In Saint Petersburg, upon receiving news that Minister White had been killed in London, Alexander III exploded with rage.
Had the last shred of reason not restrained him from ordering the British minister killed in retaliation, the greatest political scandal of the century would have erupted.
"This is the British explanation? They're clearly treating us like fools!"
With that, Alexander III tore up the document, proving through action that he was truly furious.
There was no way he could not be angry. According to the British account, the primary blame lay with Minister White's loose tongue, which had enraged the British public and led to the accident.
The dead could not speak, and every person involved was under British control. There was simply no way to tell truth from falsehood.
Whatever anyone else believed, Alexander III did not believe it. Minister White had been personally appointed by him. He might have had many faults, but he was certainly no fool.
If he had been sent to some small country, perhaps he might truly have acted arrogantly. But he had been serving as minister to Britain—where would White have found the nerve to be arrogant?
Especially the claim that he had admitted the Russian Army had launched a sneak attack on the British Army stationed in Afghanistan—it was utter nonsense.
Never mind that it had been fabricated out of thin air; even if it had really happened, with the Tsarist Government firmly denying it, an ambassador abroad could never possibly admit to it.
Minister of War Marshal Ivanov advised, "Your Majesty, calm your anger. There is no need to ruin your health over those damned British.
"Once the Central Asian war is over, we can settle accounts with them slowly."
Having become the leading figure among the hawks, Marshal Ivanov had