[Footnote 12: For an interesting comment on Talleyrand's diplomacy, see Sorel: L'Europe et la Revolution Francaise, Vol. VI, pp. 23-25.] Napoleon left for Koenigsberg the same day on which he bade adieu to Alexander. His route was by way of Dresden. He was not in the slightest degree deceived. The peace of Europe, he said, was in St. Petersburg; the affairs of the world were there. But he had gained much. The outposts of his empire were established, and from one of them he could touch with his hand the enchanted East. He had secured the temporary cooeperation of Russia, and with that as a beginning he might consolidate the Continent against England, and complete the stage in his progress now gained. Above all, he could at once restore the confidence of France by the proclamation of peace and the upbuilding of her prosperity. To be sure, he had forecast a division of his prospective Eastern empire with Russia, he had left Prussia outraged and bleeding, and Austria was uneasy and suspiciously reserved; but he had checkmated them all in the menace of a restored Poland, while their financial weakness and military exhaustion, combined with the reciprocal jealousies of their dynasties, might be relied on to prevent their immediate hostility. Besides, while he had sung a certain tune at Tilsit, in the future he would, as he sarcastically said somewhat later, have to sing it only according to the written score. CHAPTER VI THE PATH OF NAPOLEONIC EMPIRE[13] [Footnote 13: References: Jauffret: Memoires historiques sur les affaires ecclesiastiques de France pendant les premieres annees du XIXe siecle. Thorsoe: Den danske Statspolitiske Historie 1800-1864. Lemoine: Napoleon et les Juifs. Lemann: Napoleon et les Israelites; La preponderance juive.] Napoleon and the Neutral Powers -- The Protectorate of Portugal and the End of Etruria -- Annexation of the Papal Legations -- Seizure of the Danish Fleet by Great Britain -- The Degradation of Spain -- Godoy's Impolicy -- The Spanish Court and the Heir Apparent -- Effects of the Russian Alliance in Paris -- Napoleon's Commentary on the Treaty -- His Administrative Wisdom -- Public Works in France -- The Jews in France -- The Sanhedrim -- Napoleon's Successful Reforms -- War Indemnities and Finance -- Annoyances of the Continental System.