"It was no part of our alliance," he said sternly, "that you should make
a secret treaty with another Power and keep hidden from us no less a
scheme than the invasion of England. My Cabinet have dealt with this
matter on its own merits. I have the honor to tell you, gentlemen, that
I have concluded an alliance with England to come into effect in the
case of your carrying out your present intention. For every army corps
you succeed in landing in England I too shall land one, only, I think,
with less difficulty, and for every German ship which clears for action
in the North Sea two French ones will be prepared to meet her."
"I think, Monsieur le President," he said stiffly, "that this discussion
had better be postponed until after I have had an opportunity of
communicating with my Imperial master. I must confess, sir, that your
attitude is a complete surprise to me."
"As you will, sir," the President answered. "I am perhaps more a man of
affairs than a diplomatist, and I have spoken to you with less reserve
than is altogether customary. But I shall never believe that diplomacy
which chooses the dark and tortuous ways of intrigue and
misrepresentation is best calculated to uphold and strengthen the
destinies of a great nation.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353