Wilhelm had not fared much better in Berlin. Even Holstein castigated Bjorkoe as “operetta politics” and Bulow flew into a rage because the Kaiser, after altering the original text of the draft treaty — the limitation of its scope to Europe — had signed it without consulting his Chancellor. Tears, tantrums and hysterics became daily occurrences at the imperial court. Bulow handed in his resignation; Wilhelm, refusing to accept it, whined and sniveled like a jilted schoolgirl. “To be treated like this by my best and most intimate of friends,” the deflated would-be Bismarck wailed in a
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