Whether official Russia, four weeks in advance, had really counted on the assassination of the Archduke and the outbreak of a war ensuing therefrom remains an open question.  I will not go so far as to assert it for a fact, but one thing is certain, that Russia within a measurable space of time had prepared for war as being inevitable and had endeavoured to secure Roumania’s co-operation.  When the Tsar was at Constanza a month before the tragedy at Sarajevo, his Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sassonoff, paid a visit to Bucharest.  When there, he and Bratianu went on a walking tour together to Transylvania.  I did not hear of this tactless excursion until it was over, but I shared Berchtold’s surprise at such a proceeding on the part of both Ministers.

I once, in 1914, overheard by chance a conversation between two Russians.  It was at the Hotel Capsa, known later as a resort for anti-Austrians.  They were sitting at the table next to mine in the restaurant and were speaking French quite freely and openly.  They appeared to be on good terms with the Russian Ambassador and were discussing the impending visit of the Tsar to Constanza.  I discovered later that they were officers in mufti.  They agreed that the Emperor Francis Joseph could not live very much longer, and that when his death occurred and a new ruler came to the throne It would be a favourable moment for Russia to declare war on us.

They were evidently exponents of the “loyal” tendency that aimed at declaring war on us without a preceding murder; and I readily believe that the majority of the men in Petersburg who were eager for war held the same view.

CHAPTER V

THE U-BOAT WARFARE

1

My appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs was thought by many to indicate that the Emperor Charles was carrying out the political wishes of his uncle, Ferdinand.  Although it had been the Archduke’s intention to have made me his Minister for Foreign Affairs, my appointment to the post by the Emperor Charles had nothing to do with that plan.  It was due, above all, to his strong desire to get rid of Count Burian and to the lack of other candidates whom he considered suitable.  The Red Book that was published by Count Burian after the outbreak of war with Roumania may have attracted the Emperor’s attention to me.

Although the Emperor, while still Archduke, was for several years my nearest neighbour in Bohemia—­he was stationed at Brandeis, on the Elbe—­we never became more closely acquainted.  In all those years he was not more than once or twice at my house, and they were visits of no political significance.  It was not until the first winter of the war, when I went from Roumania to the Headquarters at Teschen, that the then Archduke invited me to make the return journey with him.  During this railway journey that lasted several hours politics formed the chief subject of conversation, though chiefly concerning Roumania and the Balkan questions.  In any case I was never one of those who were in the Archduke’s confidence, and my call to the Ballplatz came as a complete surprise.