270 FES UND HALBMOND
winters if I did not just miss you! You must come again to Friedrichshof—
will you not? Your husband will return to Berlin now and be glad to be
home again I am sure! I expect to see the whole of Berlin Court with
the ‚Fez‘ on their head, and the ‚Halfmoon‘ on their breast, since the
friendship with the Sultan is so great! Si potrebbe anche scegliere un
amico piü nobile?? This modern Nero inspires me with nothing but disgust!
Goodbye, darling contessina, ever your devoted friend Victoria.“
Kaiser Wilhelm hatte in dieser Zeit unter dem Einfluß des ihm in Kon-
stantinopel zum Ehrendienst beigegebenen geschickten und intriganten
Albanesen Turkhan-Pascha trotz meines Abratens dem Kaiser Nikolaus
einen Brief geschrieben, in dem er mit Wärme für die türkischen Ansprüche
auf Kreta eintrat. In Damaskus konnte er sich nicht enthalten, in einem
zweiten Brief an den Zaren seiner Begeisterung für die Türken Ausdruck
zu geben. Nach Berlin zurückgekehrt, erhielt er von seinem „Kollegen,
Freund und Schwippschwager“, wie er ihn scherzhaft zu nennen pflegte,
die nachstehende Antwort:
Livadia, Dezember 2. 14. 1898*
Dearest Willy,
It was very kind of You to have written two long and interesting letters
during Your voyage — one from Constantinople — the second from
Damaskus! Ithank You heartily for them, I was particularly interested
in hearing Your personal impressions, as unluckily I had not the chance
of visiting Syria and Palestina during my voyage to the East. A few days
ago I got a special report from Count Östen-Sacken, upon a conversation,
he had had with You — the day he presented the picture of Your arrival
at Cronstadt last year. Your usual frankness towards him made me happy
and I beg You to continue to rely upon him even as much as You rely
upon and trust me! Whenever You want to have a good explanation upon
a question or if You want me to learn some news, which might concern
us both, please, except writing to me(:if You have got time:) send for
Osten-Sacken — in the future. I assure You the affair would in this
way be quickly and noiselessly done. I hope England’s arrogant conduct
is not going to last long. She seemed to be very earnest in the beginning
of her war-preparations, but now that she sees the effect she hoped to
produce on the Powers — was not so great as she had hoped it would be,
I am sure her martial mood will soon go down. Idon’t think there is much
chance for England to form a real alliance with the United States,
against Europe in general, and Russia in particular — as there are so
many divergent interests... Canada or the growing question of the
* Deutsche Übersetzung siehe Anhang, S. 790.
