POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS WITH M. DE VOUGIE. 221 



answer, "we are convinced that we shall have to defend 

 our unity against France." "What an idea," he said, 

 "that a united Germany would fight us. Bavaria, 

 Wurtemberg, all South Germany will fight with us 

 against Prussia." "Not this time," I answered, "the 

 first French cannon-shot will make Germany one; we 

 have no fear therefore of a French attack, but await 

 it cheerfully." M. de Vougie shook his head; yet 

 the idea seemed to dawn upon him that the Pandora 

 box of the nationality question, which his ruler had 

 opened in the war with Austria on behalf of Italy, 

 might finally be turned against France. Three years 

 later, when the question of the annexation of Lauen- 

 burg by Prussia was occupying people's minds, I paid 

 a visit to the director -general in Paris. Remembering 



o ~ 



our political conversations he called out to me on 

 entering the room: "Eh bien, Monsieur, vous voulez 

 manger le Lauenbourg?" "Oui, Monsieur," I returned 

 in answer, "et j'espere que Fappetit viendra en man- 

 geant!" It has truly grown, this appetite, and been 

 also appeased, and M. de Vougie will have thought 

 of my prophecy when with his Emperor he had to 

 retire before German troops entering France in triumph. 

 The first French cannon-shot had in fact made all 

 Germany one. 



The Cartagena -Oran cable was an unlucky one 

 for us. When the lost cable had been replaced by 

 a new and somewhat stronger one, my brother repaired 

 again in the same year to Oran. All the arrangements 

 were excellently made, the experience gained in former 



