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！
to listen to to…day！ Oh； Fouche； it was God Himself who impelled me
to listen！ I was with him when you were announced； and I suspected
that your visit purported something unusual； something dreadful。 I
have heard all； Foucheall； I tell you！ I know that his life is
threatened； that fifty daggers are directed toward him。 0 God！ this
perpetual fear and excitement will kill me！ I have no peace of mind；
no rest more！ Since the unhappy day when we left our dear little
house to live in the Tuileries； since that day there has been an end
to all joy！ Why did we do it？ why did we not remain in our little
Luxembourg？ why have we been persuaded to live in the palace of the
kings？〃
〃It is proper for the greatest man in France to live in the house
where the departed race of kings once had their home；〃 replied
Fouche。
〃Oh； yes；〃 sighed Josephine。 〃I know these tricks of speech； with
which you have turned the head of my poor Bonaparte。 Oh！ you； you；
his flatterer； you who urged him on； will bear the blame if
misfortune breaks in upon us！ You have intoxicated him with the
incense of adulation； you pour into his veins daily and hourly the
sweet poison which is to destroy our happiness and our peace！ He was
so good； so cheerful； so happy； my Bonaparte！ He was contented with
the laurels which victory laid upon his brow； but you continued to
whisper in his ear that a crown would add new grace to his laurels。
You flattered his ambition； and what was quietly sleeping at the
bottom of his heart； and what I hushed with my kisses and with my
hand； that you took all efforts to bring out into the light： his
vanityhis love of power！ Oh； Fouche！ you are wicked； cruel； and
pitiless！ I hate； I abhor you all； for you are the murderers of my
Bonaparte！〃
She spoke all this softly； with quick breath； while the tears were
streaming over her beautiful face； and her whole frame trembled with
emotion。 She then sank； wholly overcome； upon a lounge； and pressed
her small hands； sparkling with jewels； over her eyes。
〃Madame； you are unjust；〃 replied Fouche； softly。 〃If you have
overheard my conversation with the First Consul； you are aware that
the direct object of my coming was to save him from murderers； and
to insure his precious life。〃
〃And； moreover； to pour into his ear the poison of a future imperial
crown！〃 said Josephine； indignantly。 〃Oh； I know it！ With talk of
conspiracies and of daggers you urged him on。 You want him to be an
emperor； that you may be a prince or duke！ I see it all； and I
cannot prevent it； for he no longer listens to me； he no longer
heeds the voice of his Josephine； only that of his ambitious
flatterers； and he will put on the imperial crown and complete our
misfortune！ Oh！ I knew it！ This imperial crown will ruin us。 It was
prophesied to me in my youth that I should be an empress； but it was
added that it would be for no long time。 And yet I should like to
live； and I should like to be happy still！〃
〃You will be so； madame；〃 said Fouche； with a smile。 〃It is always
good fortune to wear an imperial crown； and your beautiful head is
worthy to bear one。〃
〃No； no；〃 she cried； angrily。 〃Do not try me with your flatteries！ I
am contented with being a beloved and happy wife； I desire no crown。
The crowned heads that have dwelt in the Tuileries have become the
prey of destruction； and the pearls of their diadems have been
changed to tears！ But what advantage is it that I should say all
this to you？ It is all in vain； in vain！ I did not bring you to talk
of this。 It was something entirely different。 Listen； Fouche； I
cannot prevent Bonaparte's becoming an emperor； but you shall not
make him a regicide！ I will not suffer it！ By Heaven； and all the
holy angels； I will not suffer it！〃
〃I do not understand you； madame。 I do not know what you mean。〃
〃Oh； you understand me very well； Fouche。 You know that I am
speaking of King Louis XVII。〃
〃Ah； madame； you are speaking of the impostor； who gives himself out
to be the 'orphan of the Temple。' 〃
〃He is it； Fouche。 I know it； I am acquainted with the history of
his flight。 I was a prisoner in the Conciergerie at the same time
with Toulan； the queen's loyal servant。 He knew my devotion to the
unhappy Marie Antoinette； he intrusted to me his secret of the
dauphin's escape。 Later； when I was released； Tallien and Barras
confirmed the story of his flight； and informed me that he was
secreted by the Prince de Conde。 I have known it all； and I tell you
I knew who Kleber's adjutant was； I inquired for him after he
disappeared at the battle of Marengo； and when my agents told me
that the young king died there； I wore mourning and prayed for him。
And； now that I learn that the son of my beautiful queen is still
alive； shall I suffer him to die like a traitor？ No； never！ Fouche；
I tell you I will never suffer it； I will not have this unfortunate
young man sacrificed！ You must save himI will have it so！〃
〃I！〃 cried Fouche； in amazement。 〃But you know that it is
impossible； for you have heard my conversation with the consul。 He
himself said； 'The republic demands a royal victim。 If it is not
this so…called King Louis； let it be the Duke d'Enghien； for a
victim must fall； in order to intimidate the royalists； and bring
peace at last。〃
〃But I will not have you bring human victims；〃 cried Josephine； 〃the
republic shall no longer be a cruel Moloch； as it was in the days of
the guillotine。 You shall； and you must； save the son of Queen Marie
Antoinette。 I desire to have peace in my conscience； that I may live
without reproach； and be happier perhaps than now。〃
〃But it is impossible；〃 insisted Fouche。 〃You have heard yourself
that if； before the sun goes down； Louis be not imprisoned； the sun
of my good fortune will have set。〃
〃And I told you； Fouche； that if you do thisif you become a
regicide a second timeI will be your unappeasable enemy your whole
life long； I will undertake to avenge on you the death of the queen
and her son； I will follow your every step with my hate； and will
not rest till I have overthrown you。 And you know well that
Bonaparte loves me； that I have influence with him； and that what I
mean to do； I accomplish at last by prayers； tears； and frowns。 So
do not exasperate me； Fouche； do not make me your irreconcilable
enemy。 Save the son of the king whom you killed； conciliate the
shades of his unhappy parents。 Fouche； we are in the cabinet of the
queen！ Here she often tarried； here she often pressed her son to her
heart； and asked God's blessing on him。 Fouche； the spirit of Marie
Antoinette is with us； and she will know it if you in pity spare the
life of her son。 Marie Antoinette will accuse you at the throne of
God； and plead with God to show you no compassion； if you refuse to
be merciful to her son。 Fouche； in the name of the queenon my
kneesI implore you； save her son！〃
And Josephine； her face bathed in tears； sank before him and raised
her folded hands suppliantly to Fouche。 The minister； deeply moved；
pale with the recollections which Josephine awakened within him；
stooped down to her； and bade her arise； and when she refused； and
begged and threatened； and wept； his obstinacy was at last touched；
or perhaps his prudence； which counselled him to make a friend；
rather than an enemy； out of the all…powerful wife of the future
emperor。
〃Rise； madame；〃 he said。 〃What mortal is able to resist your
requests； since Bonaparte himself cannot？ I will save your protege；
whatever shall come to me afterward from it。〃
She sprang up； and in the wildness of her joy threw her beautiful
arms around Fouche's neck； and kissed him。
〃Fouche；〃 she said； 〃I give you this kiss in the name of Queen Marie
Antoinette。 It is a kiss of forgiveness； and of blessing。 You swear
to me that you will save him？〃
〃I swear it； madame！〃
〃And I swear to you that as soon as he is saved； and Bonaparte's
anger can no longer reach him； I will confess all to my husband； and
put it in such a Light that Bonaparte shall thank and reward you。
Now tell me； how you will save him。〃
〃I shall only be able if you will help me； madame。〃
〃I am ready for any thingthat you know well。 Tell me what I shall
do。〃
〃You must yourself direct a few lines to the young man； conjuring
him in the name of his mother to fly； to save himself from the anger
of the First Consulto leave Europe。〃
〃Oh！ Fouche； how sly you are！〃 said Josephine； sadly。
〃You want my handwriting； in order to justify yourself to the First
Consul in case of emergency； very good。 I will write the billet。〃
She hastened to her table； dashed a few words upon paper； and then
passed the note to Fouche。 〃Read it；〃 she said； 〃it contains all
that is necessary； does it not？〃
〃Yes； madame； and you have written in such beautiful and moving
words； that the young man will be melted； and will obey you。 Will
you now have the goodness to put the note in an envelope and to
address it？〃
She folded it； and put it into an envelope。 〃To whom shall I address
it？〃 she then asked。
〃Address it to King Louis XVII。〃
She did so with a quick stroke of the pen and handed the letter to
Fouche。 〃Take it；〃 she said； 〃it is your