“We must forego for the present a more minute description of this _Bonbonnière_ full of _Kreuzzeitung_ comfits and Jesuit sweetmeats. Nevertheless attentive newspaper readers may be reminded by a few instances (which shall be indicated with as much indulgence as possible) of the manner in which the forces, aims, and intrigues of this Court faction have made themselves felt during the last few months. It should be mentioned, by the way, that its mines have been laid for a considerable time past. The chief editor of an important reactionary paper, which has endeavoured for many years to alienate public opinion from the Government and the Emperor, was at length prosecuted and condemned for libel against Ministers. (Incorrect. See last note.) This man has been pardoned on the petition of the offended Ministers, owing to the intercession--well, let us say--of an exalted lady. (According to another version, at least released.) The same exalted lady wrote letters to Catholic associations, which were afterwards published, in disapproval of the ecclesiastical laws. Two members of the distinguished Polish family recently mentioned, both belonging to the Centre fraction, one a former secretary to Ledochowski, and the other a priest who was engaged in the notorious Marping farce, are welcome guests in the circles that gather around this lady. According to all appearances direct instructions were issued by her to the authorities in the affair of the Ursulines. This may perhaps recall to many of your readers Eugénie’s action during the war. A Count and Master of the Household who is known as a zealous Ultramontane, whose relations to the _Reichsglocke_[16] were disclosed during the prosecution of that paper, and who took part in the conferences of the editorial staff at Olbrich’s, received immediately after that scandal one of the highest Prussian Orders--a recognition which few can explain, and which, of course, no loyal reader can account for, except by supposing that the achievements of the _Reichsglocke_ were regarded with extreme favour in certain circles. “How does the reader like these incidents, to which many others equally striking might be added? That they were distasteful to the Imperial Chancellor must, of course, be obvious. It is, indeed, quite possible that he may have made use of the expression attributed to him, namely, ‘that his greatest difficulties arise out of his having to undertake a diplomatic mission to our own Court.’” On the 21st of April Bucher, to whom I had communicated an outline of this article, wrote as follows respecting the former article:--