Mark my words! She is about ready now, and I believe she is going to take advantage of her opportunity." She leaned forward in her chair.
"It is such an opportunity as has never occurred before," she said, "and in a hundred years none so fit may occur again.

Here are we--England--on the brink of civil war with Ireland and the Home Rulers; our hands are tied, or, rather, are occupied with our own troubles.

Anyhow, Germany thinks so: that I know for a fact among so much that is only conjecture.
And perhaps she is right.

Who knows whether she may not be right, and that if she forces on war whether we shall range ourselves with our allies ?" Michael laughed.
"But aren't you piling up a European conflagration rather in a hurry, Aunt Barbara ?" he asked.
"There will be hurry enough for us, for France and Russia and perhaps England, but not for Germany.

She is never in a hurry: she waits till she is ready." A servant brought in tea and Lady Barbara waited till he had left the room again.
"It is as simple as an addition sum," she said, "if you grant the first step, that Austria is going to make some outrageous demand of Servia.