up into separate states—­Czechish, Polish, Hungarian and German.  There will be very slight contact between these new states; in other words, a separate peace would mean that the Monarchy, having first been mutilated, would then be hacked to pieces.  But until we arrive at this result, we must fight on, and that, moreover, against Germany, which will, of course, make peace with Russia at once and occupy the Monarchy.  The German generals will not be so foolish as to wait until the Entente has invaded Germany through Austria, but will take care to make Austria itself the theatre of war.  So that instead of bringing the war to an end, we should be merely changing one opponent for another and delivering up provinces hitherto spared—­such as Bohemia and Tyrol—­to the fury of battle, only to be wrecked completely in the end.

On the other hand, we might perhaps, in a few months’ time, secure peace all round, with Germany as well—­a tolerable peace of mutual understanding—­always provided the German offensive turns out successful.  The Emperor was more silent then.  Among his entourage, one pulls this way, another that—­and we gain nothing in that manner among the Entente, while we are constantly losing the confidence of Berlin.  If a man wishes to go over to the enemy, then let him do it—­le remede sera pire que le mal—­but to be for ever dallying with the idea of treachery and adopting the pose without carrying it out in reality—­this I cannot regard as prudent policy.

I believe we could arrive at a tolerable peace of understanding; we should lose something to Italy, and should, of course, gain nothing in exchange.  Furthermore, we should have to alter the entire structure of the Monarchy—­after the fashion of the federation Danubienne proposed in France—­and I am certainly rather at a loss to see how this can be done in face of the Germans and Hungarians.  But I hope we may survive the war, and I hope also that they will ultimately revise the conditions of the London conference.  Let but old Hindenburg once make his entry into Paris, and then the Entente must utter the decisive word that they are willing to treat.  But when that moment comes, I am firmly determined to do the utmost possible, to appeal publicly to the peoples of the Central Powers and ask them if they prefer to fight on for conquest or if they will have peace.

To settle with Russia as speedily as possible, then break through the determination of the Entente to exterminate us, and then to make peace—­even at a loss—­that is my plan and the hope for which I live.  Naturally, after the capture of Paris, all “leading” men—­with the exception of the Emperor Karl—­will demand a “good” peace, and that we shall never get in any case.  The odium of having “spoiled the peace” I will take upon myself.

So, I hope, we may come out of it at last, albeit rather mauled.  But the old days will