Page:The guilt of William Hohenzollern.djvu/154

given up altogether the desire to establish herself on the altera sponda of the Adriatic.

"As I may state in the strictest confidence, the acquisition of the Trentino will alone be considered ample compensation in Italy. This morsel would, moreover, be so dainty that it might also suffice to close the mouth of Austrophobe public opinion. That the surrender of a strip of the ancient territory of the Monarchy would be very difficult to reconcile with the feelings of the ruler and of the people of Austria, cannot be denied. But, on the other hand, the question is, what is the value of Italy's attitude for Austrian policy, what price one is willing to pay for it, and whether that price is in proportion to the gain desired in another direction?

"I beg your Excellency to make the attitude of Italy the subject of a thorough confidential discussion with Count Berchtold, and, if possible, to touch on the question of compensation at the same time. Whether in this conversation the question of the Trentino can be raised, I must leave to your judgment and knowledge of how feeling is disposed in Vienna.

"The attitude of Italy will in any case be of importance for Russia's attitude in the Serbian conflict. If a general conflagration should result from the latter it would be of the greatest military importance for us also.

"To avoid misunderstanding, I may observe further that we have made no communication of any kind to the Rome Cabinet regarding the negotiations between Vienna and Berlin, and that the question of compensation has therefore not been discussed by us."