If that was the general opinion in days when Ministers and diplomatists alone knew the secrets of the game, it was certain that the initiated, who remembered his wrongheaded refusals to make peace even in the depressing days of 1814, would strive to crush him before he could gather all his strength.  In vain did he protest that he had learnt by sad experience and was a changed man.  They interpreted his pacific speeches by their experience of his actions; and thus his overweening conduct in the past blotted out all hope of his crowning a romantic career by a peaceful and benignant close.  The declaration of outlawry was followed, on March 25th, by the conclusion of treaties between the Powers, which virtually renewed those framed at Chaumont.  In quick succession the smaller States gave in their adhesion; and thus the coalition which tact and diplomacy had dissolved was revivified by the fears which the mighty warrior aroused.  Napoleon made several efforts to sow distrust among the Powers; and chance placed in his hands a veritable apple of discord.

The Bourbons in their hasty flight from Paris had left behind several State papers, among them being the recent secret compact against Russia and Prussia.  Napoleon promptly sent this document to the Czar at Vienna; but his hopes of sundering the allies were soon blighted.  Though Alexander and Metternich had for months refused to exchange a word or a look, yet the news of Napoleon’s adventure brought about a speedy reconciliation; and when the compromising paper from Paris was placed in the Czar’s hands, he took the noble revenge of sending for Metternich, casting it into the fire, and adjuring the Minister to forget recent disputes in the presence of their common enemy.  Napoleon strove to detach Austria from the Coalition, as did also Fouche on his own account; but the overtures led to no noteworthy result, except that Napoleon, on finding out Fouche’s intrigue, threatened to have him shot—­a threat which that necessary tool treated with quiet derision.

A few acts of war occurred at once; but Austria and Russia pressed for delay, the latter with the view of overthrowing Murat.  That potentate now drew the sword on behalf of Napoleon, and summoned the Italians to struggle for their independence.  But he was quickly overpowered at Tolentino (May 3rd), and fled from his kingdom, disguised as a sailor, to Toulon.  There he offered his sword to Napoleon; but the Emperor refused his offer and blamed him severely, alleging that he had compromised the fortunes of France by rendering peace impossible.  The charge must be pronounced not proven.  The allies had taken their resolve to destroy Napoleon on March 13th, and Murat’s adventure merely postponed the final struggle for a month or so.

Napoleon used this time of respite to form his army and stamp out opposition in France.  The French royalist bands gave him little trouble.  In the south-west the fleur-de-lys was speedily beaten down; but in La Vendee royalism had its roots deep-seated.  Headed by the two Larochejacqueleins, the peasants made a brave fight; and 20,000 regulars failed to break them up until the month of June was wearing on.  What might not those 20,000 men, detained in La Vendee, have effected on the crest of Waterloo?