Prince Albert; Kuno Moltke, nephew and cousin of the two Field Marshalls von Moltke; and Philip Eulenberg, former Ambassador to Vienna.

Had Harden and his counsel, Bernstein, aimed at larger game? Lynar, Hohenau and Moltke were unimportant, though Hohenau was of the royal family and Moltke had connections. Eulenberg had been of more importance before his infirmity. Helmuth von Moltke the younger was aimed at (Harden used his name often, without quite suggesting he shared the alleged vice of Kuno and Eulenberg, his supposed sponsor). The Kaiser and Chancellor Bulow (actually a Eulenberg protege) were aimed at, but were too high to allow direct hits, though damaging gossip about their associates might hurt them.

Maximilian Harden (really Witkowski) had become first prominent with his attacks on Caprivi, the second Imperial Chancellor, while Bismarck's return was still widely hoped for. It is said Harden demanded money from Prince Bismarck (no stranger to bribery) for his journalistic support, threatening an equally vigorous attack if not paid. Caprivi fell, replaced by Hohenlowe and later by Bulow. No journalist blasted them more than Harden, for the betrayal of Bismarck's policies (doubtful if Bismarck would have approved Harden's later policies) and the crude mismanagement of foreign affairs. His paper screamed chauvinistic nationalism, trumpeted the glories of Greater Germany, threatened all the world, denounced the "conciliatory" foreign office. In every crisis, if the army did not attack, if Germany did not acquire new territory, the Empire was being betrayed by the namby-pamby "Camarilla" around the Kaiser.

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For a long time Fritz von Holstein, the secretive man who actually ran. the Foreign Office, bore the brunt of these attacks. Harden's first slam at the Camarilla" was against Holstein, Eulenberg and Kiderlin (legate in Bucharest). Then came the day of Holstein's unexpected fall from office. Holstein met with Harden. Harden altered his tone and launched the attack on Eulenberg, whom Holstein considered responsible for his dismissal.

HIS EXCELLENCY THE SPECTRE

Like Eulenberg, Prussian Baron Fritz von Holstein was a Bismarck protege. Years before, Bismarck had sent Holstein to Paris to spy on his rival, the Ambassador, Count von Arnim. Holstein dutifully got the evidence (later given in court) which led to Arnim's arrest and banishment and to Holstein's social ostracism. The informer was escorted out of his club, snubbed on the streets and in restaurants. In no home but Bismarck's was he welcome, Bismarck repaid him by making him undersecretary of the Foreign Office.

For twenty-five years Holstein, an unbelievably hard worker with an uncanny memory, arrived before anyone else at the Wilhelmstrasse Office, worked in his cubbyhole till late at night, stopped secretively at his special restaurant (where choice dishes were prepared under his supervision) then home to the spartan apartment where he lived with his housekeeper.

His superiors hated him but could not do without him. Underlings feared him, but vied for his favor, which came suddenly, like fitful romances. He helped unseat Bismarck by putting the secret Russian treaty (unknown even to the Kaiser) into Wilhelm's hands. He disdained social invitations from Chancellor or Kaiser with the reply: "Geheimrat von Holstein begs to be excused. He does not possess court dress." He was intimate only with Geheimrat von Lebbin, of the Ministry of the Interior, and his widow, Frau von Lebbin, inheritor of the Holstein papers.

His extensive secret correspondence with Ambassadors and their underlings elaborated a "foreign policy" of his own, often at odds with the government. He had known Eulenberg for years and long tried to use Philip's influence with the young Emperor. But he was incapable of keeping up the amenities of friendship, which might have effected his ends with Eulenberg. He was forever hinting that he might resort to blackmail if Philip didn't come to heel. Holstein had once sought refuge from a sudden rain in a beerhall and reputedly saw Eulenberg and Bulow, painted and dressed as sailors. Holstein dropped

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