Bismarck in granting the interview had said that he would not discuss an armistice, but only terms of peace.  For the reasons we have explained, Favre refused to listen even to the proposition of the only terms which Bismarck was empowered to bring forward.  The Chancellor explained those ideas with which we are already acquainted:  “Strasburg,” he said, “is the key of our house and we must have it.”  Favre protested that he could not discuss conditions which were so dishonourable to France.  On this expression we need only quote Bismarck’s comment: 

“I did not succeed in convincing him that conditions, the fulfilment of which France had required from Italy, and demanded from Germany without having been at war, conditions which France would undoubtedly have imposed upon us had we been defeated and which had been the result of nearly every war, even in the latest time, could not have anything dishonourable in themselves for a country which had been defeated after a brave resistance, and that the honour of France was not of a different kind to that of other countries.”

It was impossible to refuse to discuss terms of an armistice; as in 1866 the military authorities objected to any kind of armistice because from a military point of view any cessation of hostilities must be an advantage to France; it would enable them to continue their preparations and get together new armies, while Germany would have the enormous expense of maintaining 500,000 men in a foreign country.  Bismarck himself from a political point of view also knew the advantage of bringing the war to a rapid close, while the moral effect of the great victories had not been dissipated.  However, France had no Government; a legal Government could not be created without elections, and Favre refused to consider holding elections during the progress of hostilities.  After a long discussion Bismarck, other suggestions being rejected, offered an armistice on condition that the war should continue round Metz and Paris, but that Toul and Strasburg should be surrendered and the garrison of Strasburg made prisoners of war.  “The towns would anyhow fall into our hands,” he said; “it is only a question of engineering.”  “At these words,” says Favre, “I sprang into the air from pain and cried out, ’You forget that you speak to a Frenchman.  To sacrifice an heroic garrison which is the object of our admiration and that of the world would be a cowardice.  I do not promise even to say that you have offered such a condition.’” Bismarck said that he had no wish to offend him; if the King allowed it the article might be modified; he left the room, and after a quarter of an hour returned, saying that the King would accept no alteration on this point.  “My powers were exhausted,” writes Favre; “I feared for a moment that I should fall down; I turned away to overcome the tears which choked me, and, while I excused myself for this involuntary weakness, I took leave with a few simple words.”  He asked