The more prudent among us, however, began to be alarmed; they said, but in an under-tone, that a man must fancy himself more than human to denaturalize and displace every thing in this manner, without fearing to involve himself in the universal confusion.  They saw these monarchs quitting the palace of Napoleon with their eyes inflamed, and their bosoms swoln with the most poignant resentment.  They pictured them, during the night, when alone with their ministers, giving vent to the heartfelt chagrin by which they were devoured.  Every thing was calculated to render their suffering more acute!  How importunate was the crowd which it was necessary to pass through, in order to reach the gate of their proud master, while their own remained deserted!  Indeed, all things, even their own people, appeared to betray them.  While boasting of his good fortune, was it not evident that he was insulting their misfortunes?  They had, therefore, come to Dresden in order to swell the pomp of Napoleon’s triumph—­for it was over them that he thus triumphed:  each cry of admiration offered to him was a cry of reproach to them; his grandeur was their humiliation, his victory their defeat.

Doubtless they, in this manner, gave vent to their bitter feelings; and hatred, day after day, sank more deeply into their hearts.  One prince was first observed to withdraw precipitately from this painful position.  The Empress of Austria, whose ancestors General Buonaparte had dispossessed in Italy, made herself remarked by her aversion, which she vainly endeavoured to disguise; it escaped from her by an involuntary impulse, which Napoleon instantly detected, and subdued by a smile:  but she employed her understanding and attraction in gently winning hearts to her opinion, in order to sow them afterwards with the seeds of her hatred.

The Empress of France unintentionally aggravated this fatal disposition.  She was observed to eclipse her mother-in-law by the superior magnificence of her costume:  if Napoleon required more reserve, she resisted, and even wept, till the emperor, either through affection, fatigue, or absence of mind, was induced to give way.  It is also asserted that notwithstanding her origin, remarks calculated to wound German pride escaped that princess, in extravagant comparisons between her native and her adopted country.  Napoleon rebuked her for this, but gently; he was pleased with a patriotism which he had himself inspired; and he fancied he repaired her imprudent language by the munificence of his presents.

This assemblage, therefore, could not fail of irritating a variety of feelings:  the vanity of many was wounded by the collision.  Napoleon, however, having exerted himself to please, thought that he had given general satisfaction:  while waiting at Dresden the result of the marches of his army, the numerous columns of which were still traversing the territories of his allies, he more especially occupied himself with his political arrangements.