This disposition had been partly foreseen by Napoleon; he was informed by Caulaincourt how steadily it was crystallizing into a fixed determination. To the observer the moment seemed critical, but the great adventurer was still able to ride the storm. Whence the impulse came is not easily determined, but he turned to Talleyrand as an agent likely to be useful in such complications. The intriguer came forward promptly, and, receiving the Caulaincourt despatches, together with a verbal explanation from the Emperor, was quickly in readiness for the duty of counselor, to which he was called. Napoleon himself assumed a lofty tone. On August fifteenth he held a levee at St. Cloud to which all the representatives of foreign powers were summoned; those of Russia and Austria stood near together. Again, as on the famous occasion before the rupture of the peace of Amiens, he uttered a public allocution in the form of a conversation; this time it was with Metternich, the Austrian ambassador, and he was calmer and more courtly. Reproaching the Emperor of Austria with ingratitude, he announced his political policy; to wit, that Russia would hold Austria in check, while he and Alexander divided the East between them without reference to Francis, unless the latter should disarm and recognize Joseph as king of Spain. Tolstoi remained frigid throughout the long harangue. It was he who had declared and repeated that eventually Napoleon, having humbled Austria, would attack Russia. A fortnight earlier, in an interview with the stern old Russian, the Emperor had asseverated the contrary, but to no effect: Tolstoi had shown no symptoms of faith or conviction. The address to Metternich was, therefore, a second string to Napoleon's bow in case he should fail at Erfurt to win Alexander. His general mien was undaunted and his tone loftier than ever. The tenor of his private conversation with Metternich and others was that he would rest content with what he had. Spain would no longer be a danger in the rear, Austria and Russia would be his allies, sharing in the mastery of the world, and England, the irreconcilable enemy of them all, would be finally reduced to ignominious surrender by the loss of her means of subsistence. CHAPTER XII NAPOLEON AND ALEXANDER AT ERFURT[27] [Footnote 27: See Fischer: Goethe und Napoleon. Pingaud: Bernadotte, Napoleon et les Bourbons. Rose: Napoleonic Studies. Bernhardi: Geschichte Russlands und der europaeischen Politik im XIX^ten Jahrhundert. Schilder: The Emperor Alexander I, his Life and Reign.] Napoleon's Imperial Hospitality -- The Interviews of Napoleon and Goethe -- Meeting of Napoleon and Wieland -- Their Conversation -- The Gains of Russia -- Dangerous Elements in the Dual League -- Austria Menaced -- Napoleon's Marital Relations -- Fouche's Machinations for the Divorce of Josephine -- Napoleon's Proposal for a Russian Princess.