anzoff and Champagny quarrel
about the formalities."

"I will come to the assistance of poor Champagny," said Napoleon, "if
your majesty, in return, will be kind enough to make stubborn Romanzoff
somewhat more tractable. You have already occupied these provinces; it
will, therefore, be easy for you to annex them. France will give her
consent by a formal treaty, and not only engage to recognize this
annexation so far as she herself is concerned, but also to compel
Turkey, Austria, and England, to acknowledge it. Your majesty,
therefore, will break the armistice with Turkey, and advance your army
to the foot of the Balkan, then to Adrianople, and, if need be, to
Constantinople, in order to wrest these territories from the Porte. In
case Austria should intervene, we shall both declare war against her. As
for England, we are already at war with her. It will only be necessary
for me to give her a bloody defeat in Spain to render her insensible to
any enterprises we may enter into on the continent. All this we
stipulate not only verbally, but in writing. Will that satisfy your
majesty?"

"Me? I am satisfied with your majesty's word," exclaimed Alexander.

"Well, then," said Napoleon, with a smile, "the question is: Will your
minister be satisfied?"

"Of course, he will; and, moreover, I shall command him to raise no
further objections. Let Champagny and Romanzoff draw up the treaty; it
will then be merely necessary for us to sign it, and the whole matter is
settled. Our friendship will have been rendered more intimate and
lasting by new bonds, which nothing in the world will be able to
break."

"As to our other plans," said Napoleon, "we shall never lose sight of
them. Every day we draw nearer to their fulfilment. There is yet a vast
future before us in which to accomplish our purposes with regard to the
Orient, and to remodel its political affairs. Romanzoff is aged, and
hence, impatient to enjoy what he desires. But you are young: you can
wait."

"Romanzoff is a Russian of the old school," said Alexander, smiling. "He
has passions and inclinations from which I am free. I attach a higher
value to civilizing than enlarging my empire. Hence, I desire the
provinces of the Danube more for my nation than for myself. I shall be
able to wait patiently until our plans can be carried into effect. But
you, my noble friend, you ought to enjoy in tranquillity the great
things which you have accomplished, and no longer expose you