the " Monte Santo" and its customs; the Russian cenobites — Nature of the Treaty — Sacrifices imposed on Bulgaria at

CONTENTS

I'AGES

Bukharesl — The Turks keep Adrianople and Eastern Thrace ; enormous signification of this restitution — Diplomatic influences — We do not insist on tlie autonomy of Mount Athos — Pan-Germans at work — Disquieting situation in Sofia — Why Ferdinand's power was not wrecked — Solemn reception of the Bulgarian troops on their return to Sofia — I am intended for the post of Stockholm . . . 203-219

CHAPTER XIV

MY TRANSFER TO STOCKHOLM

Departure from Sofia for Paris — Bad omen — Arrival in Paris ; conversation with M. Sazonoff — The Grand-Duchess Marie's divorce — The Russians enjoy themselves wildly — M, Kokovtzoff in Paris — I go to the Crimea — General Dedulin's death — General Dumbadze — Rasputin again — Audience and luncheon at Livadia ; I give the Emperor a detailed report — Journey to Sofia and farewell audience of the King and Queen — St. Petersburg in February, 1914 ; " balls and festivities " ; very serious conversations during the parties — Count Witte — Prince Alexander of Serbia — M, Kokovtzoff out of office — M. Goremykin — Conversation with M. Zinovieff, our former Ambassador to Constantinople— The "young people" continue to be optimistic — I leave for Stockholm .......... 220-245

CHAPTER XV

SWEDEN IN 1 9 14

Three ;centuries of Swedish history — Gustaf III. — Struggles with Russia — Change of dynasty — New aspect of Sweden — Union with Norway — The people and their qualities — Sweden's prosperity — The Spaniards of the North — French influence replaced by German influence — Reasons for this change — The Bernadottes — King Oscar II. and German influences — Prince Max of Baden — German intrigues — Russian aspirations— The Anti-Russian current — Sven-Hedin — The Bondestog — Change of Ministry — Political situation in March, 1914 . . 246-267

CHAPTER XVI

ON THE EVE OF WAR

Solemn audience of King Gustaf V. — "Do not judge Sovereigns too harshly ! " — Queen Victoria — The Royal Family — Interesting conversation with M. Wallenberg ; I draw erroneous conclusions — My foreign colleagues — Mr. Howard — M. Thiebaud — Baltic exhibition at Malmo — The Riksdag " of national defence " — Alarming symptoms everywhere— Our incomprehensible calmness — M. Sverbeieff in Berlin — Our Ambassadors in Berlin and Vienna — Count Osten-Sacken's warnings— M. Schebeko in Vienna — Precarious situation in Russia — The assassination at Serajevo — Another trip to Malmo ; Count Brockdorf-Rantzau — Delightful expedition ; a bad fairy overhears me — The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia 268-288

CONTENTS xi

CHAPTER XVII

THE TRAGIC WEEK pages

The tragic week — President Poincare's arrival — Banquet at the Palace — M, Poincare's advice — "The torch of Bellona" — Germans determined on war — Last conversation with my German colleague, Reichenau ; "the war will kill the monarchical principle" — Duties of a monarch — Colonel Kandauroft's tidings — The Emperor Nicolas wishes to avoid war at all costs — Deep emotion in Sweden — I suggest, if necessary, energetic action in Bulgaria — War is declared — " Let us drain the cup to the dregs " ......,, 289-305

CHAPTER XVIII

SWEDISH NEUTRALITY

What will Sweden do? — Audience of the King ; reassuring words of H,M. — France and England offer guarantees to Sweden — We associate ourselves with this declaration — Neutrality of Sweden ; pacificist sentiments of most of the country — England's decision — Russians fleeing from Germany inundate Stockholm ; tragico-comic scenes — Refugees of note — Our Ambassador arrives from Berlin — Generous hospitality of the Swedes — Tales of German brutality — First events of the war ; Russian reverses ; the luck turns ; the Marne victory ; German propaganda— Our advance in Galicia — Grand-Duke Nicolas' Manifesto on the subject of Poland — Decisive hour for the Empire of the Hapsburgs — Aims of Russian diplomacy — Neither Austria nor Russia profit by this hour — Our mistakes in Galicia — Turkey enters the war — In spite of the agitation of Germanophiles and Activists, the absolute-neutrality party gains ground in Sweden — Interview of the three Scandinavian Monarchs .......... 306-331

CHAPTER XIX

SWEDEN IN 1 915

Economic situation of Sweden during the war — Temporary prosperity — The hold over Sweden possessed by the Entente Powers on one side (the grip of the Entente) and by Germany on the other — Causes of the economic influence of Germany — A strange tangle — Perfect co-operation of the Entente representatives in Stockholm — Baron von Lucius ; intrigues of the German Legation — My official attitude — Decrease in Swedish hostility to Russia ; the Murman railway ; the Straits ; the case of M. Perrichon — I wish to build for the future — Finland for Sweden — Russian reverses in 191 5 encourage Sven-Hedin afresh — German peace proposals — The Yul-Klappor and Swedish indignation — Prince Gortchakoff and M. de Giers — The understanding between the three Scandinavian countries counter-balances the efforts of the Activists — The question of the Aland Islands ..... 332-357

CHAPTER XX

WAR SUFFERERS

The Russians in Sweden during the war — The Russian committee of benevolence— Prisoners' correspondence — The Duke of Amalfi and the splendid work of the Spanish Legation — The Y.M.C.A. — Treatment of prisoners of war in Germany — Conference of the Red Cross representatives in Stockholm, and improvement resulting from it — The ambulance trains — Humanity of the Swedes — Touching scenes ; a xii CONTENTS

PACKS

strange people ; odi et amo ; an epic hero — An old acquaintance reappears— Ferreting out a secret — Russian official personages pass through Sweden — M. Peter Struve — The Poles — The Lithuanians and Lithuania— M. Itchas — Other typically Russian silhouettes . 358-384

CHAPTER XXI

A VISIT TO PETKOGRAD

I go to Petrograd — Conversation with Sazonoff — General Polivanoff's opinion as to Rumanian help — Rumania's difficult position — I see my successor in Sofia again ; M. Savinsky on Balkan affairs ; what he tells me and what he does not tell mc — RI. Stiirnier appointed President of the Council — The Emperor present at the Duma — Prince N. Galilzyn — Prince Alexander of Oldenburg — M. Alexis Neidhart and the " Moderates " — Audience of the Emperor — The Grand-Duke Paul and his family — Audiences of the Empress Alexandra and the Dowager Empress — The Grand-Duke Nicolas Mikhailovitch — Impressions of my visit — Misgivings in political and Government circles — In popular circles — Mutterings of revolution — German machinations — The Germans increase their efforts to bring about a revolution in Russia , 385-410

CHAPTER XXII

EVIL OMENS IN PETROGRAD

Return to Stockholm — Audience of the King — Russian " parliamentarians " pass through Stockholm ; I make Protopopoff's acquaintance — The Swedish Activists raise the Aland question — Wallenberg's wise and clever policy — M. Branting — All is serene — Bad news from Petrograd ; Sturmer, Rasputin, the Empress Alexandra — The Empress at General Headquarters; idyll and tragedy; JNL Odier ; prophetic verses — Brussiloff's offensive — M. Protopopoff and the Polaks — -Protopopoff's talks with M. Warburg — M. Pokrovsky — The rest of the parliamentary delegation returns by Stockholm — M. Schingareff — Russo-Swedish banquet — Baron Rosen — Count S. Wielopolski — Operations in Galicia — Sturmer replaces Sazonoff — Sazonoff- — A subaltern of the Guards has done his whole duty ; painful journey to Petrograd — Conversations with Sazonoff; a band of malefactors — Count Wielopolski with Protopopoff— I call on Stiirmer — Sazonoft's minute on the Polish question — • The Rumanians come into the war — Odious impressions of Petrograd

411-443 CHAPTER XXIII

RUSSIA IN DECLINE

Return to Stockholm — Bad turn of affairs on the Rumanian front — Ferment and disorder in Russia — Protopopoff", Home Secretary ; his vagaries ; his madness — Prince Nicolas of Greece goes to Russia — I expect to leave my post — Fall of Stiirmer ; succeeded by M. Trepoff — I retain my post — The Protopopoff-Warburg incident begins to agitate t'ne Russian public — I emphatically contradict the Home Secretary — The Minister for Foreign Affairs has again a perfectly honest man in view — Intense agitation in all grades of Russian society — Murder of Rasputin — ProtopopofPs increasing influence — The Trepoff Ministry is of short duration — The situation becomes worse— Protopopoff and an American spiritist — Rizov arrives from Berlin to talk to me ; his curious prophecy — " The Emperor must go " and a great illusion — The Revolution breaks out and triumphs — Every one is happy and content — I adhere to the Provisional Government ....... 444-468

CONTENTS xiii

CHAPTER XXIV

REVOLUTION PAGES

The Hindu fakir ; a theory of suggestion — The Revolution relieves the conscience of our Allies and reassures them — Illusions — First alarming revelations — Report of a Danish eye-witness — The Prikase No. I — The real origin of those March days ; the real situation in Russia — A tragic dialogue — The Soviets supreme — Political exiles return to Russia — Prince Kropotkin — " Madam demands her whole paraphernalia" — A revolutionist of the old stamp — Early memories of Moscow — Bolsheviks — An Armenian throws off his mask — Some dancers — The army of treachery — Lenin and Trotsky pass into Russia — M. Keskula states the Esthonian case — I am appointed Ambassador to Madrid — Ead news from Petrograd — M. Kerensky, Dictator — His praiseworthy efforts — Increasing dissolution — I leave Stockholm with a heavy heart and scant hopes for the future ...... 469-498

CHAPTER XXV

IN SPAIN AND IN EXILE

Journey from Stockholm to Paris — Brief revival of hopes and illusions — Solemn reception of an Ambassador in Madrid — Stately ceremonies — Generous step of King Alfonso XIII. — Two Queens — Reception by the Marquis de Lema and M. Dato — Sad reflections — My colleagues — Bird's-eye view of Spain — Grievous news from Russia — I reconsider my position — ^Journey to Paris ; I am disgusted with all I see and hear — I return to San Sebastian and send in my resignation to Kerensky — Letter to M. Terestchenko — A well-advised counsellor — I go into exile ........... 499-521

DIPLOMATIC REMINISCENCES

CHAPTER I

MY APPOINTMENT TO SOFIA

I WAS on leave in St. Petersburg in January, 1911, when the news arrived there, first of the serious illness, and then of the death, of M. Sementovsky, Russian Minister in Sofia.

Having been for more than six years Counsellor to the Embassy in Paris, I had an indisputable right to promotion, and having spent seventeen years as secretary in Sofia, Constantinople and Belgrade, my professional antecedents seemed to entitle me to one of the Balkan posts. My appointment was talked of all over the town and at the Foreign Office. I therefore was not surprised when a few days after M. Sementovsky's death, M. Sazonoff, who had only been Minister for Foreign Affairs for three months, sent for me, and informed me that my appointment to Sofia had just received the Emperor's approval, and that I was to prepare to take up my post almost immediately.

I had been acquainted with M. Sazonoff for some time, but it was only in Paris that I enjoyed the privilege of seeing him frequently and of discussing political affairs with him. In June, 1904, we had both been raised on the same day to the dignity of Counsellors : he to the Embassy in London and I to the Embassy in Paris. M. Sazonoff remained in London three years; in 1907 he was appointed Minister to the Holy See, and in 1909 assistant to the Minister in St. Petersburg. During his

2 MY APPOINTMENT TO SOFIA [chap. i.

lime in London he often came to Paris; times were strenuous and interesting : first the Japanese war and the Treaty of Portsmouth ; followed immediately by the first Russian Revolution, with Dumas succeeding one another and ending in the Stolypin regime, which appeared to quell the great tumult ; finally, the Russo- British Entente. All this gave rise to much interchange of opinions and ideas between two close colleagues. These meetings in Paris cemented a certain intellectual intimacy between us, and later on when M. Sazonoff became assistant to M. Isvolsky, I often had the satisfaction of noticing that he still took an interest in my opinions.

In announcing my appointment to me, M. Sazonoff said, amongst other things, that I was going to Sofia at a particularly interesting moment : King Ferdinand appeared to be directing his policy more and more towards Russian sympathies and designs, and his Government — composed of Radicals with Malinov at their head — proposed to us to conclude a military convention. This was a matter for mature deliberation, and the Minister was confident that my knowledge of Balkan affairs would enable me to study the proposal and to give my advice on the expediency of such negotiations. He advised me to try and be on good terms with Ferdinand, who had the reputation of being very distrustful and unreliable in his dealings with foreign representatives, especially the Russian ones. My predecessor had achieved notable success in this respect. In 1909, at the outset of M. Sementovsky's term of office. King Ferdinand, on arriving in St. Petersburg, had tried to get rid of the new Russian Minister, and to secure the appointment to Sofia of some person belonging to the smartest society in St. Petersburg. But the Ministry, in the offices of which Sementovsky had spent all his career, not being willing to part with him, Ferdinand made haste to be reconciled with a representative who he felt was well supported, and then tried i9ii] KING FERDINAND 3

to attract him, to make him, if possible, the instrument of his political designs concerning Russia. It was just in the midst of these favours, always very uncertain, that the Russian Minister fell ill and died, furnishing the King with an opportunity of displaying his grief by spectacular funeral ceremonies, which were to serve as a proof of his Russophile sentiments.

Although I had no intention of having recourse to such extreme measures in order to collect proofs of royal good-will, yet I entirely shared the Minister's point of view as to the necessity of establishing — infer vivos — good personal relations with King Ferdinand. One may have had a lurking feeling of distrust for him, but it was all-important that this should not be perceived by the public of Sofia, which is strongly addicted to intrigue and feverishly busy with political tittle-tattle. I had been a witness at the outset of my career of the troubles and disappointments undergone by Russian policy through the attitude which we had taken up with regard to the first Prince of Bulgaria, Alexander of Battenberg. In the very midst of the reaction prevailing in Russia in the eighties, we had vehemently supported the grievances of the Bulgarian Radical party against the absolutist inclinations of the young Prince of Hesse ; we ended by quarrelling completely with him and with the Bulgarian Radicals ; we succeeded in bringing about the downfall of the Prince, but only in order to deliver the country over to the Stamboulovists, to give birth in Bulgaria to an entirely Russophobe party, and finally to end in the kingship of Ferdinand of Coburg! He was far more dangerous and a thousand times more crafty than Battenberg, and yet we began to flatter him, after having heaped insults and contempt upon him for years ! Certainly, I should not allow myself to fall into the same mistakes again; I said as much quite frankly to M. Sazonoff, who agreed entirely with my point of view.

A few days later I received an audience of H.I.M. the Emperor. My reception was a particularly gracious

B

4 MY APPOINTMENT TO SOFIA [ciiAr. i.

one, and the Emperor enumerated with me the principal points of my programme of procedure in Bulgaria— a programme which had been previously drawn up in my conversations with M. Sazonoff : the question of relations to the King, the Macedonian question, that of the relations between the Bulgarians and the Serbians, which one would wish to improve above all things, and finally the question of the military convention proposed by the Bulgarians. I noticed, however, that the Emperor appeared to slur over this last point and not to attach so much importance to it as Sazonoff did.

Since my appointment to Paris, I had several times had business interviews with His Majesty, of course only on matters coming within my sphere. Each time I had carried away the impression of great kindness and extreme personal politeness, of a ready and subtle wit slightly tinged with sarcasm, and of a very quick though somewhat superficial mind. When I wished my august questioner to give an opinion on such and such a subject, I tried to bring the conversation round to it. In this case the Emperor would seize the opportunity — if he wished to — and pass in an almost imperceptible manner and as if on his own initiative to the subject in hand ; if he did not wish to give an opinion, he allowed my allusion to pass unnoticed, showing plainly, however, that he had understood it, but that he did not intend to commit himself On this, as on former occasions, the Emperor displayed the same qualities in our interview. He was obviously well prepared for the discussion, and finally gave me some general instructions which were fairly definite. He spoke in his usual urbane manner, and whilst giving instructions which were really orders, only appeared to be airing his opinions.

Once only in the course of the interview did the Emperor assume a solemn and dictatorial manner; after an intentional pause, stepping backwards and fixing me with a penetrating stare, he said: "Listen to me, Nekludoff : do not for one instant lose sight of the fact that we cannot go to war. I do not wish for war as

19"] M. SAZONOFFS ILLNESS 5

a rule; I shall do all in my power to preserve for my people the benefits of peace. But at this moment, of all moments, everything which might lead to war must be avoided. It would be out of the question for us to face a war for five or six years, in fact till 1917. . . . Though if the most vital interests and the honour of Russia were at stake, we might, if it were absolutely necessary, accept a challenge in 191 5, but not a moment sooner — in any circumstances or under any pretext whatsoever! Do you quite understand me ? "