ilitary party, the
conqueror charged Prussia's declaration of war. This minister,
banished at Napoleon's instance, was near by. The King pleaded in vain
that he might still serve as mentor in the coming negotiation; the
Emperor scornfully refused. There were no others available, rejoined
the King. Napoleon named several: among them, and probably not by
inadvertence, Stein. This great name is welded to the regeneration of
Prussia, but its bearer was a liberal in the measures he enforced.
Hardenberg, great and adroit as he was, stood for the passing
conservatism, and while he was indefatigable to the end, he was after
all a worker at twilight, unable to see the coming metamorphosis of
old Europe into the new. It was a proposition outlined by him which
brought forward the first vital question, the partition of Turkey. His
sovereign's stateliest lands had been gained by the partition of
Austria and of Poland; he now suggested that Russia and Austria should
divide the Danubian principalities between them, that France should
take Greece and her isles, and that Poland should be restored and
given to the King of Saxony, who in turn should hand over his German
domains to Prussia. The Czar accepted the paper, which was
communicated to him as approved by the King, but kept silence.

A favorite amusement of the two emperors was playing with the French
army. Napoleon delighted in the display of his condescension to the
men, and in the exhibition of their enthusiastic affection for him.
Their drill, their uniforms, the niceties of military ceremonial, the
gorgeous drum-majors twirling their batons or marching in puffy
state--every detail fascinated the Czar, whose house, said
Czartoryski, was affected with the disease of paradomania.

[Illustration: Napoleon Exposition, 1895.

NAPOLEON, by Ingres.

From nature, during a mass at the Tuileries. Belonging to M. Germain
Bapst]

At an opportune moment on one of these reviewing expeditions,
Napoleon, surrounded by all the splendors of his power, was approached
by a hurrying courier, who put into his hands despatches announcing
the overthrow of the Sultan Selim. "It is a decree of Providence,
announcing the end of Ottoman empire!" he cried. Thenceforth he talked
incessantly of the Orient. As if inspired by prophetic fire, he
sketched a missionary enterprise for the liberation and regeneration
of Greece, and for the emancipation and reorganization of the lands
and peoples on the Danub