Allwasmagnificent。Nothingofitskindcouldbemoresplendidthanthemassivegoldandsilverplatepileduponthelordmayor’stableandbehindit，nothingmoresumptuousthanthedinner，nothingmorequaintthantheceremonial。Nearthelordmayor，whowasarrayedinhisrobes，chain，andallthegloriesofhisoffice，stoodthetoastmaster，whoannouncedthetoastsinamannerfittomakeanAmericanthinkhimselfdreaming，——something，infact，afterthissort，inaqueersingsongway，withcomicalcadences，broughtupattheendwithasharpsnap:``Melawds，la—a—a—diesandgentleme—e—e—n，bycommawndoftheRightHonorabletheLawrdMarr，I
cha—a—awrgeyoufillyourglawse—e—e—sanddrinktothehealthoftheRightHonorabletheUr—r—rllofBeck’nsfield。’’
Amainfeatureoftheceremonywastheloving—cup。
Downeachlongtablealargesilvertankardcontainingapleasingbeverage，ofwhichthefoundationseemedtobeclaret，waspassed;and，asitcame，eachofusinturnarose，and，havingreceiveditsolemnlyfromhisneighbor，whohaddrunktohishealth，drankinreturn，andthen，turningtohisnextneighbor，dranktohim;thelatterthenreceivedthecup，returnedthecompliment，andinthesamewaypassediton。
DuringthewholeentertainmentIhadfrequentlyturnedmyeyestowardtheprimeminister，andhadbeenmuchimpressedbyhisapparentstolidity。Whenhepresentedhisarmtotheladymayoress，whenhewalkedwithher，andduringallthetimeattable，heseemedmuchlikeawoodenimagegalvanizedintotemporarylife。Whenherosetospeak，therewasthesamewoodenstiffnessandhewentoninakindofmechanicalwayuntil，suddenly，hedartedoutabrilliantstatementregardingthepolicyofthegovernmentthatarousedthewholeaudience;then，aftermoreofthesamewoodenmannerandmechanicalprocedure，anotherbrilliantsentence;andsoontotheendofthespeech。
Allthespeechesweregoodandtothepoint。TherewerenoneofthosedespairingeffortstopumpupfunwhichsofrequentlymakeAmericanpublicdinnersdistressing。Thespeakersevidentlyboreinmindthefactthatonthefollowingdaytheirstatementswouldbeponderedinthehouseholdofeverywell—to—doEnglishman，wouldbetelegraphedtoforeignnations，andwouldbeechoedbackfromfriendsandfoesinallpartsoftheworld。
Aftertheregularspeechescameatoasttothediplomaticcorps，andthepersonselectedtorespondwasourrepresentative，theHonorableEdwardsPierpont。Thishedidexceedinglywell，andinlessthanfiveminutes。
SundryAmericanpapershadindulgedindiatribesagainstfulsomespeechesatEnglishbanquetsbysomeofMr。Pierpont’spredecessors，andhehadevidentlydeterminedthatnosuchchargeshouldbeestablishedagainsthim。
Muchwasaddedtomypleasurebymyneighborsatthetable——ononeside，SirFrederickPollock，theeminentfatherofthepresentSirFrederick;andontheother，Mr。Rolf，the``remembrancer’’oftheCityofLondon。
Thissuggeststheremarkthat，inmyexperienceamongEnglishmen，Ihavefoundverylittleofthecoldnessandstiffnesswhicharesometimescomplainedof。Onthecontrary，wheneverIhavebeenthrownamongthem，whetherinGreatBritainorontheContinent，theyhavegenerallyprovedtobeagreeableconversationists。Onethinghasseemedtomeattimescuriousandevencomical:theywillfrequentlyshutthemselvesuptightlyfromtheircompatriots，——evenfromthoseoftheirownstation，——andyetbeaffable，andindeedexpansive，toanyAmericantheychancetomeet。Thereasonforthisis，toanAmerican，evenmorecuriousthanthefact。Imaydiscussitlater。
MyarrivalinBerlintookplacejustatthebeginningofthegolden—weddingfestivitiesoftheoldEmperorWilliamI。Therewasawonderfulseriesofpageants:historiccostumeballs，galaoperas，andthelike，atcourt;
butmostmemorabletomewasthekindlywelcomeextendedtousbyallinauthority，fromtheEmperorandEmpressdown。Thecordialityofthediplomaticcorpswasalsoverypleasing，andduringthepresentationstotherulingfamilyoftheempireInoticedonethingespecially:
thegreatcarewithwhichtheyall，fromthemonarchtotheyoungestprince，hadpreparedthemselvestobeginaconversationagreeabletothenew—comer。OneofthesehighpersonagesstartedadiscussionwithmeuponAmericanshipping;another，onAmericanart;another，onsceneryinColorado;another，onourrailwaysandsteamers;
stillanother，onAmericandentistsanddentistry;
and，incaseofalackofothersubjects，therewasNiagara，whichtheycouldalwaysfallbackupon。
ThedutyofaprinceofthehouseofHohenzollernisbynomeanslight;itinvolvestoil。Inmytime，whenthepresentemperor，thentheyoungPrinceWilliam，broughthisbridehome，inadditiontotheirotherreceptionsofpublicbodies，dayafterdayandhourafterhour，theyreceivedthediplomaticcorps，whowerearrangedatthepalaceinagreatcircle，theladiesformingonehalfandthegentlementheother。Theyoungprincess，accompaniedbyhertrain，beginningwiththeladies，andtheyoungprince，withhistrain，beginningwiththegentlemen，eachwalkedslowlyaroundtheinterioroftheentirecircle，stoppingateachforeignrepresentativeandspeakingtohim，ofteninthelanguageofhisowncountry，regardingsomesubjectwhichmightbesupposedtointeresthim。Itwasreallyasurprisingfeat，forwhich，nodoubt，theyhadbeencarefullyprepared，butwhichwouldbefounddifficultevenbymanyawell—trainedscholar。
AnAmericanrepresentative，inpresentinghisletterofcredencefromthePresidentoftheUnitedStatestotheruleroftheGermanEmpire，hasoneadvantageinthefactthathehasanadmirabletopicreadytohishand，suchasperhapsnootherministerhas。ThisboonwasgivenusbyFredericktheGreat。He，amongthefirstofContinentalrulers，recognizedtheAmericanStatesasanindependentpower;andthereforeeveryAmericanministersince，includingmyself，hasfounditconvenient，onpresentingthePresident’sautographlettertotheKingorEmperor，torecallthiseventandtobuilduponitsuchanoratoricaledificeascircumstancesmaywarrant。ThefactthatthegreatFrederickrecognizedthenewAmericanRepublic，notfromloveofit，butonaccountofhisdetestationofEngland，provokedbyherconductduringhisdesperatestruggleagainsthisContinentalenemies，is，ofcourse，onsuchoccasionsdiplomaticallykeptinthebackground。
ThegreatpowerinGermanyatthattimewasthechancellor，PrinceBismarck。Nothingcouldbemorefriendlyandsimplethanhisgreeting;andhoweverstatelyhisofficialentertainmentstothediplomaticcorpsmightbe，simplicityreignedathisfamilydinners，whenhisconversationwasapparentlyfrankandcertainlydelightful。
TohimIshalldevoteanotherchapter。
InthosedaysanAmericanministeratBerlinwaslikelytofindhispersonalrelationswiththeGermanministerofforeignaffairscordial，buthisofficialrelationscontinuouswar。Hardlyadaypassedwithoutsomeskirmishregardingtherightsof``German—Americans’’
intheirFatherland。Theoldstoryconstantlyrecurredinnewforms。GenerallyitwassprungbysomemanwhohadleftGermanyjustattheageforenteringthearmy，hadremainedinAmericajustlongenoughtosecurenaturalization，andthen，withoutathoughtofdischarginganyofhisAmericanduties，hadcomebacktoclaimexemptionfromhisGermanduties，andtoflaunthisAmericancitizenpapersinthefaceoftheauthoritiesoftheprovincewherehewasborn。Thiswasverygallingtotheseauthorities，fromthefactthatsuchAmericanswereofteninclinedtogloryovertheiroldschoolmatesandassociateswhohadnottakenthismeansofescapingmilitaryduty;anditwasnowonderthatthesebrand—
newcitizens，iftheirpaperswerenotperfectlyregular，weresometimesheldfordesertionuntiltheAmericanrepresentativecouldintervene。
Stillothercaseswerethosewherefineshadbeenimposeduponmenofthisclassfornon—appearancewhensummonedtomilitaryduty，andanAmericanministerwasexpectedtosecuretheirremission。
InsimplejusticetoGermany，itoughttobesaidthatthereisnoforeignmatterofsuchimportancesolittleunderstoodintheUnitedStatesasthis。TheaverageAmerican，lookingonthesurfaceofthings，cannotseewhytheyoungemigrantisnotallowedtogoandcomeashepleases。ThefactisthatGermanpolicyinthisrespecthasbeenevolvedinobediencetotheinstinctofnationalself—preservation。TheGermanEmpire，thegreatestContinentalhomeofcivilization，isanopencamp，perpetuallybesieged。Speakinginageneralway，ithasnonaturalfrontiersofanysort——neithermountainsnorwideexpansesofsea。Eastwardareonehundredandthirtymillionsofpeoplefanaticallyhostileasregardsrace，religion，andimaginaryinterests;westwardisanothergreatnationoffortymillions，withahatredonallthesepointsintensifiedbydesireforrevenge;northwardisavigorousraceestrangedbyoldquarrels;andsouthisapowerwhichislargelyhostileonracial，religious，andhistoricgrounds，andatbestaveryuncertainreliance。
Undersuchcircumstances，universalmilitaryserviceinGermanyisaconditionofitsexistence，andevasionofthisisnaturallylookeduponasasortoftreason。TherealwonderisthatGermanyhasbeensomoderateinherdealingwiththisquestion。Theyearly``budgetsofmilitarycases’’inthearchivesoftheAmericanEmbassybearampletestimonytoherdesiretobejustandevenlenient。
TounderstandthepositionofGermany，letussupposethatourCivilWarhadleftourUnion——asatonetimeseemedlikely——embracingmerelyasmallnumberofMiddleStatesandcoveringaspaceaboutaslargeasTexas，withaConfederacyonoursouthernboundarybitterlyhostile，anotherhostilenationextendingfromthewestbankoftheMississippitotheRockyMountains;aPacificconfederationjealousandfaultfinding;Britishdominionstothenorthwardvexedbycommercialandpersonalgrievances;andNewEnglandaseparateanddoubtfulfactorinthewholesituation。InthatcasewetoowouldhaveestablishedamilitarysystemakintothatofGermany;
butwhetherwewouldhaveadministereditasreasonablyasGermanyhasdoneisverydoubtful。
FortunatelyfortheUnitedStatesandforme，therewasintheministryofforeignaffairs，whenIarrived，oneofthemostadmirablemenIhaveeverknowninsuchaposition:BaronvonBlow。Hecameofanillustriousfamily，hadgreatinfluencewiththeoldEmperorWilliam，withParliament，andinsociety;wasindependent，largeinhisviews，andsincerelydevotedtomaintainingthebestrelationsbetweenhiscountryandours。Incasessuchasthosejustreferredtohewasverybroad—minded;andinoneofthefirstwhichIhadtopresenttohim，whenIperhapsshowedsomenervousness，hesaid，``Mr。
Minister，don’tallowcasesofthiskindtovexyou;IhadrathergivetheUnitedStatestwohundreddoubtfulcaseseveryyearthanhavetheslightestill—feelingarisebetweenus。’’Thisbeingthefact，itwascomparativelyeasytodealwithhim。Unfortunately，hediedearlyduringmystay，andsomeoftheministerswhosucceededhimhadneitherhisindependencenorhisbreadthofview。
Itsometimesseemedtome，whiledoingdutyattheGermancapitalinthosedaysasminister，andatamorerecentperiodasambassador，thatIcouldnotentermyofficewitho...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：