a single
hair which falls from the head of Napoleon."

At the Congress of Vienna assembled the statesmen to dispose of
nations and peoples, as their own ambition prompted. Alexander desired
to unite Poland to his crown, but separate from Russia; but was
opposed by Austria, Great Britain, and France, who entered into a
secret alliance against him. Had Napoleon waited two hundred days
instead of half that time, who knows that he might not yet have been
the arbiter of Europe? His descent united all factions, and Alexander
declared that he would pursue Napoleon "down to his last man and his
last ruble."

Once again armies were set in motion, and once again Napoleon resorted
to his well-known tactics of destroying his enemies one by one. He
failed at Waterloo. (June 17, 1815.) Again the allies re-entered
Paris, the Prussians first but closely followed by the czar and his
army.

"Justice, but no revenge!" proclaimed Alexander when Bluecher would (p. 205)
have followed Napoleon's example of robbing a country of its works of
art. The czar stood the friend of France when Prussia demanded a
frontier which would render her safe from French invasion; but he said
frankly that he "wished to allow some danger to exist on that side, so
that Germany, having need of Russia, might remain dependent," He was
in favor of allowing the French to select their own government, but
was overruled. At last the allies came to an understanding, and Poland
was joined to the Russian Crown.

The Polish soldiers who had fought so bravely under Napoleon, placed
themselves at the czar's service, hoping and trusting that their
country would revive under a Russian king. Alexander's promises at
Vienna had been vague, but recent events had made a deep impression
upon him. In this frame of mind, he directed that Poland be restored.
This was announced on the 21st of June, at Warsaw amid the roar of
cannon. Constantine, Alexander's brother, was made King, and a
legislative body, composed of a senate and house of representatives,
was formed under a constitution which also guaranteed the freedom of
the press.

Thus Alexander returned to Russia. Soon after that he gave evidence
that strong emotions were required to subdue the inborn prejudice in
favor of autocracy. Russia, of necessity, had acquired an overwhelming
influence in Europe. This showed at the several Congresses, at
Aix-la-Chapelle in 1818, at Carlsbad in 1819, at Troppau in 1820, and
at Verona in