XVII. Death, like a darkling huntsman holloed— XVIII. Still with his great heart bursting asunder, Still thro' the night he struggled and bled; Suddenly round him the pack's low thunder Surged, the hounds that his own hand fed Fast in his throat, with red jaws drinking Deep!-for a moment his antlered pride Soared o'er their passionate seas, then, sinking, Fell for the fangs to divide. XIX. Light of beauty, O, perfect in whiteness, Softly suffused thro' the years' dark veils, Kindling them all as they pass by her brightness, Filling our hearts with her old-world tales, She, the unchanging, shepherds their changes, Bids them mingle and form and flow, Flowers and flocks and the great hill-ranges Follow her cry and go. XX. Still, in the violets, lazily dreaming BLUFF IN THE BALKANS. THE SERVIANS. SERVIA'S main trouble is geographical. A small pastoral people, numbering a little over two millions, has the misfortune to be bound in by a geographical combination which renders her, and must always render her, dependent upon her neighbours. In 1878 these considerations did not impress the Powers signatory to the Treaty of Berlin. They were concerned with affairs of more immediate importance to themselves than the unformed aspirations of a tiny state. Thus, when Servia started to work out her own destiny, she was weighted on every side. A great Power overshadowed her northern and western frontiers; the considerable power of Turkey handicapped her on the southern line; while to the east the more virile state of Bulgaria, thirty years ago, presented what was then a policy identical with Russia's will. From the very first it was obvious that Servia could not escape from the influence of one of these three Powers. It was impossible for her to assimilate herself with all three. As long as these neighbouring Powers were at variance in their politics she must be the pawn of one. Turkey, during the past thirty years, had steadily degenerated; therefore, as a direct influence upon Servian policy, she passed out of the game. BELGRADE, March 1909. Thus, for Servia, it has always been a choice between Austria or Russia. She has tested the sincerity of both and has found neither steadfast. One cannot but feel a sympathy for this little state which, torn between its pure Serb interests in the Dual Monarchy and the more resonant Slav Slav attractions of Russia, has always fallen between these stools. Added to this, she has not possessed within her narrow frontiers that cohesion of thought and purpose which might have enabled her to have clung to one or the other of the two inexorable influences which have dominated her politics. So surely as she has inclined to the one Power, she has been flung into the balance against the other. In the interim she has been engaged in the everlasting quarrel of her dynasties. But although, since the days of the semi-mythical Dushan, Servia has never produced a great man, yet she has in the last thirty years advanced wonderfully in the development of a national mental activity. As in so many countries where civilisation and education first touch a virgin soil, the growth has been almost phenomenal. The development has also been abnormal. You find in the educated Serb many of the characteristics of the educated native in India. Education regeneration. They saw this without a sense of proportion; sister Slav state slowly but advancement in knowledge surely slipping the Russian without the faculty of com- yoke. Here, then, was an parative reason, and an appreciation of self that obliterates all other considerations. The literati of Belgrade, which is Servia, while being quick to realise the reason of their national disadvantages, have not had sufficient solid quality to determine a means by which they could reasonably extricate themselves from the fetters which the Treaty of Berlin forged upon them. Even though the example was at their very gate, they would, and will, have nothing of it. They saw Bulgaria steadily set herself to the task of open door. Bulgaria would have admitted a friend and ally in a small Slav state. Turkey was crumbling. Together they might have entertained the hope of moving into Macedonia and Old Servia and thus to the Mediterranean. But no, that racial jealousy, which is the canker-worm in every Serb brain, forbade such a course. The hothouse perception of the Serb had perceived another solution to their hope. Rather than deserve their fortune by the merit of their labours, they would still cling to the "Great Serb idea." THE GREAT SERB IDEA. selves, the Serbs resent being governed by others. This is a peculiarity which they share with many other races in the world. Although there was nothing concrete in the "Serb idea,' yet, when the Powers handed Bosnia and Herzegovina over to the Dual Monarchy, this action practically dissipated all rational possibility that the "idea possessed. The result upon Servia, however, was not one of cheerful acceptance of the inevitable. The passing of the Bosnian Serbs to the Austrian yoke practically reduced all her then half-formed aspirations to the category of "castles in the air." Yet the suggestion of tyranny was so enticing to the popular demand for a national grievance, that Bosnia and Herzegovina produced the most fertile field for propaganda. The tighter the Austrian hold became over the two Turkish vilayets the stronger became the Servian intrigue. In this manner Servia, in pursuing the shadow, altogether missed the substance of her future, though she could see Bulgaria doggedly engaged in development beside her. Russia was not slow to take advantage of Servia's sentimentality. She could not fail to view with apprehension the strengthening of the German influences in central Europe, and their undoubted trend towards the Mediterranean. Nor could she afford to overlook the rapid advance of Bulgaria to a position of national independence. Thus, playing the Slav sentiment for its full value, Russia finally hypnotised Servia into becoming her own particular creature. Then came Russia's break with the Dual Monarchy. For ten years these two Powers had furnished "the dark alliance" which kept the situation in the Near East always near boiling-point. But the time came when the conspirators fell out, and with the breakage came the Turkish revolution to change the whole policy of Europe with regard to the Ottoman Empire. AUSTRIA-HUNGARY'S PROGRAMME. much on account of the broken treaty as because sensitive Europe thought that the Dual Monarchy had not "played the game" with Young Turkey, who, at the moment, was in no position to resent the act. But although the world was quick enough with objurgations against the Dual Monarchy, not one Power was prepared to move either man or ship to defend its treaty rights. Here, putting aside the moral standpoint, the statesmanship of Baron von Aehrenthal was In this sudden change of political perspective Austria was confronted with the responsibilities which her foreign policy of the past five years had laid upon her. Her designs were no secret. She had permitted Europe to peep into her hand over the affair of the Sanjak of Novi Bazar. If she had not struck immediately, the whole of her policy might have been upset by this new shuffling on the card-table. She therefore annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina without worrying supreme. He judged to a about the treaty obligations hair's-breadth the right mowhich were violated by such a step. The result was instantaneous. Europe, with the exception of Germany, who had doubtless been consulted, was up in arms. The indignation was not so ment to strike. As Europe was not prepared to go to war over Aehrenthal's questionable coup, it was perhaps just as well that Servia, most of all, was in no position to strike. She, at least, had claimed a grievance against the Dual Monarchy concerning the occupation of the two vilayets, and, if she had struck, she must have brought all Europe into the stew-pot. SERVIA'S ASPIRATIONS. But Servia's sole weapon was her tongue. She was, in a military sense, even more contemptible than she is to-day, which is saying a very great deal. She was without arms and ammunition, and had not more than fifteen thousand men with the colours. She asked counsel of Russia, who talked to her of "compensations." Russia could not do more. Though she was posing as one of the great Powers of Europe, yet she was really in no better position to back her pretensions with force than was Servia. This is how the unfortunate word "compensations" came into the imbroglio. Sir Edward Grey, in his annoyance at the broken treaty, admitted Servia's right to consideration, an admission which it is possible he regrets to-day. Then the "Great Serb idea " was again pushed to the front. Austria, by the violation of the Treaty of Berlin, had made a bad impression in Europe. Therefore, the preface of her case being bad, it was not to be expected that she would force hostilities unless extensively provoked. Russia whispered in Servia's ear that if she only made enough noise she would get at least something. Winter prevailed in the Balkans, and there is a saying in these regions that "in the winter people talk, they do not fight." The truth of this adage has been well demonstrated. Servia has talked herself purple in the face. Nothing would satisfy her but that the Dual Monarchy should give her a strip of the annexed provinces in order to allow her to join up with her sister state of Montenegro and build a railway to the Adriatic. she would hear of nothing less. In default- and here Servia rattled her very blunt sabre— the war of the Serb nation would humble the Dual Monarchy to the dust. Servia was not only fighting for her own destiny, but was also fighting the battle of Turkey and all Europe as well. AEHRENTHAL'S DIPLOMACY. Baron von Aehrenthal must have sat in his bureau and smiled. He knew to an inch the length to which Russia was prepared to go, and the rest did not matter. He had a momentary difficulty with the Turkish boycott of his country's pro ducts. But, cunning general that he proved himself to be, he was even able to turn his enemy's successes to his own advantage. He compromised with Turkey for cash for the annexation of her two vilayets and, in consequence, put noisy |