“His Prussian Majesty will follow the honourable dictates of his own heart, and will demonstrate to the world that he will not set the dreadful example of indemnifying himself at the expense of a third party, whose sentiments and conduct towards him and his subjects have been uniformly friendly and pacifick."[74]

But by the close of February this appeal fell on deaf ears.  Frederick William had decided to comply with Napoleon’s terms and was about to take formal possession of Hanover.

The conqueror was far from taking that easy view of the changes made in the Schoenbrunn Treaty which the discerning Haugwitz had trustfully expected.  At first, every effort was made by Talleyrand to delay his interview with the Emperor, evidently in the hope that the subtle flattery of Laforest at Berlin would lead to the demobilization of the Prussian forces.  This fatal step was known at Paris before February 6th, when Haugwitz was received by the Emperor; and the knowledge that Prussia was at his mercy decided the conqueror’s tone.  He began by some wheedling words as to the ability shown by Haugwitz in the Schoenbrunn negotiation: 

“If anyone but myself had treated with you I should have thought him bought over by you; but, let me confess to you, the treaty was due to your talents and merit.  You were in my eyes the first statesman in Europe, and covered yourself with immortal glory.”

Before that interview, forsooth, he had decided to make war on Prussia; and only Haugwitz had induced him to offer her peace and the gift of Hanover.  Why, then, had that treaty been so criticised at Berlin?  Why had the French ambassador been slighted?  Why was Hardenberg high in favour?  Why had not the King dismissed that tool of England?  Here the envoy strove to stem the rising torrent of the Emperor’s wrath; his words were at once swept aside; and the deluge flowed on.  As Prussia had not ratified the treaty pure and simple, she was in a state of war with France; for she still had Russian and English troops on her soil.  Here again Haugwitz observed that those forces were withdrawing, and that the Prussians were entering Hanover in force.  The storm burst forth anew.  What right had Prussia thus to carry into effect a treaty which she had not ratified?  If her forces entered Hanover, his troops should forthwith occupy Ansbach, Cleves, and Neufchatel:  if Frederick William meant to have Hanover, he should pay dearly for it.  But he would allow Haugwitz to see Talleyrand, so as to prevent an immediate war.[75]

The calm of the Foreign Minister was as dangerous as the bluster of the Emperor.  Talleyrand was no friend to Prussia.  He had long known Napoleon’s determination to press on a war between England and Prussia, and he lent himself to the plan of undermining the Hohenzollerns.  The scales now fell from the envoy’s eyes.  He saw that his country stood friendless before an exacting creditor, who now claimed