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"Well, I think it is. The bigwigs here think so too, but they

daren't say so. It will be as I said at the beginning of the

campaign, it won't be your skirmishing at Durrenstein, or

gunpowder at all, that will decide the matter, but those who

devised it," said Bilibin quoting one of his own mots, releasing

the wrinkles on his forehead, and pausing. "The only question is

what will come of the meeting between the Emperor Alexander and

the King of Prussia in Berlin? If Prussia joins the Allies,

Austria's hand will be forced and there will be war. If not it is

merely a question of settling where the preliminaries of the new

Campo Formio are to be drawn up."

"What an extraordinary genius!" Prince Andrew suddenly exclaimed,

clenching his small hand and striking the table with it, "and

what luck the man has!"