584 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE VII 



insisted that we must go ; whereupon the prince conducted 

 us to the gate, and most cordially took leave of us. 



As we left the place, I said to Mr. Kelly, knowing that 

 he sometimes wrote letters for publication : * i Of course, in 

 whatever you may write to America, you will be careful 

 not to mention names of persons. " ' ' Certainly, ' ' he said ; 

 1 1 that, of course, I shall never think of doing. ' ' But alas 

 for his good resolutions! In his zeal for protection and 

 the double standard, all were forgotten. About a fortnight 

 later there came back by cable a full statement regarding 

 his interview, the names all given, and Bismarck 's refer- 

 ences to his colleagues brought out vividly. The result 

 was that a large portion of the German press was indig- 

 nant that Bismarck should have spoken in such a man- 

 ner to a foreigner regarding Germans of such eminence, 

 who had been his trusted colleagues, and who had ren- 

 dered to the country very great services ; so that, for some 

 days, the "Affaire Kelly " made large demands upon 

 public attention. It had hardly subsided when there came 

 notice to me from the State Department at Washington 

 that a very eminent American financier was about to be 

 sent to Berlin ; and I was instructed to secure for him an 

 audience with the chancellor, in order that some arrange- 

 ments might be arrived at regarding the double standard 

 of value. I must confess that, in view of the "Affaire 

 Kelly, " these instructions chilled me. Fortunately, Bis- 

 marck was just then taking his usual cure at Kissingen, 

 during which he always refused to consider any matter of 

 business; but, on his return to Berlin, I sent him a note 

 requesting an audience for this special American repre- 

 sentative. This brought a very kind answer expressing 

 regret that the chancellor was so pressed with arrears of 

 business that he desired to be excused ; but that the minis- 

 ter of finance and various other members of the cabinet 

 had been instructed to receive the American agent and to 

 communicate with him to the fullest extent. That was all 

 very well, but there were my instructions; and I felt 

 obliged to write again, making a more earnest request. 



