wish to enter the Ministry except as Foreign Minister, and the King still feared and distrusted him.  An incident which occurred during these critical days will explain to some extent the apprehensions which Bismarck so easily awoke.  The chronic difficulties with the Elector of Hesse had culminated in an act of great discourtesy; the King of Prussia had sent an autograph letter to the Elector by General Willisen; the Elector on receiving it threw it unopened on the table; as the letter contained the final demands of Prussia, the only answer was to put some of the neighbouring regiments on a war footing.  Bernstorff took the opportunity of Bismarck’s presence in Berlin to ask his advice; the answer was:  “The circumstance that the Elector has thrown a royal letter on the table is not a clever casus belli; if you want war, make me your Under Secretary; I will engage to provide you a German civil war of the best quality in a few weeks.”  The King might naturally fear that if he appointed Bismarck, not Under Secretary, but Minister, he would in a few weeks, whether he liked it or not, find himself involved in a German civil war of the best quality.  He wanted a man who would defend the Government before the Chambers with courage and ability; Bismarck, who had gained his reputation as a debater, was the only man for the post.  He could have had the post of Minister of the Interior; he was offered that of Minister-President without a Portfolio; but if he did not actually refuse, he strongly disapproved of the plan; he would not be able to get on with Bernstorff, and Schleinitz would probably interfere.  “I have no confidence in Bernstorff’s eye for political matters; he probably has none in mine.”  Bernstorff was “too stiff,” “his collars were too high.”  During these long discussions he wrote to his wife: 

“Our future is obscure as in Petersburg.  Berlin is now to the front; I do nothing one way or another; as soon as I have my credentials for Paris in my pocket I will dance and sing.  At present there is no talk of London, but all may change again.  I scarcely get free of the discussions all day long; I do not find the Ministers more united than their predecessors were.”

Disgusted with the long waiting and uncertainty he pressed for a decision; after a fortnight’s delay he was appointed Minister at Paris, but this was in reality only a fresh postponement; nothing had really been decided; the King expressly told him not to establish himself there.  To his wife he wrote from Berlin: 

“I am very much pleased, but the shadow remains in the background.  I was already as good as caught for the Ministry.  Perhaps when I am out of their sight they will discover another Minister-President.  I expect to start for Paris to-morrow; whether for long, God knows; perhaps only for a few months or even weeks.  They are all conspired together that I should stay here.  I have had to be very firm to get away from this hotel life even for a time.”

He did not really expect to be away more than ten days or a fortnight.  At a farewell audience just before he started, the King seems to have led him to expect that he would in a very few days be appointed as he wished, Foreign Minister.