tion of Bartenstein.[3] When
Austria's offer was thus refused the French position was virtually
secure as against her, at least for the season. Shrewd onlookers could
hardly credit their senses, and thought that so far from Francis's
policy being one of neutrality, it was a favor of the highest
importance to Napoleon. The fact was that Austria knew Prussia's
weakness and had little confidence in Russia's strength. Moreover,
France had powerful friends in Vienna, where Andreossy was
influential, and Austria's own preparations were not complete. It
would be a serious matter if she should conclude a treaty with two
allies who might be beaten before she could herself take the field.
Hence nothing disturbed the impenetrable front of the Danube power;
her own plans were maturing slowly but surely, and while the enormous
French reinforcements in central Europe were in a sense a menace, she
threw a strong military cordon upon the frontiers of Galicia, and
haughtily held aloof from anything likely to fetter her own ambitions.

[Footnote 3: On the refusal of Russia and Prussia to join
Austria, see Vandal: Napoleon et Alexandre Ier, Vol. I,
Chapitre Preliminaire.]

CHAPTER III

AN INDECISIVE VICTORY: FRIEDLAND[4]

[Footnote 4: References as before.]

The State of France -- Remedies Proposed by the Emperor --
Napoleon's Self-Indulgence -- Perplexities of both Combatants in
Poland -- Opening of the Campaign -- Heilsberg -- Friedland --
The Result Indecisive -- The Strategic Problem -- The Statesman's
Point of View -- The Armistice -- Napoleon's Resolution -- The
Czar's Obligations to Prussia -- His Attitude toward Napoleon.

The situation in Paris was even less satisfactory to Napoleon than
that in the rest of Europe. Then, as now, France was too much like one
of those interesting creatures called by the pleasant scientific name
of cephalopod--all head except a few tentacles; so we say Paris, and
not France. Imperial interests rested on two supports, Paris and the
rest of the world. When Napoleon withdrew behind the Passarge, not all
the fictions which his fertile brain could devise and his busy agents
spread were sufficient to deceive the astute operators of the Paris
exchange. Accordingly, the price of French government bonds went down
with a serious drop; England having announced soon afterward that she
meant to land a great army on the shores of the