I RETURN TO BERLIN AND RENEW MY INTERCOURSE WITH THE CHANCELLOR--THE HISTORY OF MY BOOK--BISMARCK ON THE OPPOSITION OF THE FREE-TRADERS AND THE HOSTILITY OF THE NATIONAL LIBERALS--HIS OPINION OF THE EMPEROR AND OF THE CROWN PRINCE AND PRINCESS--HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO ATTACK GORTSCHAKOFF’S POLICY--MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WHO HAVE NO EXPERIENCE OF REAL LIFE--CONVERSATION WITH VON THILE RESPECTING HIS RETIREMENT--THE TURNING AWAY FROM RUSSIA AND TOWARDS AUSTRIA-HUNGARY--MATERIAL FOR THE HISTORY OF THE ALLIANCE WITH THE AUSTRIANS--THE PRINCE ON THE PARLIAMENTARY FRACTIONS--HE DESCRIBES BÜLOW’S POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS: HATZFELDT, HOHENLOHE, RADOWITZ, SOLMS, WERTHER, AND KEUDELL--THE CHANCELLOR’S REMARKABLE OPINION OF STOSCH--ITALIAN POLITICS--POPE LEO--THE PRINCE ON THE CROWN PRINCE--THE ENVIOUS AND AMBITIOUS IN PARLIAMENT--THE CAUSES OF THE CHANCELLOR CRISIS IN APRIL--KING STEPHAN AGAINST KING WILLIAM--THE NEW MINISTRY IN ENGLAND--DELBRÜCK’S ILLNESS AND THE PRINCE’S OPPONENTS IN THE REICHSTAG--THE CENTRE PARTY DESCRIBED--THORNDIKE RICE’S REQUEST 362 CHAPTER VIII THE ARTICLE “THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ITALIAN BISHOPS”--LOTHAR BUCHER ON HOHENLOHE, RADOWITZ AND THE TWO BÜLOWS--THE CHIEF WISHES TO BE REPRESENTED IN THE “DAILY TELEGRAPH” AS A LEGITIMIST, THOUGH THE FACT MUST BE REGRETTED--COURT INTRIGUES AND THE REQUEST TO BE RELEASED FROM OFFICE--BUCHER ON THE SECESSIONISTS, AND THE FUTURE MINISTERS--THE CHIEF ON THE MEANS OF SECURING THE FUTURE OF THE WORKING MAN--THE OPPOSITION TO THIS REFORM--THE JEWS--THE DEFECTION OF THE CONSERVATIVES AND NATIONAL LIBERALS--THE KING THE SOLE MEMBER OF HIS PARTY--THE “GRENZBOTEN” REGARDED AS AN OFFICIAL GAZETTE--THE DEBATE IN THE UPPER CHAMBER ON THE REMISSION OF TAXES, AND A “GRENZBOTEN” ARTICLE ON THAT SUBJECT BY THE CHIEF--THE BERLINERS IN PARLIAMENT--THE CHANCELLOR UPON THE JEWS ONCE MORE 444 BISMARCK SOME SECRET PAGES OF HIS HISTORY CHAPTER I NO. 76 WILHELMSTRASSE--THE CHANCELLOR’S RESIDENCE AND THE FOREIGN OFFICE--THE CHIEF’S OFFICIAL SURROUNDINGS AND HIS LIFE AT HOME--BUCHER AND ABEKEN Before resuming the extracts from my diary I beg to be allowed to present the reader with a picture of the house in which the Chancellor resided during his stay in Berlin at the time when I had the honour of working under his instructions, and to add a few words upon the life of which that house was the centre. I purpose to do this in some detail, not omitting even matters of secondary interest, and regardless of the question whether it may be to the taste of certain critics, as I hope the public will come to a very different conclusion, and will welcome my description.