reparations would inspire that monarch. It is also possible, that the
last propositions which he made to the Turks, being tantamount to a
declaration of war against the Russians, were delayed for the express
purpose of deceiving the Czar as to the period of his invasion. Finally,
whether it was from all these causes, from a confidence founded on the
mutual hatred of the two nations, and on his treaty of alliance with
Austria, which had just guaranteed Moldavia and Wallachia to the Turks,
he detained the ambassador whom he sent to them on his road, and waited,
as we have just seen, to the very last moment.

But the divan was surrounded by the Russian, English, Austrian, and
Swedish envoys, who with one voice represented to it, "that the Turks
were indebted for their existence in Europe solely to the divisions
which existed among the Christian monarchs; that the moment these were
united under one influence, the Mahometans in Europe would be
overwhelmed; and that as the French emperor was advancing rapidly to the
attainment of universal empire, it was him whom the Turks had most
reason to dread."

To these representations were added the intrigues of the two Greek
princes Morozi. They were of the same religion with Alexander, and they
looked to him for the possession of Moldavia and Wallachia. Grown rich
by his favours and by the gold of England, these dragomans enlightened
the unsuspecting ignorance of the Turks, as to the occupation and
military surveys of the Ottoman frontiers by the French. They did a
great deal more; the first of them influenced the dispositions of the
divan and the capital, and the second those of the grand vizir and the
army; and as the proud Mahmoud resisted, and would only accept an
honourable peace, these treacherous Greeks contrived to disband his
army, and compelled him, by insurrections, to sign the degrading treaty
of Bucharest with the Russians.

Such is the power of intrigue in the seraglio; two Greeks whom the Turks
despised, there decided the fate of Turkey, in spite of the sultan
himself. As the latter depended for his existence on the intrigues of
his palace, he was, like all despots who shut themselves up in them,
obliged to yield: the Morozi carried the day; but afterwards he had them
both beheaded.

CHAP. IV.

In this manner did we lose the support of Turkey; but Sweden still
remained to us; her monarch had sprung from our ranks; a soldier of our
army, it was to that he