Outbreak of the Spanish-American War. Article in mourning borders. Fridtjof Nansen’s lecture in Vienna. Extracts from diary. Bereavement in the family, Countess Lotti Sizzo’s death. Johann von Bloch’s book. Death of Bismarck. End of the Spanish-American War. PART EIGHT, 1898–1908 LV. THE TSAR’S RESCRIPT 187 Arrival of the good tidings. Extracts from editorials in _Die Waffen nieder_. Congratulatory letters from Moritz Adler, Dr. Karl von Scherzer, Björnstjerne Björnson, Balduin Groller, Professor Martens, Prince Dolgorukof, Vice Admiral Semsey, Hedwig Pötting, Kemény, Novikof, Henri Dunant. Objections of opponents. LVI. EVENTS AND MEETINGS 202 The Empress Elisabeth. The last days of my father-in-law. Egidy on the assassination of the Empress. Session of the delegates in Turin. Egidy evening in Vienna. Reminiscence of the campaign of 1866. William T. Stead in Vienna on his pilgrimage. His portrait. His audience with Nicholas II. His meeting with Bloch. My interview with Muravieff. Conclusion of Spanish-American treaty of peace. Reply of the chairman of the Spanish Commission to a memorial from Émile Arnaud. Still the Dreyfus affair. General Türr with King Humbert. Egidy dead. Letter from his son. LVII. BEFORE THE HAGUE 225 Emperor Nicholas regarding the reception of his rescript. Discouragement in St. Petersburg. Stead’s project for a peace crusade. Count Muravieff’s second circular. The wedge driven into the peace question. The general conception and our conception. Journey to Berlin. Osten-Sacken. Formation of an information committee. Letter from Bebel. Service in honor of Egidy. Trip to Nice. Meeting with Madame Adam. Monsieur Catusse. A noteworthy Dreyfus reminiscence. My lecture. Madame Bashkirtseff. Trip to Cannes for a lecture. Lucien Murat’s visit. Return to Harmannsdorf. Correspondence with Bloch, Scipione Borghese, and D’Estournelles de Constant. Letters from Hodgson Pratt and Élie Ducommun. A plan of action suggested by Henri Dunant. LVIII. THE FIRST PEACE CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE 245 My Hague diary. Arrival. First interview. Stead’s interviews with the Tsar and with Bülow. Our call on the Austrian delegation. Divine service in the Russian chapel. Opening session. Johann von Bloch. Party at Beaufort’s. Yang-Yü and his wife. Baron d’Estournelles. Léon Bourgeois. We give a dinner. Richet’s call. Luncheon with Frau Moscheles. Andrew D. White. Extract from Staal’s opening speech. Call on our ambassador’s wife. Count Costantino Nigra. Reception at court. Lord Aberdeen. Sir Julian Pauncefote. Bloch plans a series of lectures. Plenary assembly of May 25. The Russian, English, and American motions. LIX. THE FIRST PEACE CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE (CONTINUED) 270