nder, desiring to be at peace
with his neighbor, firmly refused; moreover, he verbally stipulated
for the evacuation of the Hohenzollern lands by French troops at an
early date. Nominally, therefore, the King of Prussia regained
sovereignty over less than half of his former territory. For this
consideration he was to pay an indefinite but enormous and almost
impossible indemnity, which was to cover the total cost of the war. To
guarantee this a large portion of the French army was, in spite of
Alexander's demand, still left quartered in the Hohenzollern lands, so
that the Prussian people were daily reminded of their disgrace, as
well as irritated by extortionate taxation. First and last, the war
cost Prussia, in the support of the French army and in actual
contributions to France, over a billion of francs--about the gross
national income of thirteen years. The process of Prussian
consolidation begun three years before was thus hastened. What Pozzo
di Borgo called a masterpiece of destruction turned out in the end to
be the beginning of a new birth for the nation. But the royal pair
were stricken down: the high-souled Queen died, three years later, of
chagrin; the King lived to see his people strong once more, but in a
sort of obstructing stupor, being always an uncompromising
conservative. When he died, in 1840, he left to his successor a legacy
of smothered popular discontent.

The treaties of Tilsit between France and Russia were signed, as was
said, on July seventh. The principal personages engaged on both sides
in this grand scene of reconciliation were on that day reciprocally
decorated with the orders of the respective courts, while the imperial
guards of both emperors received food and drink for a great festivity.
Next day Napoleon paid his farewell visit. At his morning toilet he
had his valet loosen the threads which fastened the cross of the
Legion of Honor to his coat, and as the Czar advanced to meet him he
asked in audible tones permission to decorate the first grenadier of
Russia. A veteran named Lazaref was summoned from the ranks, and with
a wrench the Emperor tore off his cross, and fastened it on the breast
of the peasant. The welkin rang with applause, while Lazaref kissed
his benefactor's hands and the hem of his coat. Next day Alexander
crossed the Niemen. Savary went with him as a French envoy, partly to
keep up the Czar's courage and spirits, which would be endangered by
the sullen humor of the c