To
our inquiry as to whether in his opinion democracy was
moving forward or backward, the Prince, after a moment
of reflection, answered that he had no idea. On our asking
which of the generals of our Civil War was regarded in
Europe as the greatest strategist, His Highness answered
without hesitation, "George Washington."
Before closing our interview the Prince, who, like his
illustrious father, is an enthusiastic sportsman, completely
turned the tables on us by inquiring eagerly about the
prospects for large game in America.
We told him something--as much as we could recollect--of
woodchuck hunting in our own section of the country. The
Prince was interested at once. His eye lighted up, and
the peculiar air of fatigue, or languor, which we had
thought to remark on his face during our interview, passed
entirely off his features. He asked us a number of
questions, quickly and without pausing, with the air, in
fact, of a man accustomed to command and not to listen.
How was the woodchuck hunted? From horseback or from an
elephant? Or from an armoured car, or turret? How many
beaters did one use to beat up the woodchuck? What bearers
was it necessary to carry with one? How great a danger
must one face of having one's beaters killed? What
percentage of risk must one be prepared to incur of
accidentally shooting one's own beaters? What did a bearer
cost? and so on.
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