marie antoinette and her son-第103章

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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　enmity　of　the　Count　de　Lille　vanishes　like　a　glow…worm　in
the　darkness。　I　want　tangible　proofs　by　which　I　can　arrest　my
enemies。　Can　you　give　them　to　me？〃

〃General；　it　will　not　be　difficult　to　do　this。　We　will　speak　of　it
hereafter。　Allow　me　first　a　word　about　this　dangerous　adjutant　of
Desaix；　Colonel　Louis。　You　said；　general；　that　you　made　futile
efforts　to　gain　information　about　this　interesting　and　brave　young
man。　Those　efforts　were　made　in　the　years　when　M。　Regnier　d'Angely
was　chief　of　police；　in　which　my　enemies　succeeded　in　withdrawing
the　confidence　of　the　First　Consul　from　me。　But　had　I　been　chief　of
police　at　that　time；　I　should　have　been　able　to　tell　you　that　the
young　man　whom　you　were　seeking；　and　respecting　whom　you　obtained　no
information；　was　living　here　in　Paris。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　in　amazement。　〃This　so…called　Louis　XVII。
in　Paris；　then？〃　〃General；　he　is　still　here；　he　has　been　living　in
Paris　for　about　four　yearsabout　as　long　as　M。　Regnier　has　been
head　of　police。〃

〃And　Regnier　has　told　me　nothing　about　it！　Has　he　not　known　that　so
dangerous　a　person　was　living　in　Paris？〃

Fouche　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Monsieur　Regnierwho　doubts　the
existence　of　secret　societies　in　France；　and　tells　you　that　the
assassins　who　have　so　often　of　late　imperilled　your　life　have　all
been　sent　hither　from　foreign　parts　by　the　pretenders　to　the　crown；
and　that　there　are　no　conspirators　in　FranceMonsieur　Regnier　could
not　of　course　know　the　head　of　this　secret　society。　He　left　them　to
follow　their　own　pleasures　unhindered　here　in　Paris。　But　I　know
them；　and　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor；　general；　that　the　so…called
nephew　of　Kleber　is　living　here　in　Paris。　Directly　after　his　arrival
he　came　to　me；　and　I　handed　to　him　the　papers　and　documents　which
Desaix　intrusted　to　me；　and　which　I　had　solemnly　sworn　to　deliver　to
his　adjutant　Louis。　The　young　man　gave　me　his　confidence；　and　when　I
spoke　to　him　regretfully　and　with　enthusiasm　about　his　father　and
his　mother；　and　addressed　him　as　'his　majesty；'　I　won　his　love。　He
opened　his　heart　to　me；　confessed　that　he　was　Louis　XVII。；　and　asked
my　counsel　and　help。　I　promised　him　both；　and　showed　myself　to　him
in　a　very　compliant　and　devoted　mood。　My　first　counsel　was；　that　he
should　live　incognito　under　a　borrowed　name。　In　order　that　this
might　be　possible；　I　gave　him　the　name　for　his　incognito；　and　had
all　the　necessary　documents　prepared；　the　certificate　of　his　birth；
baptism；　the　marriage　of　his　parents；　and　the　will　of　his
relatives。〃

〃And　all　these　documents　were　false　and　forged？〃　said　Bonaparte；　in
amazement。

〃There　are　everywhere　pliable　public　officials　in　France；〃　replied
Fouche；　with　a　smile。　〃I　did　not　content　myself　with　procuring　for
my　protege　the　papers　which　insured　him　an　honorable　name；
respectable　family　position；　and　a　life　without　care；　I　did　much
more　for　him。　I　followed　the　efforts　already　related　with　others。　I
had　a　certificate　of　the　death　of　M。　Louis　prepared；　so　as　to　give
him　a　passport　out　of　life。　In　order　to　protect　himself　from　every
injury；　I　told　him　that　he；　as　the　adjutant　of　Desaix；　must　pass　as
dead。　He　approved　of　it；　and　I　took　the　pains　to　procure　from　the
hospital　at　Alessandria　a　duly　signed　and　sealed　certificate　that
Colonel　Louis；　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix；　died　of　his　wounds
there。〃

〃Good　God！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　〃is　every　thing　in　life　to　be　bought
and　sold　thus？〃

〃Yes；　general；　every　thingloyalty　and　love；　life　and　death。　I　have
caused　the　son　of　the　King　of　France　to　die；　and　then　rise　again
and　all　with　gold。　But；　when　the　certificate　arrived；　a　change　had
occurred　in　my　relations。　I　had　been　removed　from　office；　and
Regnier　was　my　successor。　I　kept　the　certificate　in　my　possession；
but；　in　order　to　secure　my　protege　against　what　might　befall　me　in
case　of　my　death；　I　wrote　to　him　that　I　had　received　the　papers；　and
that　he　would　live　without　danger　in　Paris；　under　his　assumed　name。
This　letter　I　signed　with　my　whole　name；　and　set　my　seal　to　it；　that
in　case　of　need　it　might　be　of　service　to　him。〃

〃Fouche；　you　are　a　sly　fox；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　laugh。　〃It　is
easier　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　a　cannonball　than　out　of　your
snares。　One　might　say　to　you；　in　the　words　of　the　King　of　Prussia；
'God　defend　mo　from　my　friends；　from　my　enemies　I　can　defend
myself！'　According　to　this　you　have　caused　Colonel　Louis　to　die　for
friendship's　sake；　and　rise　again　under　another　name。〃

〃Yes；　general；　that　is　it！　Colonel　Louisthat　is；　the　rightful
king；　Louis　XVII。is　a　tool　in　my　hands；　which　I　hold　as　a　check　to
all　parties；　and　which　I　can　hold　up　or　withdraw　according　as　it
pleases　me。　At　present　my　game　is　not　merely　to　bring　disunion　and
hatred　into　the　ranks　of　the　royalists；　but　to　bring　over　many
republicans　who　have　a　soft　heart；　to　be　zealous　partisans　of　the
young　and　unfortunate　king。〃

〃And　afterward；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　sterner　tone；　〃you　might
make　use　of　this　instrument　to　intimidate　that　fourth　party　of　which
you　spoke　beforethe　Bonapartists。　But　you　have　been　mistaken；
Fouche；　this　reckoning　does　not　doyour　cunning　has　overreached
itself。　You　do　not　terrify　me；　and　if　it　could　really　happen　that
the　French　nation　should　offer　me　an　imperial　crown；　at　the　same
time　that　I　should　accept　it；　I　should　put　my　foot　on　the　neck　of
all　rebels　and　pretenders。　With　a　single　tread　I　would　crush　them
all。　I　want　no　parties；　no　political　factions；　I　want　to　bring　all
these　risings　and　agitations　to　silence。　There　shall　be　no　secret
societies　in　France；　and　against　each　and　every　conspirator；
whatever　his　rank　may　be；　I　will　bring　from　this　time　forth　the
whole　weight　of　the　law。　Mark　this；　Fouche！　I　mean　to　make　an　end　of
all　parties；　and　only　when　you　shall　give　their　chiefs　into　my　hand…
…not　for　my　personal　vengeance；　for　I　cherish　no　vengeance　against
those　cowardly　worms　of　conspirators；　but　for　the　righteous
punishment　and　retaliatory　laws　of　Franceonly　when　you　are　able；
by　one　grand　coup；　and　one　well…founded　charge；　to　destroy　all
conspiracies；　and　bring　all　secret　coalitions　to　the　light；　only
then　shall　you　become　chief　of　policeonly　then　will　the　future
emperor　give　you　the　title　of　duke。〃

〃General；　I　build　on　your　word；　and　I　am　sure　of　becoming　chief　of
police　and　duke。　We　will　put　an　end　to　all　conspiracies。〃

〃And　to　the　Monsieur　Louis；　too；〃　cried　Bonaparte；　eagerly。　〃It　is　a
disagreeable　and　troublesome　figure。　So　long　as　he　lives　he　would
live　in　the　ermine　of　the　imperial　cloak　like　a　troublesome　insect；
which　always　stings　and　pricks。　One　must　not　allow　such　insects　to
find　their　way　into　his　fur；　and　this　Monsieur　Louis　must　be　put　out
of　the　way　once　for　all。　I　hope　he　has　entered　deeply　enough　into
the　conspiracy；　not　to　come　out　of　it　again　with　a　whole　skin！〃

〃General；　I　have　told　you　already；　that　day　before　yesterday　his
dependants　saluted　him；　in　a　secret　gathering；　as　their　king。　It　is
true；　indeed；　that　the　poor　little　fellow　strongly　opposed　it；　and
obstinately　refused　to　accept　all　honors；　but　the　fact　remains
unchanged。〃

〃And　on　the　ground　of　this　fact　shall　he　be　apprehended；〃　cried
Bonaparte；　with　a　threatening　voice。

〃There　must　be　an　example　made；　and　this　Louis　is　a　suitable　person
for　it。　He　must　be　the　bete　de　souffrance　for　all　the　rest。　He　is
the　head　of　a　conspiracy；　we　will　crush　this　head；　and　the　limbs
will　fall　of　themselves。　Besides　the　sensitive　souls　who　love
nurses'　stories　and　believe　in　every　thing；　there　will　be　no　one　who
will　weep　for　him。　No　one　will　lament　his　death；　but　he　will　be　a
warning　to　all。　Direct　yourself　to　this；　Fouche；　and　set　all　the
infernal　machines　of　your　intrigues　in　operation　that　we　may　put　an
end　to　conspiracy。〃

〃General；　only　one　thing　is　wanting；　it　is　that　I　be　at　the　head　of
the　police；　and　have　the　power　in　my　hands　to　make　my　infernal
machines　effectual。〃

〃But　I　have　told　you　that　I　will　appoint　you　as　minister　only　when
you　give　me　incontrovertible　proofs　that　your　conspiracies　are　not
the　fabric　of　your