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and dares to say to you that there are no secret societies in
France？〃
〃Prove to me by facts the existence of your conspiracies； and I will
commission you to help me destroy this hydra's head。 Give me the
proofs； and you shall be head of police again。〃
Fouche bowed。 〃You shall have the proofs； general； to…dayat once；
provided that we thoroughly understand each other。 I am ambitious；
general； and I have no wish to be driven back for a single day into
nothingness； as I should be； if my enemies withdraw their confidence
in me。 Now I am； at least； a member of the senate； but if the senate
is dissolved； and I should subsequently be deposed again from the
head of the police； I should be nothing but FoucheFouche fallen
out of favor。 Voila tout！〃
〃No； not so；〃 said Bonaparte； with a smile。 〃You will always be
known as the murderer of the king； that is a fine title for a
republican； is it not？〃
〃Ah； general； I see that you understand me；〃 cried Fouche。 〃We are
now talking about a name； a position； a title for me。 Provided that
here in the Tuileries a throne is reestablished； we must have a
court again； men with orders； titles； and dignities。〃
〃It is true；〃 said Bonaparte； thoughtfully。 〃The world continues to
revolve in the same circles of folly and vanity； and after making an
effort to withdraw from them； it falls back again into the old ruts。
Men are nothing but actors； and every one wants to adorn himself
with glistening rags； in order to take the first part； and have his
name go upon the poster of history。 Well； how would you be called；
Fouche； if the drama of an empire should really be brought forward
upon the great stage of the world？ 〃
〃I should like the title of a prince or duke； sire。〃 Bonaparte could
scarcely suppress the smile of satisfaction that played over his
face。 It was the first time that he had ever been addressed as king
or emperor； and this 〃sire〃 which Fouche dropped into the ear of
Bonaparte like a sweet poison； flattered his senses and soothed him
like delightful music。 But the strength of his genius soon resumed
its sway； and he broke out into a loud； merry laugh。
〃Confess； Fouche；〃 he cried； 〃that it is comical to hear the consul
talking with a senator of the republic about an empire and ducal
titles。 Truly； if the strict republicans of your conspiracy number
one should hear this； they would be justified in accusing us as
traitors and conspirators。〃
〃We must get the start of themwe must accuse them。〃
〃If we possess secure means to do so。〃
〃I possess them； and I will give them to you； Consul Bonaparte； as
soon as the emperor of the future assures me of a princely title； in
addition to the chieftaincy of police。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Bonaparte； laughing； 〃the emperor of the future
promises you that as soon as he is able to bake a batch of these
delicacies； he will put his chief of police in the oven and draw him
out as a prince or a duke。 The emperor of the future gives you his
word of honor that he will do it。 Are you satisfied now； my lord
republican？〃
〃Sire； completely satisfied；〃 said Fouche； bowing low。
〃And now let us talk together seriously；〃 said Bonaparte。 〃You have
spoken of conspiracies； you assert that they exist； but do not
forget that you have promised me tangible proofsunderstand me
well； tangible proofs； that is； it is not enough for me to see the
papers and the lists of conspirators who have escaped into foreign
landsI want persons； men of flesh and bloodtraitors whom I may
hang； not in effigy； but in reality； and who may serve as a warning
example to the whole herd of conspirators； and put an end forever to
this nonsense。 I am wearied of being perpetually threatened by
traitors； poisoned daggers； air…guns； plots； and intrigues； of all
kinds。 It is time to hunt down the chief men of these bravoes who
have been sent here from England； Germany； Russia； and Italy； and I
have had enough of illustrating the old proverb； 'Hang the little
thief and let the great one run。' I mean to have the great thief and
to hang him； for that is the only way of intimidating these fellows
and inspiring them with respect。〃
〃Sire； you shall have your great thieves；〃 said Fouche； with a
smile。
〃Give them into my hands； and I promise you they shall never
escape；〃 cried Bonaparte； eagerly。 〃It is high time to make an
example； and show these people at last that I claim the right of
paying back。 The Count de Lille and the Duke d'Enghien are always
egging their conspirators upon me； they appear to have no other aim
than to get rid of me； and are unwearied with their daggers；
infernal machines； and counter…plots。 But their own persons； and
those of their highest helpers； always remain beyond reach。 They
arrange their plans always at a safe distance； and risk nothing by
this； for； if we take some of their subordinate tools and punish
them； they make an outcry about barbarity and cruelty； and appeal to
their sacred right of using all means to regain their inheritance；
and reestablish the throne in France。 They do not deny that they
would have no conscientious scruples about shedding my blood。 Now；
why should I have any about shedding theirs？ Blood for blood； that
is the natural and unavoidable law of retaliation； and woe to him
who lays claim to it！ These Bourbons do so。 I have never injured one
of them personally； a great nation has placed me at its head； my
blood is worth as much as theirs； and it is time at last that I make
it al pari with theirs。 I will no longer serve as a target for all
murderers； and then afterward only find the dagger； instead of
seizing the hands that ply it。 Let me once have hold of the hands；
and all the daggers will disappear forever！〃
〃I will give these hands into your power； or； at least； some fingers
of them。〃
〃I want them all；〃 cried Bonaparte； eagerly；〃all the fingers； all
the hands。 You have spoken of three different conspiracies。 I want
the leaders of them； and then all others may run。 If the hydra loses
its three heads； it must at last die。 So give me the three heads；
that of the republicans and of the two royalist parties。 The head of
conspiracy number two I know； it is the Count de Lille。 He is the
sly spider who always withdraws behind his nets； but I know the
hand； too； that is set in motion by this head； it is the Duke
d'Enghien。 He is an untiring conspirator； wholly occupied with
infernal machines and daggers for me。 Ah！ let him take care of
himself； the little Duke d'Enghien。 If I take him； I will exercise
the right of retaliation upon him； for I am determined to have
peace。 〃We now come to your conspiracy number three； to your Deus ex
machina； the so…called Louis XVII。 This Deus really exists？〃
〃Yes； general； he exists。〃
Bonaparte laughed aloud； but his laughter sounded like a threat。 〃I
have heard of this story；〃 he said。 〃The good…natured Kleber
believed it； and； after his death； a paper was given to me； written
by him； and directed to me； which stated that his so…called nephew
Louis was the heir of the King of France； and implored me earnestly
to take the orphan of the Temple under my protection。 I instituted
inquiries for him at once； it was after the battle of Marengo； and
this Monsieur Louis was； till then； adjutant of General Desaix。〃
〃Yes； general； adjutant of Desaix； down to the battle of Marengo
that is； to the death of Desaix。〃
〃If I mistake not； his adjutant was wounded in the battle； and lay
at the hospital in Alessandria。〃
〃It is so； general。 I wonder how closely you have been informed
respecting the fortunes of this young man。〃
〃From that time all trace of him has been lost； and all my inquiries
have proved in vain。 The adjutant of Desaix； who fought so bravely；
and who bore my dying comrade in his arms； deserved advancement； and
I wanted to give it to him； and therefore searched for him； but in
vain。 I believed him dead； and now you come and tell me about a
conspiracy in favor of Louis XVII。 This young pretender is still
alive； then； and there are childlike souls who believe his story；
are there？〃
〃General； he says little； for he is very silent and reticent； but he
has testimonials which speak for him； and which show that his story
is not an idle tale； but a fragment of history。 His papers give
clear and undeniable evidence cf his lineage and the course of his
life。〃
〃I should like to see these papers once；〃 said the consul。
〃He never lets them go out of his hands； for he knows very well that
they are his security for a crown。〃
〃Then bring me the man himself； and then I shall have him and his
papers；〃 said Bonaparte； with a growl like a lion's。 〃Is not he the
head of the conspiracy？〃
〃Yes； general； the head of a conspiracy which I have conducted；
because I meant to have all the threads in my hands； if I was to see
clearly。 In order to prove the royalists； I threw them this bait；
and many of them have taken the hook and come over to the young
king。 In this way I have made a division in the ranks of the
royalists； and the Count de Lille already sees the consequences。 The
so…called orphan of the Temple has at this hour no enemy who hates
him more than the Count de Lille。〃
〃But this