Rapp told me that it was really painful to see these generals.  They bowed respectfully to the Emperor, having Mack at their head.  They preserved a mournful silence, and Napoleon was the first to speak, which he did in the following terms:  “Gentlemen, I feel sorry that such brave men as you are should be the victims of the follies of a Cabinet which cherishes insane projects, and which does not hesitate to commit the dignity of the Austrian nation by trafficking with the services of its generals.  Your names are known to me—­they are honourably known wherever you have fought.  Examine the conduct of those who have committed you.  What could be more iniquitous than to attack me without a declaration of war?  Is it not criminal to bring foreign invasion upon a country?  Is it not betraying Europe to introduce Asiatic barbarities into her disputes?  If good policy had been followed the Aulic Council, instead of attacking me, would have sought my alliance in order to drive back the Russians to the north.  The alliance which your Cabinet has formed will appear monstrous in history.  It is the alliance of dogs, shepherds, and wolves against sheep—­such a scheme could never have been planned in the mind of a statesman.  It is fortunate for you that I have not been defeated in the unjust struggle to which I have been provoked; if I had, the Cabinet of Vienna would have soon perceived its error, for which, perhaps, it will yet one day pay dearly.”

What a change fifteen days of success, crowned by the capture of Ulm, had made in affairs!  At Hamburg I knew through my agents to what a degree of folly the hopes of Napoleon’s enemies had risen before he began the campaign.  The security of the Cabinet of Vienna was really inexplicable; not only did they not dream of the series of victories which made Napoleon master of all the Austrian monarchy, but the assistants of Drake and all the intriguers of that sort treated France already as a conquered country, and disposed of some of our provinces.  In the excess of their folly, to only give one instance, they promised the town of Lyons to the King of Sardinia, to recompense him for the temporary occupation of Piedmont.

   —­[In the treaties and declarations (see Martens and Thiers, tome v.
   p. 355) there is rather a tendency to sell the skin of the bear
   before killing him.]—­

While Napoleon flattered his prisoners at the expense of their Government he wished to express satisfaction at the conduct of his own army, and with this view he published a remarkable proclamation, which in some measure presented an abstract of all that had taken place since the opening of the campaign.

This proclamation was as follows:—­

Soldiers of the grand army—­In a fortnight we have finished an entire campaign.  What we proposed to do has been done.  We have driven the Austrian troops from Bavaria, and restored our ally to the sovereignty of his dominions.

   That army, which, with equal presumption and imprudence, marched
   upon our frontiers, is annihilated.