was of course very pleased to hear this at the time, but what was for me the

truly satisfying corollary to this episode came two or three days later, when

Lord Darlington remarked to me: "By the way, Stevens, Lord Halifax was jolly

impressed with the silver the other night. Put him into a quite different frame

of mind altogether." These were - I recollect it clearly - his lordship's actual

words and so it is not simply my fantasy that the state of the silver had made a

small, but significant contribution towards the easing of relations between Lord

Halifax and Herr Ribbentrop that evening.

 

It is probably apt at this point to say a few words concerning Herr Ribbentrop.

It is, of course, generally accepted today that Herr Ribbentrop was a trickster:

that it was Hitler's plan throughout those years to deceive England for as long

as possible concerning his true intentions, and that Herr Ribbentrop's sole

mission in our country was to orchestrate this deception. As I say, this is the

commonly held view and I do not wish to differ with it here. It is, however,

rather irksome to have to hear people talking today as though they were never

for a moment taken in by Herr Ribbentrop - as though Lord Darlington was alone

in believing Herr Ribbentrop an honourable gentleman and developing a working

relationship with him. The truth is that Herr Ribbentrop was, throughout the

thirties, a well-regarded figure, even a glamorous one, in the very best houses.

Particularly around 1936 and 1937, I can recall all the talk in the servants'

hall from visiting staff revolving around 'the

 

German Ambassador', and it was clear from what was said that many of the most

distinguished ladies and gentlemen in this country were quite enamoured of him.