This was Ferdinand’s way of conveying to the Liberator nation of Russia that, having got all he could expect from that source, he had taken up with new friends. The Watchman “scanning the distant horizon” had discerned the effort that the German nations were preparing to snatch the mastery of Europe, and had thrown in the lot of the people he had so kindly adopted with the pirates. But Russia, then and for long afterwards, was unable to believe that his perfidy was as complete as recent events have proved it. Russia continued to exert itself for the freedom of the Slav peoples from the Turk; for the Young Turk proved to be still the same old Turk, and the bitter cry of Macedonia was not stilled by the departure of Abdul the Damned into exile. The theft of Bosnia and Herzegovina had brought the Austrians right down on to the border of poor little Serbia, which needed immediate protection from the ambitious schemes of the heir to the throne, as much as the Serbians outside Serbia itself needed help against the persecuting Turk. In such circumstances it was the task of Russia to unite the Balkan nations by a treaty which would make them mutually defensive against their foes, and it was such a treaty that Ferdinand was presently called upon by his Ministers to sign. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FERDINAND AND THE BALKAN LEAGUE “_May God preserve Bulgaria from the consequences._”—FERDINAND OF BULGARIA. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XX FERDINAND AND THE BALKAN LEAGUE The independent kingdom of Bulgaria occupied a very different position in the eyes of the Powers to that of the vassal Principality. Soon Ferdinand began to feel some of the disadvantages of greatness, and to recognize the responsibilities he had incurred by his coup with Austria. He had incurred the suspicion of Russia and Rumania on the one side, and the enmity of Serbia on the other, while Turkey was only biding its time to avenge his share in the breaking of the Berlin Treaty. The new régime in Turkey was no better than the old, and the atrocities in Macedonia continued, Bulgarian and Turkish bands vying with one another in cruelty and oppression. Russia’s remedy for this state of things was a league of the Balkan States for mutual defence, and eventually all except Rumania were induced to come to an agreement. In this agreement the protecting hand of Russia obtained for Serbia a measure of protection from Austria equivalent to that guaranteed to Bulgaria against the vengeful Turk.