ns for Russia, and for the time being the
Franco-Russian alliance was, as it appeared to the world, mightier and
firmer than it had been.

But, on the other hand, it contained now what was wanting
before--active germs of dissolution. In the first place, Alexander and
his ministers had shown themselves so firm that more than once there
had been hot words even between the emperors, and the memories of
these were a source of the increased suspicions which Alexander
carried back to the Neva. The Czar had, moreover, been compelled to
yield a very important point. The treaty, as a whole, was to remain
secret for at least ten years. He might occupy and consider as his own
the two coveted provinces, but even they were not to be openly annexed
until England's answer was received. An Anglo-Turkish alliance,
Napoleon reasoned, would be disastrous, while a Russo-Turkish
alliance, in case of Russian victory, would give the ministers at St.
James's too much insight into the agreement of Erfurt, and perhaps
bring on some such calamity as the seizure of the Danish fleet which
the suspicions entertained at London concerning Tilsit had
precipitated. The ultimate aim of the treaty was to be indefinitely
concealed. Another dangerous element in the affairs of Erfurt was that
contained in the additional provocation given to Prussia and Austria.
It is generally believed that Napoleon urged Alexander to send troops
and occupy not only Warsaw, but parts of both Austria and Prussia.
This would embroil him with his neighbors, and make central Europe
secure while France was fighting Spain. If this be true, it explains
two facts. Prussia in her despair had sent one agent after another to
Paris in order to secure some mitigation of Napoleon's demands. The
last had been Prince William, the King's brother, who early in
September had agreed that his country should pay one hundred and forty
millions of francs, surrender to France the forts on the Oder, and
reduce her army to forty-two thousand men, in return for the
withdrawal of Napoleon's troops and a reduction of the indemnity by
fourteen and a half millions of francs. On October ninth, three weeks
afterward, the prince was invited by Napoleon to hunt hares on the
battle-field of Jena! This incident, taken in connection with the
demand for Stein's dismissal, seemed very significant of Napoleon's
attitude toward Prussia.

General Vincent had been despatched from Vienna nominally to explain
away at