Free A Legacy by Sybille Bedford Page A

years ago Count Bernin was told that he had the opportunity of rendering a lasting service to the German Government.
    Nearly everybody then believed in the intrinsic desirability of a United Germany. The Empire, in one of those Procrustean phrases by which we force a dehumanized and human imprint on the nature of the universe and cloud our understanding, was a Historical Necessity. Yet everybody up to Bismarck was dissatisfied with the form of the

    Empire itself. Liberals had worked for Union in the hope of cutting down the powers of the Princes; Prussian nationalists with the intention of establishing hegemony over Austria; Free Traders to get rid of archaic monetary conditions; Democrats to extend the franchise; Labour leaders to unite the working class; Socialists to expand trade-unionism and the Army to expand the Army. The first fruits were the Imperial Constitution of Versailles, new tariffs, anti-socialist legislation, Alsace-Lorraine, Bismarck and the lasting animosity of France. Bismarck had to take a coalition government.
    Publication of Johannes's treatment at Corps Benzheim could not fail to raise a question in the Reichstag from members who were pledged to ask such questions. In itself, this was not serious. The Government, or rather the Moderate-Conservative section of its supporters, was quite ready to take a stand and weather what could only be a very minor storm. By an ironic turn it was not those responsible for the cadet schools who found themselves embarrassed, but the anti-militarists who opposed them. Liberal members, though in temporary coalition with the Government, could not be publicly identified with right-wing policy on such an issue without invalidating their mandates. In the event of a debate, a division in the governing majority was thus inevitable. The Government would fall. No combination could hope to form another without Bismarck. Bismarck would find it hard to form another coalition. The Question on The Escaped Cadet must not be asked.
    "Yes—" said Count Bernin. "Yes "
    "If we can keep it out of the Frankfort and Berlin papers."
    "The moment the boy's been sent back by his own father, the bubble's pricked."
    "Very likely," said Count Bernin.
    "Then we can make those rags print a diminuendo. We

    could get them on distortion, you know. They'll have to say it was all a prank and the boy's been happily returned to Benzheim. Nobody'll dare touch it after that."
    "I suppose not," said Count Bernin.
    "One would like to know how they got hold of the story in the first place?"
    "RC Chaplain at Benzheim's supposed to be an unreliable character."
    "Possibly," said Count Bernin with a frosty smile.
    "Gentlemen—this is a matter of time."
    "Of hours."
    "We must be able to issue a directive to the Press."
    "It would be best if we had something from old Felden himself. Any chance there, Bernin?"
    "None."
    "Not if we told him all the facts?"
    "Particularly if you told him all the facts."
    "A strange attitude. Are you sure now?"
    "Count Bernin ought to be in a position to know. Considering their future relationship. . . ."
    "Gentlemen!"
    "Well never mind about a statement. Let's concentrate on the boy."
    "What are we going to tell old Felden?"
    Count Bernin said, "Your Government is faced by a good many controversial issues."
    "Forced on us, Count. Forced on us. If you were thinking of the Veto on Ecclesiastical Incumbents— The Chancellor was as much embarrassed by Infallibility—a most ill-advised promulgation—as, let us be frank, many members of your Church themselves. Now there's the appointment of the Bishop of Bamberg . . ."
    "YesV said Count Bernin.
    "The Veto here, you will admit, was imposed on us, ex principium, by the attitude of the candidate. However, such measures are not always what they seem to be. We are not inflexible. ... In the event of a de facto Investi-

    ture—I am almost able to assure you—the Bishop's supporters would find little effective opposition."
    "This has not