"Very easily," said the Count. "If a treaty such as I have sketched, and which I will immediately have drawn out in detail by the military department, is concluded--a treaty which, for the present, had better be kept secret--yes," he added thoughtfully, "it had much better be kept secret; it will save you so much trouble from the anti-Prussian party--if such a treaty, I say, is agreed to, peace can easily be concluded. This treaty would be a guarantee to Prussia that Bavaria would really and uprightly labour with her at the work of national union, and that all the former faults in her policy were laid aside. With this guarantee we could easily negotiate peace. It would then be to our interest to maintain Bavaria's power and complete independence in Germany. We shall then only have the expenses of the war to consider, which we shall expect to have paid in full, and perhaps some very unimportant cession of territory, for the sake of the symmetry of our frontier." "Count," said Herr von der Pfordten, with emotion, "I thank you. You have shown me a way by which, with honour to herself and benefit to Germany, Bavaria may extricate herself from her present melancholy position. I thank you in the name of my king." "I feel the deepest sympathy for your young king," said Count Bismarck, "and I hope that Bavaria, as Prussia's ally, may yet take the place, which hitherto _she would not_ take. But, my dear baron," he added, rising, "we must not forget that this is only a conversation between two private individuals. Hasten back to your king, and bring his consent to this treaty as soon as possible. When it is signed, hostilities will cease, and I promise the negotiations for peace shall not be difficult nor prolonged; and," he added courteously, "be assured I do not wish you to retire from public life." "I know," said Herr von der Pfordten, "what I must do. A new hand must guide Bavaria in new paths; but my good wishes will be as hearty for new Germany as they ever have been for the old." "One thing more," said Bismarck. "Since we have come to so good an understanding, you might do your allies in Stuttgardt and Darmstadt a service--perhaps to me also; for I wish to treat with Würtemberg and Hesse in a conciliatory spirit. If these courts are willing to conclude a treaty similar to that of which we have been speaking, I think a reconciliation would be possible. If Herr von Varnbüler and Herr von Dalwigk should come here empowered to conclude such a treaty, the secrecy of which I willingly promise, they would be welcome, and would find moderate and easy terms of peace." "I do not doubt that they will shortly appear," said Herr von der Pfordten. "Now, my dear baron, hasten away," cried Count Bismarck, "and return quickly, and so act that Count Bismarck may soon welcome the Bavarian minister fully empowered to conclude peace."