“I have done so, and boast of it,” said Count Haugwitz, quickly.
“A glance into the heart of Napoleon satisfied me that he who stands at the head of human greatness knew no higher aim than to give peace to mankind, and thus complete the great work which Providence has intrusted to him.”
“Words, words!” said Napoleon. “Let me see actions at last. The instructions that were given to you before leaving Berlin have been annulled by the recent events in Moravia; we are agreed about this point. Now, you are a member of the Prussian cabinet. By sending you to me, the king has intrusted to you alone the welfare of his monarchy. We shall see, therefore, whether you will know how to profit by a rare, perhaps never-recurring opportunity, and to crown the work which Frederick II., notwithstanding his victories, left unfinished. Come hither and see.”
He stepped rapidly to the table with the maps, and in obedience to a wave of his hand, Count Haugwitz glided, with his imperturbable smile, to his side.
“See here,” exclaimed Napoleon, pointing at the map; “this is Silesia, your native country. The king does not rule over the whole of it, the Emperor of Austria still retaining a portion of it; but that splendid province ought to belong exclusively to Prussia. We will see and consider how far your southern frontier ought to be extended. Just follow my finger on the map; it will designate to you the new boundaries of Prussian Silesia.” [Footnote: Napoleon’s own words.—“Memoires inedits,” p. 17.]
And Napoleon’s forefinger passed, flashing like a dagger-point, across the map, and encircled the whole Austrian portion of Silesia, from Teschen to the Saxon frontier, and from the mountains of Yablunka to the point where the Riesengebirge disappears in Lusatia. [Footnote: Ibid., p. 18.] “Well,” he then asked, hastily, “would not such an arrangement round off your Silesian province in the most desirable manner?”
Count Haugwitz did not reply immediately, but continued gazing at the map. Napoleon’s eagle glance rested on him for a moment, and then passed on to the busts of Maria Theresa and Frederick the Great.
“Oh,” he exclaimed, with a triumphant smile, pointing to the bust of Frederick, “that great man would have accepted my proposition without any hesitation whatever.”
“Sire,” said Count Haugwitz, hesitatingly, “but that great woman, Maria Theresa, would not have permitted it so easily.”
“But now,” exclaimed Napoleon, “now there is no Maria Theresa to hinder the King of Prussia; now I am here, and I grant the whole of Silesia to your king if he will conclude a close alliance with me. Consider well; can you be insensible of the glory which awaits you?”