Schönbrunn Palace, the emperor's study.
"Your Majesty, that Arab was just as you said he would be. Far too full of himself! But the British didn't take the bait either.
All the major countries except Prussia seemed to have reached an understanding. Each had invested one million pounds."
The British not getting carried away had been somewhat unexpected to Franz, but the matter was far from over. This investment was only the beginning; neither Britain nor Egypt would be satisfied.
Prussia's lack of interest in the Suez Canal had been well within Franz's expectations. After all, within the German Confederation, Prussia and Hanover were the ones least eager to see the canal opened.
Prussia was already facing enormous competitive pressure from Austria. Once the Suez Canal opened, the latter would be able to easily send goods from the Orient and Africa into the German Confederation.
For other countries, this might be a good thing, since it would make trade more convenient. But Prussia would have no choice but to face Austria's ever-growing influence.
Hanover had once been the biggest middleman in the German Confederation, but after the Suez Canal opened, the other states in the Confederation would no longer need to buy the Oriental goods brought back by the British.
And with the shorter shipping distance, the prices of goods were bound to fall. Hanover would have to consider reducing its inventory.
"Muhammad Ali does have some ability, but those who betray us must pay the price."
Franz toyed with the steel pen in his hand. It was a gift from the British. A steel pen was certainly a novelty at the time, since most people preferred using cheap quill pens.
That was right: quill pens cost far less than steel pens at the time. In Britain, a quill usually