¶ Then Bismarck crossed over and proposed to Austria that Frankfort "reform" the Confederation. The lure to the Liberals was the promise of a National Convention elected by the people, to decide on a new Constitution; the solution carried the Holstein question, Bismarck averred, "not as a piece of monarchial greed but as a National affair." ¶ Bavaria agreed provided Austria and Prussia would not attack each other. ¶ At this, Bismarck promised to give to Italy the Venetian provinces, by peaceful arrangement--war or no war. But Italy wavered; she was afraid of Bismarck's behind-the-screen policies. Austria decided to increase her Venetian armaments, and Bismarck, quick as a cat, seized on this move of his old enemy as an act of "insincerity" in regard to peace. ¶ Austria now replied by urging that the Holstein question be left to the Diet, despite the fact that Prussia had expressly denied the competency of Frankfort to settle questions affecting Prussia. ¶ From this point events moved with rapidity toward war. Troops under Manteuffel marched into Holstein, alleging the Gastein treaty broken; Austrians retired, but under protest, alleging that Prussia had violated Section 11 of the Acts of Confederation, which provided that members could not make war against each other; and Austria moved that the Confederation be mobilized, except Prussia. Bismarck thereupon played his trump card. "The Confederation is dissolved!" he thundered, and submitted a new draft of articles, leaving Austria out. ¶ Germany was now in two hostile camps; on came the war. * * * * * ¶ Thus stood matters on the fateful June 1st, 1866, when the critical situation in the Danish country offered the match to touch off the powder magazines against Austria; startled Austria immediately called upon her beribboned, bejeweled Frankfort Parliament to declare war on Prussia for insolence; and this is exactly what Bismarck wished to bring to pass; it was the moment he had awaited all these long years. ¶ Hanover and two other states were asked by telegraph to declare their intentions. The replies being unsatisfactory, Bismarck, with supreme daring worthy of Frederick the Great, orders von Roon and Moltke's iron men forward. They poured like fiends into the surprised territories, overran them in a night, compelling the flight or capture of three kings. ¶ "With God for King and Fatherland!" That old cry is again heard throughout the Prussian North country. Austria reckoned stupidly; she had thought Bismarck's internal political dissensions would make it impossible for Prussia to rally her iron men in good order; but Bismarck knew that while Liberal leaders quarreled like dogs and cats over Prussian policies, still when beloved Prussia was in danger, all differences would be forgotten--and Prussia in a night would become an armed camp.