Now this was the situation: The secret war-chest against Austria had to be filled in one way or another; but the difficulty was found in the fact that the common people, acting under a mysterious instinct not to be explained but very real withal, had already begun to show unrest about an approaching War of the Brothers, as the sentimentalists called the irrepressible conflict between Austria and Prussia. The upshot was that Bismarck's political secrets while not definitely understood in detail, were quite generally divined by close students of the German problem. The Liberals were intent on their own interests, in Prussia, and believed that their political solution depended on hampering the King, regardless of his cause. Hence the Liberal deputies of the Chamber spunkily stood out against William's heavy demands for cannon and gunpowder. ¶ Bismarck, as King's Minister, had to face the political storm. He did not dare to say that he wanted the money for war; he wanted the money--was not that enough? Thereupon, Bismarck proceeded to domineer over the delegates. The Chamber was willing to do something, but how about the rumor that these huge appropriations are to be hereafter a permanent item in the budget? Bismarck would not make the delegates' minds easy; he wanted money, much money, 12,000,000 thalers in fact, for the army--and the least the delegates could do was to vote the funds. If they did not give the cash gracefully, why he would coerce the deputies--that was all! ¶ "It is not by speechifying and majorities," he thundered, "that the great questions of the time will be decided--that was the great mistake in '48 and in '49,--BUT BY BLOOD AND IRON." ¶ Members of the Chamber shrank in horror. There were extremely powerful and learned men there, to combat Bismarck's point of view, and our political conspirator on his emperor-hunt had to listen to some of the most merciless rebukes he was ever to hear, during his long and highly exciting career. But he took them all, without a whimper. ¶ "We have too many Catalines existing among us that have an interest in social uprisings," Bismarck thundered. "Germany considers not the Liberalists of Prussia, but her own power. Bavaria, Wuertemberg and Baden may flirt with liberalism, but no German would think on that account of asking them to assume the rôle of Prussia. Prussia must brace herself, for the fitter moment. Prussia's borders are not favorable to the development of a healthy state." * * * * * ¶ The giant Pomeranian King's Man with his turbulent support of his monarch, now advanced reasons to show his side, and concluded by mocking his hearers to do their worst. ¶ "What matter if they hang me, provided the rope binds this new Germany more firmly to the throne?"