After a while the Minister continued: “Gortschakoff is not carrying on in this matter a real Russian policy (that is, one in the true interests of Russia), but rather a policy of violent aggression. People still believe that Russian diplomats are particularly crafty and clever, full of artifices and stratagems, but that is not the case. If the people at St. Petersburg were clever they would not make any declaration of the kind, but would quietly build men-of-war in the Black Sea and wait until they were questioned on the subject. Then they might reply that they knew nothing about it, but would make inquiries, and so let the matter drag on. That might continue for a long time, and finally people would get accustomed to it.” Another telegram announced the election of the Duke of Aosta as King of Spain. The Chief said: “I pity him--and them. He is, moreover, elected by a small majority--not by the two-thirds originally intended. There were 190 votes for him and 115 against.” Alten was pleased that the monarchical sentiments of the Spaniards had ultimately prevailed. “Ah, those Spaniards!” exclaimed the Chief. “They have no sense of what is honourable or becoming! They showed that on the outbreak of this war. If only one of those Castilians who pretend to have a monopoly of the sense of honour had but expressed his indignation at the cause of the present war, which was after all Napoleon’s intervention in their previous election of a king, interfering with their free choice and treating them as vassals!... As a matter of fact, these Spaniards are all mere Angelo de Mirandas,--he was formerly a card sharper, and then confidant of Prim’s and probably also of the King’s.” After the Chief had made some further remarks, some one said that it was now all over with the candidature of the Prince of Hohenzollern. “Yes,” replied the Chief, “but only because he wishes it to be so. A couple of weeks ago I told him that it was still time. But he no longer wanted to go on.” _Saturday, November 19th._--We were joined at dinner by General von Werder, the Prussian Military Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg. The Chief, who looked very pleased, said, shortly after entering the dining-room: “Well, we shall probably be able to come to an understanding with Bavaria.” “Yes,” exclaimed Bohlen, “something of that kind has already been telegraphed to one of the Berlin papers.” “I am sorry for that,” replied the Minister; “it is premature. But of course, wherever there is a mob of princes who have nothing to do and who feel bored, nothing can be kept secret!”