in maintaining a friendly attitude and repudiated all the reports of his having been opposed to it.  It is a fact that certain of the military party, who were anxious for war, made use of the Archduke, or rather misused him, in order to carry on a military propaganda in his name and thus gave rise to so wrongful an estimate of him.  Several of these men died a hero’s death in the war; others have disappeared and are forgotten.  Conrad, Chief of the General Staff, was never among those who misused the Archduke.  He could never have done such a thing.  He carried out himself what he considered necessary and did it openly and in face of everybody.

In connection with these reports about the Archduke there is one remarkable detail that is worthy of note.  He told me himself how a fortune-teller once predicted that “he would one day let loose a world war.”  Although to a certain extent this prophecy flattered him, containing as it did the unspoken recognition that the world would have to reckon on him as a powerful factor, still he emphatically pointed out how mad such a prophecy was.  It was fulfilled, however, later, though very differently from what was meant originally, and never was prince more innocent of causing blood to flow than the unhappy victim of Sarajevo.

The Archduke suffered most terribly under the conditions resulting from his unequal marriage.  The sincere and true love he felt for his wife kept alive in him the wish to raise her to his rank and privileges, and the constant obstacles that he encountered at all court ceremonies embittered and angered him inexpressibly.  The Archduke was firmly resolved that when he came to the throne he would give to his wife, not the title of Empress, but a position which, though without the title, would bestow upon her the highest rank.  His argument was that wherever he was she would be the mistress of the house, and as such was entitled to the highest position, “therefore she will take precedence of all the archduchesses.”  Never did the Archduke show the slightest wish to alter the succession and put his son in place of the Archduke Charles.  On the contrary, he was resolved that his first official act on coming to the throne would be to publish a solemn declaration containing his intention, in order to counteract the ever-recurring false and biassed statements.  As regards his children, for whom he did everything that a loving father’s heart could devise, his greatest wish was to see them become wealthy, independent private individuals, and able to enjoy life without any material cares.  His plan was to secure the title of Duke of Hohenberg for his eldest son.  It was, therefore, in harmony with this intention that the Emperor Charles conferred the title on the youth.