Speaking of the barbarous way in which the French conducted the war, Alvensleben said that they had also fired upon a flag of truce at Toul. On the other hand, an officer who for a joke rode along the glacis had a friendly chat with the gentlemen on the walls. The question whether it would be possible to take Paris by storm in spite of its fortifications was answered in the affirmative by the military guests. General Alvensleben said: “A great city of that kind cannot be successfully defended if it is attacked by a sufficiently numerous force.” Count Waldersee wished to “see Babel utterly destroyed,” and brought forward arguments in favour of that measure with which I was immensely pleased. The Minister, however, replied: “Yes, that would be a very good thing, but it is impossible for many reasons. One of these is that numbers of Germans in Cologne and Frankfurt have considerable sums invested there.” The conversation then turned upon our conquests in France and those still to be made. Alvensleben was in favour of keeping the country up to the Marne. Bismarck had another idea, which, however, he seemed to think it impossible to realise. “My ideal would be,” he said, “a kind of German colony, a neutral State of eight or ten million inhabitants, free from the conscription and whose taxes should flow to Germany so far as they were not required for domestic purposes. France would thus lose a district from which she draws her best soldiers, and would be rendered harmless. In the rest of France no Bourbon, no Orleans, and probably no Bonaparte, neither Lulu (the Prince Imperial) nor the fat Jerome, nor the old one. I did not wish for war in connection with the Luxemburg affair, as I knew that it would lead to six others. But we must now put an end to all this. However, we must not sell the bear’s skin before we have killed it. I confess I am superstitious in that respect.” “Never mind,” said Count Waldersee, “our bear is already badly hit.” The Chief then again referred to the royal table and to the frugal manner in which food was doled out to the guests, his remarks being probably intended for Count Lehndorff, who was expected to repeat them. “We had cutlets there recently, and I could not take two, as there was only one apiece for us. Rabbit followed, and I debated with myself whether I should take a second portion, although I could easily have managed four. At length hunger overcame my politeness, and I seized a second piece, though I am sure I was robbing somebody else.” The Chancellor then went on to speak of his sons. “I hope,” he said, “I shall be able to keep at least one of my youngsters--I mean Herbert, who is on his way to Germany. He got to feel himself quite at home in camp. Formerly he was apt to be haughty, but as he lay wounded at Pont à Mousson he was almost more friendly with the common troopers who visited him than with the officers.”