Monsieur Benedetti presented a remarkable contrast to the powerful form and firm soldier-like bearing of the Prussian minister. He was somewhat past fifty, his thin hair had receded from his forehead, and only sparingly covered the upper part of his head. His smooth beardless face was one of those physiognomies whose age it is difficult to discover, as when young they look older, when old, younger, than they really are. It would have been difficult to say what characteristic, what individuality, such features could express, nothing was seen beyond a calm expression of receptive and intelligent sensibility to every impression; what lay behind this gentle courteous exterior it was impossible to discover. His eyes were bright and candid, apparently careless and indifferent, it was only by the rapid and keen glance with which he occasionally took in every circumstance around him, that he betrayed the lively interest that really actuated him. His face told nothing, expressed nothing, and yet one perceived involuntarily that behind this nothing lay something, carefully concealed. He was of middle height, and the bearing of his slender figure was elegant, in his movements he was as animated as an Italian, as pliant and elastic as an Oriental, his light summer clothes were extremely simple, but notwithstanding the journey from which he had just returned, they were of spotless freshness. "I have been expecting you with impatience," said Count Bismarck, fixing his penetrating steel-grey eyes upon the ambassador's calm face. "What did you find in Vienna? do you bring peace?" "At least I bring the beginning. I bring the acceptance of the preliminaries as proposed by the emperor." "Ah! they decided thus in Vienna?" cried Count Bismarck. "I have had a difficult job," said Benedetti, "for it was far from easy to gain Austria's consent." Count Bismarck shrugged his shoulders. "What can they hope for?" he cried; "do they prefer to await us in Vienna?" "They hope much from the southern army, from a great military rising in Hungary," said the ambassador. "Perhaps too for a new John Sobieski?" asked Bismarck, with a slight smile. "And I must really own," continued Benedetti calmly, "that I was not in a position to deny the justice of these hopes." Count Bismarck looked at him amazed and enquiringly. "Two-thirds of the southern army," said Benedetti, "stand in the immediate vicinity of Vienna, the Prater is turned into a bivouac, and the fortified camp at Floridsdorf could make a strong resistance; the troops of the southern army are full of confidence from recent victory, and are inspired with the best dispositions, the Arch-Duke Albert is a general of great determination, and the chief of his general staff, Lieutenant Field-Marshal von John, an officer of fine and quick intelligence." Count Bismarck listened in silence. A scarcely perceptible smile played round his lips. "And Hungary?" he asked negligently.