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CHAPTER　XIV。

On　the　day　of　General　Moreau's　arrest　the　First　Consul　was　in　a　state　of
great　excitement。

　　　　　＇Jean　Victor　Moreau；　born　at　Morlaix　in　Brittany；　1763；　son　of　a
　　　　　prominent　lawyer。　　At　one　time　he　rivaled　Bonaparte　in　reputation。
　　　　　He　was　general…in…chief　of　the　army　of　the　Rhine；　1796；　and　again　in
　　　　　1800；　in　which　latter　year　he　gained　the　battle　of　Hohenlinden。
　　　　　Implicated　in　the　conspiracy　of　Pichegru；　he　was　exiled；　and　went　to
　　　　　the　United　States。　　He　returned　to　Europe　in　1813；　and；　joining　the
　　　　　allied　armies　against　France；　was　killed　by　a　cannon…shot　in　the
　　　　　attack　on　Dresden　in　August　of　that　year。＇

The　morning　was　passed　in　interviews　with　his　emissaries；　the　agents　of
police；　and　measures　had　been　taken　that　the　arrest　should　be　made　at　the
specified　hour；　either　at　Gros…Bois；　or　at　the　general's　house　in　the
street　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honore。　　The　First　Consul　was　anxiously
walking　up　and　down　his　chamber；　when　he　sent　for　me；　and　ordered　me　to
take　position　opposite　General　Moreau's　house　（the　one　in　Paris）；　to　see
whether　the　arrest　had　taken　place；　and　if　there　was　any　tumult；　and　to
return　promptly　and　make　my　report。　　I　obeyed；　but　nothing　extraordinary
took　place；　and　I　saw　only　some　police　spies　walking　along　the　street；
and　watching　the　door　of　the　house　of　the　man　whom　they　had　marked　for
their　prey。　　Thinking　that　my　presence　would　probably　be　noticed；　I
retired；　and；　as　I　learned　while　returning　to　the　chateau　that　General
Moreau　had　been　arrested　on　the　road　from　his　estate　of　Gros…Bois；　which
he　sold　a　few　months　later　to　Marshal　Berthier；　before　leaving　for　the
United　States；　I　quickened　my　pace；　and　hastened　to　announce　to　the　First
Consul　the　news　of　the　arrest。　　He　knew　this　already；　made　no　response；
and　still　continued　thoughtful；　and　in　deep　reflection；　as　in　the
morning。

Since　I　have　been　led　to　speak　of　General　Moreau；　I　will　recall　by　what
fatal　circumstances　he　was　led　to　tarnish　his　glory。　　Madame　Bonaparte
had　given　to　him　in　marriage　Mademoiselle　Hulot；　her　friend；　and；　like
herself；　a　native　of　the　Isle　of　France。　　This　young　lady；　gentle；
amiable；　and　possessing　those　qualities　which　make　a　good　wife　and
mother；　loved　her　husband　passionately；　and　was　proud　of　that　glorious
name　which　surrounded　her　with　respect　and　honor；　but；　unfortunately；　she
had　the　greatest　deference　for　her　mother；　whose　ambition　was　great；　and
who　desired　nothing　short　of　seeing　her　daughter　seated　upon　a　throne。
The　influence　which　she　exercised　over　Madame　Moreau　soon　extended　to　the
general　himself；　who；　ruled　by　her　counsels；　became　gloomy；　thoughtful；
melancholy；　and　forever　lost　that　tranquillity　of　mind　which　had
distinguished　him。　　From　that　time　the　general's　house　was　open　to
intrigues　and　conspiracies；　and　it　was　the　rendezvous　of　all　the
discontented；　of　which　there　were　many。　　The　general　assumed　the　task　of
disapproving　all　the　acts　of　the　First　Consul；　he　opposed　the
reestablishment　of　public　worship；　and　criticised　as　childish　and
ridiculous　mummery　the　institution　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　　These　grave
imprudences；　and　indeed　many　others；　came　to　the　ears　of　the　First
Consul；　who　refused　at　first　to　believe　them；　but　how　could　he　remain
deaf　to　reports　which　were　repeated　each　day　with　more　foundation；　though
doubtless　exaggerated　by　malice？

In　proportion　as　the　imprudent　speeches　of　the　general　were　depriving　him
of　the　esteem　of　the　First　Consul；　his　mother…in…law；　by　a　dangerous
obstinacy；　was　encouraging　him　in　his　opposition；　persuaded；　she　said；
that　the　future　would　do　justice　to　the　present。　　She　did　not　realize
that　she　spoke　so　truly；　and　the　general　rushed　headlong　into　the　abyss
which　opened　before　him。　　How　greatly　his　conduct　was　in　opposition　to
his　character！　　He　had　a　pronounced　aversion　to　the　English；　and　he
detested　the　Chouans；　and　everything　pertaining　to　the　old　nobility；　and
besides；　a　man　like　General　Moreau；　who　had　served　his　country　so
gloriously；　was　not　the　one　to　bear　arms　against　her。　　But　he　was
deceived；　and　he　deceived　himself；　in　thinking　that　he　was　fitted　to　play
a　great　political　part；　and　he　was　destroyed　by　the　flatteries　of　a　party
which　excited　all　possible　hostility　against　the　First　Consul　by　taking
advantage　of　the　jealousy　of　his　former　comrades　in　arms。　　I　witnessed
more　than　one　proof　of　affection　shown　by　the　First　Consul　to　General
Moreau。　　In　the　course　of　a　visit　of　the　latter　to　the　Tuileries；　and
during　an　interview　with　the　First　Consul；　General　Carnot　arrived　from
Versailles　with　a　pair　of　pistols　of　costly　workmanship；　which　the
manufactory　of　Versailles　had　sent　as　a　gift　to　the　First　Consul。　　He
took　these　handsome　weapons　from　the　hands　of　General　Carnot；　admired
them　a　moment；　and　immediately　offered　them　to　General　Moreau；　saying　to
him；　〃Take　them；　truly　they　could　not　have　come　at　a　better　time。〃　　All
this　was　done　quicker　than　I　can　write　it；　the　general　was　highly
flattered　by　this　proof　of　friendship；　and　thanked　the　First　Consul
warmly。

The　name　and　trial　of　General　Moreau　recall　to　me　the　story　of　a　brave
officer　who　was　compromised　in　this　unfortunate　affair；　and　who　after
many　years　of　disgrace　was　pardoned　only　on　account　of　the　courage　with
which　he　dared　expose　himself　to　the　anger　of　the　Emperor。　　The
authenticity　of　the　details　which　I　shall　relate　can　be　attested；　if
necessary；　by　living　persons；　whom　I　shall　have　occasion　to　name　in　my
narrative；　and　whose　testimony　no　reader　would　dream　of　impeaching。

The　disgrace　of　General　Moreau　extended　at　first　to　all　those　who
surrounded　him；　and　as　the　affection　and　devotion　felt　for　him　by　all　the
officers　and　soldiers　who　had　served　under　him　was　well　known；　his　aides…
de…camp　were　arrested；　even　those　who　were　not　then　in　Paris。　　One　of
them；　Colonel　Delelee；　had　been　many　months　on　furlough　at　Besancon；
resting　after　his　campaigns　in　the　bosom　of　his　family；　and　with　a　young
wife　whom　he　had　recently　married。　　Besides；　he　was　at　that　time
concerning　himself　very　little　with　political　matters；　very　much　with　his
pleasures；　and　not　at　all　with　conspiracies。　　Comrade　and　brother　in　arms
of　Colonels　Guilleminot；　Hugo；　Foy；all　three　of　whom　became　generals
afterwards；he　was　spending　his　evenings　gayly　with　them　at　the
garrison；　or　in　the　quiet　pleasures　of　his　family　circle。　　Suddenly
Colonel　Delelee　was　arrested；　placed　in　a　postchaise；　and　it　was　not
until　he　was　rolling　along　in　a　gallop　on　the　road　to　Paris；　that　he
learned　from　the　officer　of　the　gendarmes　who　accompanied　him；　that
General　Moreau　had　conspired；　and　that　in　his　quality　as　aide…de…camp　he
was　counted　among　the　conspirators。

Arrived　at　Paris；　the　colonel　was　put　in　close　confinement；　in　La　Force
I　believe。　　His　wife；　much　alarmed；　followed　his　footsteps；　but　it　was
several　days　before　she　obtained　permission　to　communicate　with　the
prisoner；　and　then　could　do　so　only　by　signs　from　the　courtyard　of　the
prison　while　he　showed　himself；　for　a　few　moments；　and　put　his　hands
through　the　bars　of　the　window。　　However；　the　rigor　of　these　orders　was
relaxed　for　the　colonel's　young　child　three　or　four　years　of　age；　and　his
father　obtained　the　favor　of　embracing　him。　　He　came　each　morning　in　his
mother's　arms；　and　a　turnkey　carried　him　in　to　the　prisoner；　before　which
inconvenient　witness　the　poor　little　thing　played　his　role　with　all　the
skill　of　a　consummate　actor。　　He　would　pretend　to　be　lame；　and　complain
of　having　sand　in　his　shoes　which　hurt　him　and　the　colonel；　turning　his
back　on　the　jailer；　and　taking　the　child　in　his　lap　to　remove　the　cause
of　the　trouble；　would　find　in　his　son's　shoe　a　note　from　his　wife；
informing　him　in　a　few　words　of　the　state　of　the　trial；　and　what　he　had
to　hope　or　fear　for　himself。　　At　length；　after　many　months　of　captivity；
sentence　having　been　pronounced　against　the　conspirators；　Colonel
Delelee；　against　whom　no　charge　had　been　made；　was　not　absolved　as　he　had
a　right　to　expect；　but　was　struck　off　the　army　list；　arbitrarily　put
under　surveillance；　and　prohibited　from　coming　within　forty　leagues　of
Paris。　　He　was　also　forbidden　to　return　to　Besancon；　and　it　was　more　than
a　year　after　leaving　prison　before　he　was　permitted　to　do　so。

Young　and　full　of　courage；　the　Colonel　saw；　from　the　depths　of　his
retirement；　his　friends　and　comrades　make　their　way；　and　gain　upon　the
battlefield　fame；　rank；　and　glory；　while　he　himself　was　condemned　to
inaction　and　obscurity；　and　to　pass　his　days　in　following　on　the　map　the
triumphant　march　of　those　armies　in　which　he　felt　himself　worthy　to
resume　his　rank。　　Innumerable　applications　were　addressed　by　him　and　his
friends　to　the　head　of　the　Empire；　that　he　might　be　allowed　to　go　even　as
a　common　volunteer；　and　rejoin　his　former　comrades　with　his　knapsack　on
his　shoulder；　but　these　petitions　were　refused；　the　will　of　the　Emperor
was　inflexible；　and　to　each　new　application　he　only　replied；　〃Let　him
wait。〃　　The　inhabitants　of　Besancon；　who　considered　Colonel　Delelee　as
their　fellow…citizen；　interested　themselves　warmly　in　the　unmerited
misfortunes　of　this　brave　officer；　and　when　an　occasion　presented　itself
of　recommending　him　anew　to　the　clemency；　or　rather　to　the　justice；　of
the　Emperor；　they　availed　themselves　of　it。

It　was；　I　believe；　on　the　return　from　Prussia　and　Poland　that　from　all
parts　of　France　there　came　deputations　charged　with　congratulating　the
Emperor　upon　his　several　victories。　　Colonel　Delelee　was　unanimously
elected　member　of　the　deputation　of　Doubs；　of　which　the　mayor　and　prefect
of　Besancon　were　also　members；　and　of　which　the　respectable　Marshal
Moncey　was　president；　and　an　opportunity　was　thus　at　last　offered　Colonel
Delelee　of　procuring　the　removal　of　the　long　sentence　which　had　weighed
him　down　and　kept　his　sword　idle。　　He　could　speak　to　the　Emperor；　and
complain　respectfully；　but　with　dignity；　of　the　disgrace　in　which　he　had
been　so　long　kept　without　reason。　　He　could　render　thanks；　from　the
bottom　of　his　heart；　for　the　generous　affection　of　his　fellow…citizens；
whose　wishes；　he　hoped　would　plead　for　him　with　his　Majesty。

The　deputies　of　Besancon；　upon　their　arrival　at　Paris；　presented
themselves　to　the　different　ministers。　　The　minister　of　police　took　the
president　of　the　deputation　aside；　and　asked　him　the　meaning　of　the
presence　among　the　deputies　of　a　man　publicly　known　to　be　in　disgrace；
and　the　sight　of　whom　could　not　fail　to　be　disagreeable　to　the　chief　of
the　Empire。

Marshal　Moncey；　on　coming　out　from　this　private　interview；　pale　and
frightened；　entered　the　room　of　Colonel　Delelee：

〃My　friend；〃　said　he；　〃all　is　lost；　for　I　have　ascertained　at　the　bureau
that　they　are　still　hostile　to　you。　　If　the　Emperor　sees　you　among　us；　he
will　take　it　as　an　open　avowal　of　disregard　for　his　orders；　and　will　be
furious。〃

〃Ah；　well；　what　have　I　to　do　with　that？〃

〃But　in　order　to　avoid　compromising　the　department；　the　deputation；　and；
indeed；　in　order　to　avoid　compromising　yourself；　you　would　perhaps　do
well　〃the　Marshal　hesitated。　　〃I　will　do　well？〃　demanded　the　Colone