inty of recovering Danzig; (3) Restitution of
the Illyrian provinces, including Dalmatia, to Austria; (4)
Re-establishment of the Hanse Towns, and an eventual arrangement as to
the cession of the other parts of the 32nd military division [the part
of North Germany annexed by Napoleon in 1810]. To these were added two
other conditions on which Austria would lay great stress, namely: (5)
Dissolution of the Confederation of the Rhine; (6) Reconstruction of
Prussia conformably with her territorial extent previous to 1805.

At first sight these terms seem favourable to the allied cause; but
they were much less extensive than the proposals submitted by
Alexander in the middle of May. Therefore, when they were set forth to
the allies at Reichenbach, they were unfavourably received, and for
some days suspicion of Austria overclouded the previous goodwill. It
was removed only by the labours of Stadion and by the tact which
Metternich displayed during an interview with the Czar at Opotschna
(June 17th).

Alexander came there prejudiced against Metternich as a past master in
the arts of double-dealing: he went away convinced that he meant well
for the allies. "What will become of us," asked the Czar, "if Napoleon
accepts your mediation?" To which the statesman replied: "If he
refuses it, the truce will be at an end, and you will find us in the
ranks of your allies. If he accepts it, the negotiations will prove to
a certainty that Napoleon is neither wise nor just; and the issue will
be the same." Alexander knew enough of his great enemy's character to
discern the sagacity of Metternich's forecast; and both Frederick
William and he agreed to the Austrian terms.[324] Accordingly, on June
27th, a treaty was secretly signed at Reichenbach, wherein Austria
pledged herself to an active alliance with Russia and Prussia in case
Napoleon should not, by the end of the armistice, have acceded to her
four _conditiones sine quibus non._ To these was now added a demand
for the evacuation of all Polish and Prussian fortresses by French
troops, a stipulation which it was practically certain that Napoleon
would refuse.[325]

The allies meanwhile were gaining the sinews of war from England. The
Czar had informed Cathcart at Kalisch that, though he did not press
our Government for subsidies, yet he would not be able to wage a long
campaign without such aid. On June 14th and 15th, our ambassador
signed treaties with Russia and Prussia, whereby we