his negotiations with as much
firmness and decision as had marked him in the field, it was her care
that nature and art should lend all their graces to what the Italians
soon learnt to call _the Court_ of Montebello. Whatever talent Milan
contained, was pressed into her service. Music and dance, and festival
upon festival, seemed to occupy every hour. The beautiful lakes of
Lombardy were covered with gay flotillas; and the voluptuous retreats
around their shores received in succession new life and splendour from
the presence of Napoleon, Josephine, and the brilliant circle amidst
whom they were rehearsing the imperial parts that destiny had in reserve
for them. Montebello was the centre from which Buonaparte, during the
greater part of this autumn, negotiated with the emperor, controlled all
Italy, and overawed the Luxembourg.

The final settlement with the emperor's commissioners would have taken
place shortly after the fall of Venice, but for the successful intrigues
of the royalist Clichyens, the universal belief that the government of
France approached some new crisis, and the Austrians' hope that from
such an event their negotiation might derive considerable advantages.
Buonaparte well knew the secret motive which induced Cobentzel, the
emperor's chief envoy, to protract and multiply discussions of which he
by this time was weary. One day, in this ambassador's own chamber,
Napoleon suddenly changed his demeanour; "you refuse to accept our
ultimatum," said he, taking in his hands a beautiful vase of porcelain,
which stood on the mantelpiece near him. The Austrian bowed. "It is
well," said Napoleon, "but mark me--within two months I will shatter
Austria like this potsherd." So saying, he dashed the vase on the ground
in a thousand pieces, and moved towards the door. Cobentzel followed
him, and made submissions which induced him once more to resume his
negotiations.

The result was the treaty of Campo-Formio, so-called from the village at
which it was signed, on the 3d of October, 1797. By this act the emperor
yielded to France, Flanders and the boundary of the Rhine, including the
great fortress of Mentz. The various new republics of Lombardy were
united and recognised under the general name of the Cisalpine Republic.
To indemnify Austria for the loss of those territories, the fall of
Venice afforded new means--of which Napoleon did not hesitate to
propose, nor Austria to accept the use. The French general had inde