"Well, in that castle, the treaty shall be signed. In three hours,
then. Until then, farewell."

He nodded carelessly to the marquis, who, as humble as a vassal, at
the feet of the throne, stood at the carriage door, constantly
bowing deeply, and waving his plumed hat.

"Forward!" shouted Bonaparte, and the carriage, followed by a
brilliant suite, rolled away. Bonaparte, carelessly leaning into the
corner, muttered, with a stealthy smile: "It was a coup de theatre,
and it had evidently great success. They had to accept peace at my
hands as a favor. Ah, if they had guessed how much I needed it
myself! But these men are obtuse; they cannot see any thing. They
have no aim; they only live from minute to minute, and whenever they
find a precipice on their route, they stumble over it, and are lost
beyond redemption. My God, how scarce real men are! There are
eighteen millions in Italy, and I have scarcely found two men among
them. I want to save these two men, but the rest may fulfil their
destiny. The Republic of Venice shall disappear from the earth--this
cruel and bloodthirsty government shall be annihilated. We shall
throw it as a prey to hungry Austria; but when the latter has
devoured her, and stretched herself in the lazy languor of
digestion, then it will be time for us to stir up Austria. Until
then, peace with Austria--peace!"

Three hours later the treaty between Austria and France was signed
at the old castle of Campo Formio. France, by this treaty, acquired
Belgium, the left bank of the Rhine, and the fortress of Monte.
Austria acquired the Venetian territory. But to these acquisitions,