Page:Coubertin - France since 1814, 1900.djvu/22

 on the eve of his entry into the capital, had laid the foundations of a wise liberty. The majority of the French people might well be satisfied, and in fact they were.

But at the very moment when the King and his ministers were setting so loyally to work ; while Baron Louis was assuring a long future for the financial credit of France by founding his first budget on the Monarchy's pledge to accept all debts contracted by previous regimes ; while Talleyrand at Vienna was accomplishing his diplomatic tour de force, breaking the harmony established among the four allied powers (England, Austria, Prussia, and Russia), squeezing himself in edgeways, and settling down genially in their midst, playing them off one against the other by raising now the question of Saxony, now that of Poland ; finally, on the 3rd of January, 1815, contriving to sign a secret treaty, offensive and defensive, between England, France, and Austria : while all these things were happening it was evident in Paris that henceforth there would exist three distinct French nations, amongst which a difficult equilibrium would have to be established and maintained. The first was the France of the