made by the Minister of Finance.  Had Bismarck been in authority at the time, we can hardly doubt that he would have found some way of effecting a compromise between the Government and the leaders of the Moderate Liberal party.  At least no blame attached to him for what had happened.  Still less can we afford him anything but the highest commendation, that, when the King had got into an absolutely untenable position, he came forward, and at the risk of his reputation, his future, perhaps his life, stood by his side.

CHAPTER VIII.

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.

1863-1864.

We have seen that the result of the conflict would eventually depend upon the management of foreign affairs.  Bismarck before his appointment had always said that the Government could only gain freedom at home by a more vigorous policy abroad.  He was now in a position to follow the policy he desired.  The conflict made him indispensable to the King; if he retired, the King would have to surrender to the House.  This was always present to his mind and enabled him to keep his influence against all his enemies, who throughout the spring had used every effort to undermine his authority with the King.

There were many who thought that he deliberately maintained the friction in order to make himself indispensable, and in truth his relations to the Parliament had this advantage, that there was no use in attempting to take into consideration their wishes.  Had he been supported by a friendly House he would have had to justify his policy, perhaps to modify it; as it was, since they were sure to refuse supplies whatever he did, one or two more votes of censure were a matter of indifference to him, and he went on his own way directing the diplomacy of the country with as sure and firm a hand as though no Parliament existed.

In the autumn he had the first opportunity for shewing how great his influence already was.  During the summer holidays, he was in almost constant attendance on the King, who as usual had gone to Gastein for a cure.  Perhaps he did not venture to leave the King, but he often complained of the new conditions in which his life was passed; he wished to be back with his wife and children in Pomerania.  He writes to his wife from Baden:  “I wish that some intrigue would necessitate another Ministry, so that I might honourably turn my back on this basin of ink and live quietly in the country.  The restlessness of this life is unbearable; for ten weeks I have been doing clerk’s work at an inn—­it is no life for an honest country gentleman.”