“As the discussion continued, he grew animated, he interrupted Thiers at every word, accused him of wishing to spoil everything; he said that he was ill, at the end of his powers, he was incapable of going further, in a work that we were pleased to make of no use.  Then, allowing his feelings to break out, walking up and down the little room in which we were deliberating with great strides, he cried, ’It is very kind of me to take the trouble to which you condemn me; our conditions are ultimatums—­you must accept or reject them.  I will not take part in it any longer; bring an interpreter to-morrow, henceforward I will not speak French any longer.’”

And he began forthwith to talk German at a great rate, a language which of course neither of the Frenchmen understood.

It is interesting to compare with this Bismarck’s own account of the same scene: 

“When I addressed a definite demand to Thiers, although he generally could command himself, he sprang up and cried, ’Mais c’est un indignite.’  I took no notice but began to talk German.  For a time he listened, but obviously did not know what to think of it.  Then in a plaintive voice he said, ’But, Count, you know that I do not understand German.’  I answered him now in French.  ’When just now you spoke of indignite, I found that I did not understand French enough and preferred to speak German, here I know what I say and hear.’  He understood what I meant and at once agreed to that which he had just refused as an indignite.”

Bismarck’s part in these negotiations was not altogether an easy one, for it is probable that, in part at least, he secretly sympathised with the arguments and protests of the French.  He was far too loyal to his master and his country not to defend and adopt the policy which had been accepted; but there is much reason to believe that, had he been completely master, Germany would not have insisted on having Metz, but would have made the demand only to withdraw it.  The arguments for the annexation of Alsace were indeed unanswerable, and again and again Bismarck had pointed out that Germany could never be safe so long as France held Strasburg, and a French army supported on the strong basis of the Vosges could use Strasburg as a gate whence to sally forth into Germany.  No one indeed who has ever stood on the slopes of the Black Forest and looked across the magnificent valley, sheltered by the hills on either side, through which the Rhine flows, can doubt that this is all one country, and that the frontier must be sought, not in the river, which is not a separation, but the chief means of communication, but on the top of the hills on the further side.  Every argument, however, which is used to support German claims to Strasburg may be used with equal force to support French claims to Metz.  If Strasburg in French hands is the gate of Germany, Metz in German hands is, and always will remain, a military post