按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 own phantasy。〃
〃Very well； general； now that we are at one； I am prepared to give
you these proofs。 I have told you that the royalists and republicans
have united for the purpose of taking your life。 They have chosen
fifty men by ballot； in foreign parts； who are to come to Paris and
accomplish here the great work of your destruction。 These fifty
assassins have arrived in Paris； and their chief men had an
interview yesterday with the chiefs of the conspiracies here。〃
〃Fouche！〃 cried Bonaparte； with a threatening voice； 〃think well
what you are saying。 You are playing for the stake of your own head！
If these fifty assassins are creatures of your own imagination； it
is you who will have to pay for it。〃
〃These fifty men have been in Paris since the day before yesterday；〃
rejoined Fouche； quietly。 〃They came hither by different roads； and
appearing like simple travellers； and yesterday they had their first
interview with the chief of the republican party。〃
〃Who is this chi