he proposed Stockholm
Conference, judged worthy of notice from the All Highest himself. He
suddenly saw how wonderful a use might be made of them. It was a very
clever trap which was baited, and it was not owing to any foresight or
any cleverness on the part of this country that the Allies did not walk
straight into it. I say again," he went on, "that it was a mere fluke
which prevented the Allies from being represented at that Conference and
the driving in of the thin end of the wedge."

"You are quite right," Catherine agreed.

"German diplomacy," he proceeded, "may sometimes be obtuse, but it is at
least persistent. Their next move will certainly rank in history as
the most astute, the most cunning of any put forward since the war
commenced. Of course," the young man went on, fitting his cigarette into
a long, amber holder, "we who are not Germans can only guess, but even
the guessing is fascinating."

"Go on, please, dear Baron," she begged. "It is when you talk like this
and show me your mind that I seem to be listening to a second Bismarck."

"You flatter me, Countess," the young man said, "but indeed these events
are interesting. Trace their course for yourself after the failure
of Stockholm. The Kaiser has established certain relations with the
Socialist Party. Once more he turns towards them. He affects a war
weariness he does not feel. He puts it into their heads that they shall
approach without molestation certain men in England who have a great
Labour following. The plot is started. You know quite well how it has
progressed."

"Naturally," Catherine assented, "but after all, tell me, where does the
wonderful diplomacy come in? The terms of peace are not the terms of a
conqueror. Germany is to engage herself to give up what she has sworn to
hold, even to pay indemnities, to restore all conquered countries, and
to retire her armies behind the Rhine."

The young man looked at his companion steadfastly for several seconds.

"In the idiom of this country, Countess," he said, "I raise my hat to
you. You preserve your mask of ignorance to the end. So much so, indeed,
that I find myself asking do you really believe that Germany intends to
do this?"

"But you forget," she reminded him. "I was one of those present at the
discussion of the preliminaries. The confirmation of the agreed terms,
with the signatures, has arrived, and is to be placed before the Labour
Council at six o'clock this evening."

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