At the beginning of June, 1877, I had completed my plans for the _Gartenlaube_ article. These had, in the interval, undergone a considerable change, inasmuch as I now proposed to give reminiscences from my diary during the campaign, and then to add a description of the houses and estates belonging to the Prince. I wrote to Bucher in Berlin respecting the visits I proposed to pay to the latter, and on the 6th of July received from him the following answer: “At the beginning of August the Prince will go to a watering place for about six weeks. Your visit should therefore be arranged for the latter half of the month of September. It would not be advisable to mention the matter now. Report yourself about a week in advance, addressing yourself not to the amanuensis who may happen to be at Varzin, but to the Chief personally.” Seeing from the newspapers in the early part of October that the Chancellor had returned from Gastein to Varzin, I wrote to him and begged to be informed whether and when my visit would be agreeable. By return of post I received the following, dated Varzin October 11th:-- “Dear Sir,--My father has received your friendly letter of the 10th, for which he returns his best thanks. He has instructed me to inform you in reply that he will be pleased to see you here in the course of next week. He begs of you to let him know the time of your arrival, if possible on the previous day, as otherwise we may not be at home. Next Sunday or Monday, for example, we propose to drive out to one of my father’s farms about four (German) miles from here, which will occupy the whole day. “With the most profound esteem, “your devoted “Count Herbert Bismarck.” I acted on these suggestions. Before my departure, however, I requested Bucher to make an appointment for me to see him in Berlin, so that he might explain to me the customs of the house at Varzin, and the proper way of behaving there. He replied on the 14th of October: “Owing to the absence of the Secretary of State I must spend practically the whole day at No. 76. A meeting there would, however, not be desirable. As you may perhaps bring back instructions from Varzin, it will be better that your journey thither should not be known. I will be at the confectioner’s at the corner of the Leipzigerstrasse and Wilhelmstrasse on Monday at 4 o’clock.” He had not arrived, however, when I went to meet him, having been detained by business; but I was able to obtain from him later on the necessary information. On the 16th of October, shortly before 1 P.M., I started from Berlin, first to Stettin, and from there to the little town of Schlawe, in Further Pomerania, whence at that time one proceeded in the post cart or in a private conveyance, whereas later on a connection was established by railway _viâ_ Stolp.