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Show Five Minutes ivitli lllsmarL-k.. I From our special correspondent). I had a thai last night with Bismarck. We smoked a cigar together. lie talks unre.-crvedly of the war ; says he has no secrets about it; why should he have any '.' It's everybody's business as much as his own. I told him 1 thought he was a tool lo stick out for Alsace and Lorraine. Xo, he said, he was not n fool ; he knew well enough that Alsace and Lorraine would be more plague than profit ; but the pub-lie pub-lie opinion of Germany demanded those provinces, ana real public opinion, opin-ion, another thing from the prehension prehen-sion of the gentlemen of the pavement, was not to be disregarded, even if it were despised. The German public was the fool ; not he. Well, I said, now it's a pity ; for see what a risk you run. Here will be winter coming on presently, and in another fortnight yorr will have to light General November. It is quite on the cards that you may be attacked with influenza, or even dysentery, not to mention cholera and typhus, anil (breed to beat a retreat through hostile territory, in frost and snow, like the great Napoleon ; by great I mean great benefactor of his species ; when ho was compelled to cut and run from Moscow. Then, after all, you would be ibliged to conclude peace with the French, at the best upon up-on equal terms, and in that case, said I, don't you see, old fellow ? What? said Bismarck. Why then, don't you see, I explained, ex-plained, you will of course lose your indemnity. Hadn't you better make peace while you aic sure of that ? That never struck me before, said Bismarck, T tell you what, you are a deuced clever fellow, and your head is screwed on the right way. Yes, we might make sure o!' tho indemnity now: at all events could collar the French fleet. I 11 go to the King immediately, im-mediately, and tell his Majesty what you suggest. A splendid idea, dear boy, lie added, slapping me on the back. Good-bye. ilon't say a word to anybody of what we have been talking talk-ing about. Good-bye for the present; but drop in again soon. I shouldn't wonder if your hint has important consequences, con-sequences, l.eforo you go, give me another of those cigars. A .-ensible fellow, with nothing like pride about him, or stuck-up notions, and quite capable of listening to and appreciating good advice, is Bismarck. I shall not be at all surprised to hear in a day or two that peace has been concluded on the basis of an indemnity, the demolition of the forts, and, for the re.-t, continuance in slutu ijiio. Vtci. |