Letters about the Congress are conspicuous by their absence; and everything proves that, as he wrote to Clarke at the beginning of the armistice, he purposed striking his great blows in September.

Little by little we see the emergence of his final plan--_to overthrow Russia and Prussia, while, for a week or two, he amused Austria with separate overtures at Prague_.
But, during eight years of adversity, European statesmen had learnt that disunion spelt disaster; and it was evident that Napoleon's delays were prompted solely by the need of equipping and training his new cavalry brigades.

As for the Congress, no one took it seriously.
Gentz, who was then in close contact with Metternich, saw how this tragi-comedy would end.

"We believe that on his return to Dresden, Napoleon will address to this Court a solemn Note in which he will accuse everybody of the delays which he himself has caused, and will end up by proclaiming a sort of ultimatum.

Our reply will be a declaration of war."[337] This was what happened.