“Her Majesty the Queen returns to Babelsburg on Sunday; she is
  much agitated, there will be scenes; the temperature towards the
  Ministry will fall to zero or below.”

He eventually got away at the end of July with six weeks’ leave of absence; he travelled down to Bordeaux and Bayonne and across the Pyrenees to San Sebastian; he was away from all news of the world; for weeks he scarcely saw even a German paper.

On the 14th of September he was at Toulouse; the sea-bathing, the mountain air, the freedom from work and anxiety, and the warmth had completely restored his health; for the first time since he went to St. Petersburg he had recovered his old spirit, his decision, and directness of action.  He wrote that he must have some definite decision; otherwise he would send in his resignation.  “My furniture is at St. Petersburg and will be frozen up, my carriages are at Stettin, my horses at Berlin, my family in Pomerania, and I on the highroad.”  He was prepared to be his Majesty’s Envoy at Paris but he was also ready at once to enter the Ministry.  “Only get me certainty, one way or another,” he writes to Roon, “and I will paint angels’ wings on your photograph.”  Two days later, just as a year before, he received a telegram from Roon telling him to come at once.  On the 17th he was in Paris and on the morning of the 20th he arrived in Berlin.

The long-delayed crisis had at last come; the debates on the Budget and the vote for the army reform began on September 11th; it was continued for five days, and at the end the House, by a majority of 273 to 62, refused the money required for the increased establishment.  The result of this vote would be that if the wishes of the House were carried out, the whole of the expenditure which had already been made for eight months of the current year was illegal; moreover, the regiments which had already existed for two years must be disbanded.  It was a vote which could not possibly be carried into effect, as the money had already been spent.  At a meeting of the Ministry which was held the next morning, the majority, including this time even Roon, seemed to have been inclined to attempt a compromise.  The King alone remained firm.  When he had heard the opinion of all the Ministers, he rose and said that in that case it would be impossible for him to carry on the Government any longer; it would only remain for him to summon the Crown Prince.  As he said this he put his hand on the bell to call a messenger.  The Ministers all sprang from their chairs and assured him that he might depend upon them, and they would support him to the end.  Such were the circumstances in which Roon summoned Bismarck.  None the less the influence of the Queen and the Crown Prince were so strong that the King still doubted whether he ought to continue the struggle; on one thing he was determined, that if he had to give way he would abdicate.  Two days later he again asked Roon his advice.  “Appoint Bismarck Minister-President,”