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Aunt Herm replied: "She said: 'These guns go off by themselves. ' Honestly!"
Maud laughed.
"The jury must have liked her," said Fitz. He was annoyed with Maud for laughing. Capricious juries were a threat to orderly society. It did not do to take murder lightly. "How very French," he said with disgust.
"I admire Madame Caillaux," Maud said.
Fitz grunted disapprovingly. "How can you say that about a murderess?"
"I think more people should shoot newspaper editors," Maud said gaily. "It might improve the press. "
{VI}
Walter was still full of hope the next day, Thursday, when he went to see Robert.
The kaiser was hesitating on the brink, despite pressure from men such as Otto. The war minister, Erich von Falkenhayn, had demanded a declaration Zustan
d drohender Kriegsgefahr, a preliminary that would light the fuse for war-but the kaiser had refused, believing that a general conflict might be avoided if the Austrians would halt at Belgrade. And when the Russian tsar had ordered his army to mobilize, Wilhelm had sent a personal telegram begging him to reconsider.
The two monarchs were cousins. The kaiser's mother and the tsar's mother-in-law had been sisters, both daughters of Queen Victoria. The kaiser and the tsar communicated in English, and called each other "Nicky" and "Willy. " Tsar Nicholas had been touched by his cousin Willy's cable, and had countermanded his mobilization order.
If they could both just stand firm, then the future might be bright for Walter and Maud and millions of other people who just wanted to live in peace.
The Austrian embassy was one of the more imposing houses in prestigious Belgrave Square. Walter was shown to Robert's office. They always shared news. There was no reason not to: their two nations were close allies. "The kaiser seems determined to make his 'halt at Belgrade' plan work," Walter said as he sat down. "Then all remaining issues can be worked out. "
Robert did not share his optimism. "It's not going to succeed," he said.
"But why should it not?"
"We're not willing to halt at Belgrade. "
"For God's sake!" said Walter. "Are you sure?"
"It will be discussed by ministers in Vienna tomorrow morning, but I'm afraid the result is a foregone conclusion. We can't halt at Belgrade without reassurances from Russia. "
"Reassurances?" Walter said indignantly. "You have to stop fighting and then talk about the problems. You can't demand assurances first!"
"I'm afraid we don't see it that way," Robert said stiffly.
"But we are your allies. How can you reject our peace plan?"
"Easily. Think about it. What can you do? If Russia mobilizes, you're threatened, so you have to mobilize too. "
Walter was about to protest, but he saw that Robert was right. The Russian army, when mobilized, was too big a threat.
Robert went on remorselessly. "You have to fight on our side, whether you want to or not. " He made an apologetic face. "Forgive me if I sound arrogant. I'm just stating the reality. "
"Hell," said Walter. He felt like crying. He had been holding on to hope, but Robert's grim words had shattered him. "This is going the wrong way, isn't it?" he said. "Those who want peace are going to lose the contest. "
Robert's voice changed, and suddenly he looked sad. "I've known that from the start," he said. "Austria must attack. "
Until now Robert had been sounding eager, not sad. Why the change? Probing, Walter said: "You may have to leave London. "
"You, too. "
Walter nodded. If Britain joined in the war, all Austrian and German embassy staff would have to go home at short notice. He lowered his voice. "Is there. . . someone you will especially miss?"
Robert nodded, and there were tears in his eyes.
