. Meanwhile the Austrian
having watched these indecisive though bloody fields, once more renewed
his offers of mediation. The sovereigns of Russia and Prussia expressed
great willingness to accept it; and Napoleon also appears to have been
sincerely desirous for the moment of bringing his disputes to a peaceful
termination. He agreed to an armistice, and in arranging its conditions
agreed to fall back out of Silesia; thus enabling the allied princes to
re-open communications with Berlin. The lines of country to be occupied
by the armies, respectively, during the truce, were at length settled,
and it was signed on the 1st of June. The French Emperor then returned
to Dresden, and a general congress of diplomatists prepared to meet at
Prague.

CHAPTER XXXIII

Napoleon's Interview with Metternich--Advice of his Ministers and
Generals--Intelligence from Spain--Battle of Vittoria--Congress of
Prague Dissolved--Austria declares War--Battle of Dresden--Death of
Moreau--Battle of Culm--Surrender of Vandamme--Battles of
Grossbeeren, Wahlstadt, and Dennewitz--Napoleon retires from the
Elbe--The Battle of Leipsig--The Battle of Hanau--The Allies on the
Rhine.

England alone refused to send any representative to Prague, alleging
that Buonaparte had as yet signified no disposition to recede from his
pretensions on Spain, and that he had consented to the armistice with
the sole view of gaining time for political intrigue and further
military preparation. It may be doubted whether any of the allied powers
who took part in the congress did so with much hope that the disputes
with Napoleon could find a peaceful end. His recent successes were to
the general view dazzling, however in reality unproductive, and must
have been supposed to quicken the flame of his pride. But it was of the
utmost importance to gain time for the advance of Bernadotte; for the
arrival of new reinforcements from Russia; for the completion of the
Prussian organisation; and, above all, for determining the policy of
Vienna.

Metternich, the Austrian minister, repaired in person to Dresden; and,
while inferior diplomatists wasted time in endless discussions at
Prague, one interview between him and Napoleon brought the whole
question to a definite issue. The Emperor had hitherto seen in
Metternich only a smooth and elegant courtier, and he expected to bear
him down by military violence and rudeness. He assumed at once tha