Among the prisoners was the Austrian General Merveldt, over whom Napoleon had gained his first diplomatic triumph, that at Leoben.  He it was, too, who had brought the first offers of an armistice after Austerlitz.  These recollections touched the superstitious chords in the great Corsican’s being; for in times of stress the strongest nature harks back to early instincts.  This harbinger of good fortune the Emperor now summoned and talked long and earnestly with him.[380] First, he complimented him on his efforts of the previous day to turn the French left at Doelitz; next, he offered to free him on parole in order to return to the allied headquarters with proposals for an armistice.  Then, after giving out that he had more than 200,000 men round Leipzig, he turned to the European situation.  Why had Austria deserted him?  At Prague she might have dictated terms to Europe.  But the English did not want peace.  To this Merveldt answered that they needed it sorely, but it must be not a truce, but a peace founded on the equilibrium of Europe.—­“Well,” replied Napoleon, “let them give me back my isles and I will give them back Hanover; I will also re-establish the Hanse Towns and the annexed departments [of North Germany]....  But how treat with England, who wishes to bind me not to build more than thirty ships of the line in my ports?"[381]

As for the Confederation of the Rhine, those States might secede that chose to do so:  but never would he cease to protect those that wanted his protection.  As to giving Holland its independence, he saw a great difficulty:  that land would then fall under the control of England.  Italy ought to be under one sovereign; that would suit the European system.  As he had abandoned Spain, that question was thereby decided.  Why then should not peace be the result of an armistice?—­The allied sovereigns thought differently, and at once waved aside the proposal.  No answer was sent.

In fact, they had Napoleon in their power, as he surmised.  Late on that Sunday, he withdrew his drenched and half-starved troops nearer to Leipzig; for Bluecher had gained ground on the north and threatened the French line of retreat.  Why the Emperor did not retreat during the night must remain a mystery.  All the peoples of Europe were now closing in on him.  On the north were Prussians, Russians, Swedes, and a few British troops.  To the south-east were the dense masses of the allied Grand Army drawn from all the lands between the Alps and the Urals; and among Bennigsen’s array on the east of Leipzig were to be seen the Bashkirs of Siberia, whose bows and arrows gained them from the French soldiery the sobriquet of les Amours.