not break in upon
him); and finally, most important of all, That France "guarantees Lower
Silesia with Breslau to his Prussian Majesty." In return for which his
Prussian Majesty--will do what? It is really difficult to say what: Be
a true ally and second to France in its grand German Adventure? Not
at all. Friedrich does not yet know, nor does Belleisle himself quite
precisely, what the grand German Adventure is; and Friedrich's wishes
never were, nor will be, for the prosperity of that. Support France,
at least in its small Bavarian Anti-Austrian Adventure? By no means
definitely even that. "Maintain myself in Lower Silesia with Breslau,
and fight my best to such end:" really that, you might say, is in
substance the most of what Friedrich undertakes; though inarticulately
he finds himself bound to much more,--and will frankly go into it, IF
you do as you have said; and unless you do, will not. Never was a more
contingent Treaty: "unless you stir up Sweden, Messieurs; unless
you produce that Rhine Army; unless--" such is steadily Friedrich's
attitude; long after this, he refuses to say whom he will vote for as
Kaiser: "Fortune of War will decide it," answers he, in regard to that
and to many other things; and keeps himself to an incomprehensible
extent loose; ready, for weeks and months after, to make bargain on his
own Silesian Affair with anybody that can. [Ranke, ii. 271, 275, 280.]

For indeed the French also are very contingent; Fleury hanging one way,
Belleisle pushing another; and know not how far they will go on the
grand German Adventure, nor conclusively whether at all. Here is an
Anecdote by Friedrich himself. Valori was, one night, with him; and,
on rising to take leave, the fat hand, sticking probably in the big
waistcoat-pocket, twitched out a little diplomatic-looking Note; which
Friedrich, with gentle adroitness (permissible in such circumstances),
set his foot upon, till Valori had bowed himself out. The Note was
from Amelot, French Minister of the Foreign Department: "Don't give
his Prussian Majesty Glatz, if it can possibly be helped." Very well,
thought Friedrich; and did not forget the fine little Note on burning
it. [_OEuvres de Frederic,_ ii. 90.] There went, in French couriers'
bags, a great many such, to Austria some of them, of far more
questionable tenor, within the next twelve months.

Two things we have to remark: FIRST, That Friedrich, with an eye to real
business on his part in the Bavari