tlereagh bore with him to Pitt at the end of the year.[769] Not a
line survives respecting that mournful interview; but we can picture the
deathly look coming over Pitt's emaciated features as he now for the
first time faced the prospect of the dissolution of the mighty league
which he had toiled to construct. Probably it was this shock to the
system which brought on a second attack of the gout, accompanied with
great weakness and distaste for food.[770]

Nevertheless he clung to the hope that Prussia would stand firm. On 3rd
January 1806 further news reached him from the Austrian and Prussian
Governments. The Austrian despatches represented Austerlitz as a
repulse, but not a disaster, and the armistice as a device for enabling
Prussia to prepare her blow at Napoleon's flank or rear. On 5th January
Mulgrave found in the despatches from Berlin grounds for believing that
that Court might under certain conditions assist the two Emperors in
Moravia and the British force in Hanover. On the morrow he wrote to Pitt
in emphatic terms, urging him to offer to Prussia the Dutch Republic.
That little State (he urged) could not again be independent, save in
circumstances now scarcely imaginable, much less realizable. Further,
the Stadholder having very tamely accepted the domain of Fulda as an
indemnity, we need feel no qualms for the House of Nassau; and, as
Prussia was influenced solely by territorial greed, and Hanover was out
of the question, she might well acquire the Dutch Netherlands, which
would link her to British interests.[771] Again we have to admit
ignorance of Pitt's opinion on this degrading proposal. Certainly it
never took definite shape.[772] Though willing to assign to Prussia the
Belgic Netherlands, he laid great stress on the independence of the
Dutch Netherlands, which indeed was the corner-stone of his foreign
policy. Moreover, to barter away an unoffending little State was to
repeat the international crimes of the partitions of Poland and Venetia.
We may be sure that that proud and just spirit would rather have
perished than stoop to such ignominy.

In effect, he fell a victim to his resolve never to barter away the
patrimony of George III. We now know that Prussia's policy at this
crisis turned mainly on the acquisition of Hanover. Her envoy, Haugwitz,
whom she sent to Napoleon's headquarters charged with the offer of
Prussia's armed mediation on behalf of Europe, had on 15th December
signed with him the hu