He had sent to Napoleon's headquarters at Dresden Count Bubna, whose sincere and resolute striving for peace served to lull animosity and suspicions in that place.

But to the allied headquarters, now at Reichenbach, he had despatched Count Stadion, who worked no less earnestly for war.

While therefore the Courts of St.
Petersburg, Berlin, and London hoped, from Stadion's language, that Austria meant to draw the sword, Napoleon inclined to the belief that she would never do more than rattle her scabbard, and would finally yield to his demands.
Stadion's letters to Metternich show that he feared this result.

He pressed him to end the seesaw policy of the last six months.

"These people are beaten owing to our faults, our half wishes, our half measures, and presently they will get out of the scrape and leave us to pay the price." As for Austria's forthcoming demand of Illyria, who would guarantee that the French Emperor would let her keep it six months, if he remained master of Germany and Italy?
Only by a close union with the allies could she be screened from Napoleon's vengeance, which must otherwise lead to her utter destruction.