e felt, who could best deal
with the Spaniards, win their affection, and consolidate his power. To
be shouldered off his throne, and compelled to stand by while such
radical measures were taken, embittered him. Shame, he said, covered
his face before his pretended subjects; he renounced all rights to the
throne, preferring honor and honesty to power so dearly bought. This
angered Napoleon, and he threatened to divide the land into military
provinces; but, like his gentler brother, he himself recoiled before
the utter annihilation of a nationality so ancient and dignified as
that of Spain.

As the price for the evacuation of Madrid, the people of the capital
swore to accept Joseph once more as their king. Similar oaths of
allegiance came from all the provinces occupied by the French.
Although these oaths were not considered binding by those who took
them, inasmuch as they held themselves to be acting under compulsion,
yet at least the shadow of Joseph's monarchy reappeared under the
imperial protection, and a so-called liberal constitution, modeled on
that of France, was given to the people as a boon. "It depends on
yourselves," was the Emperor's language, "to make this charter yours.
If all my endeavors prove vain, and you do not justify my confidence,
then I have nothing left but to treat you as a conquered province, and
create another throne for my brother. In that case I shall put the
crown of Spain on my own head, and teach the ill-disposed to respect
it; for God has given me the power and the will to overcome all
obstacles."

CHAPTER XIV

THE TRANSFORMATION OF AUSTRIA[29]

[Footnote 29: See Metternich: Nachgelassene Papiere (English
translation as Memoirs). Mazade: Alexandre Ier et le Prince
Czartoryski. Duncker: Friedr. Wilhelm im Jahre 1809. Ranke:
Hardenberg und die Geschichte des preussischen Staates von
1793-1813. Rapp: Memoires.]

Dangers in Napoleon's Rear -- The State of Paris -- Austria
Warlike -- The Czar's Policy -- National Movements in Germany --
Napoleon's True Position -- Talleyrand's Responsibility -- The
Needs of France -- The Conscription again Anticipated -- The
Archduke Charles -- War Declared by Austria -- Charles's Appeals
to National Sentiment -- Imperial Excess and Dynastic Moderation
-- The Uprising of the Tyrol -- Austria's Successes.

[Sidenote: 1809]

The news from central Europe which reach