He suspected of course that something had been arranged
about Tunis, and was much annoyed that he hadn't been able to get
Tripoli for Italy. He was our colleague afterward in London, and there
was always a little constraint and coolness in his manner. W. left
Berlin on the 17th, having been five weeks away.
VIII
GAIETIES AT THE QUAI D'ORSAY
W. got home on the 17th, and was so busy the first days, with his
colleagues and political friends that I didn't see much more of him than
if he had been in Berlin. He was rather disgusted and discouraged at the
view his colleagues of the cabinet and his friends took of France's
attitude at the Congress. The only man who seemed to be able to look
ahead a little and understand what a future there might be for France in
Tunis was Gambetta. I remember quite well his telling of an interesting
conversation with him. Gambetta was very keen about foreign affairs,
very patriotic, and not at all willing that France should remain
indefinitely a weakened power, still suffering from the defeat of 1870.
There were many fetes and reunions of all kinds, all through the summer
months, as people had flocked to Paris for the exposition.
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