304 Nobody in France Wants to Fight [1898 



word is given, but it does not busy itself with politics, and will not in- 

 tervene to force on any policy. It can be counted on absolutely to 

 obey its orders, whether for peace or war. No war would be popular 

 now in France, and there was no such military fever now here as I 

 had described in England.' He added, however, that if the Army at 

 any time found a leader in any popular general who should become 

 Minister of War, the situation might change, the public might easily 

 become excited. If an appeal were made to it by the Government 

 against England then the Army would, doubtless, show its readiness to 

 fight. The Dreyfus case was also discussed. Vandal and Wagram 

 were against revision, Berthe and, cautiously, Hanotaux for it. This 

 was continued between Berthe and Wagram to the point of violence 

 all the evening, Wagram maintaining that there were secret pieces of 

 evidence which if made public would ruin the Army and ruin France, 

 Berthe that no conceivable evidence could have such effect, the only 

 people to be ruined being the General Staff. Personally I am much 

 charmed by Hanotaux, who talks well on many subjects and without 

 display of vanity. He has a pleasant regard and a sympathetic voice. 

 He gave me his views on architecture and art and talked to me, as 

 knowing him, of Herbert Spencer. Vandal also talked well, but is less 

 interesting. Both are academicians. 



" 26th Oct. — The Brisson Ministry has resigned and all is confusion 

 in Paris. This will probably ease the tension towards England and 

 make a peaceful solution more possible. 



" M. et Mme. Sommier, the owners of Vaux, and a Mme. de Brie 

 came to luncheon. Sommier is a man of cultivation and intelligence, 

 who has taken in the ' Times ' newspaper for years so as to get news 

 of the outside world, a rare circumstance in France. Like all the rest 

 he says war is impossible for such a trifle as Fashoda, that France is 

 not prepared for war, and that nobody wants to fight. 



" 2jth Oct. — - Three men arrived to shoot pheasants, M. Chevreau, 

 Comte de Gontaut Biron, and Comte de Kergoulet, all men of great 

 intelligence and good talkers as well as good fellows. We shot in the 

 forest beyond the park, but had no great sport. In the evening there 

 was an excellent political discussion, turning principally on the over- 

 throw of the Brisson Ministry and the chances of their succession. 

 They think it probable that Delcasse will remain at the Affaires 

 Etrangeres. None of them will hear of a war with England, in which 

 they say they would be beaten. My neighbour at dinner, M. de Kerg- 

 oulet, a young Breton gentleman of old family, did not scruple to say 

 they would withdraw from the Nile and apologize rather than that. 

 None of the party, except Wagram, expressed any very different senti- 

 ment. I proposed as a bridge of escape from an impossible situation 

 that the French Government should express its willingness to acknowl- 



