tage from it that he advised Austria not to allow her-
self to be drawn into the same adventure. ⁴⁰ To con-
tinue the story would lead us far afield. The belief
had become fixed that "religions organized in the
service of the state was an idea of the past." ⁴¹ But
even if a slight loss of French prestige should ensue
in the Orient, was it not more than counterbalanced
by the firm foundations of friendship laid on the shores
of the Mediterranean? The Humpty-Dumpty policy
of Napoleon III, and the chari-vari policy of Signor
Crispi were both cast into the discard. Republican
France was rapidly mending her diplomatic fences
with no Bismarck on the ground to interfere with the
work. ⁴²

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