"We all know," he said to Alexander, "that no monarch in Europe has such thoughts as your Majesty for the welfare of mankind."
Alexander's face softened. He was truly a philanthropist.
After a few moments' talk along this line Napoleon mentioned the word "England."
The Czar's eyes flashed.
Napoleon abused that country with vigour.
Alexander drew nearer.
"I dislike the English as much as you do," he said, "and am ready to second you in all your enterprises against them."
"In that case," said Napoleon, taking note of Alexander's fine head and the weak lines in his handsome face, and remembering how, when he had been First Consul, the Emperor of Russia had been his most ardent admirer, "everything will be easily arranged, and peace already is made. You and I," he added, with an emphasis very flattering, "understand each other. It will be better if we do without our ministers, who often deceive us, or misunderstand us. We shall do more in an hour than our negotiators would in several days."
Then he talked as if the Czar and he were Atlases of the world and that all the earth rested upon their shoulders.
Alexander, listening, began to think that after all his allies had been no good. Prussia had dragged him to defeat; England had done nothing to help either of them. Surely a monarch must consider his own welfare.