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idea of the quarter from which the wind really blew； he feared a
storm。 Incapable of suspecting the three ministers and Carnot； he
attributed the movement which stirred all France to the hatred his
brother had excited by the 18th Brumaire； and to the confident belief
of the men of 1793 that defeat was certain in Italy。
〃The battle of Marengo detained Napoleon on the plains of Lombardy
until the 25th of June； but he reached Paris on the 2nd of July。
Imagine the faces of the five conspirators as they met the First
Consul at the Tuileries； and congratulated him on the victory。 Fouche
on that very occasion at the palace told Malin to have patience； for
/all was not over yet/。 The truth was； Talleyrand and Fouche both held
that Bonaparte was not as much bound to the principles of the
Revolution as they were； and as he ought to be； and for this reason；
as well as for their own safety； they subsequently； in 1804； buckled
him irrevocably； as they believed； to its cause by the affair of the
Duc d'Enghien。 The execution of that prince is connected by a series
of discoverable ramifications with the plot which was laid on that
June evening in the boudoir of the ministry of foreign affairs； the
night before the battle of Marengo。 Those who have the means of
judging； and who have known persons who were well…informed； are fully
aware that Bonaparte was handled like a child by Talleyrand and
Fouche； who were determined to alienate him irrevocably from the House
of Bourbon； whose agents were even then； at the last moment；
endeavoring to negotiate with the First Consul。〃
〃Talleyrand was playing whist in the salon of Madame de Luynes；〃 said
a personage who had been listening attentively to de Marsay's
narrative。 〃It was about three o'clock in the morning； when he pulled
out his watch； looked at it； stopped the game； and asked his three
companions abruptly and without any preface whether the Prince de
Conde had any other children than the Duc d'Enghien。 Such an absurd
inquiry from the lips of Talleyrand caused the utmost surprise。 'Why
do you ask us what you know perfectly well yourself？' they said to
him。 'Only to let you know that the House of Conde comes to an end at
this moment。' Now Monsieur de Talleyrand had been at the hotel de
Luynes the entire evening； and he must have known that Bonaparte was
absolutely unable to grant the pardon。〃
〃But；〃 said Eugene de Rastignac； 〃I don't see in all this any
connection with Madame de Cinq…Cygnes and her troubles。〃
〃Ah； you were so young at that time； my dear fellow； I forgot to
explain the conclusion。 You all know the affair of the abduction of
the Comte de Gondreville； then senator of the Empire； for which the
Simeuse brothers and the two d'Hauteserres were condemned to the
galleys；an affair which did； in fact； lead to their death。〃
De Marsay； entreated by several persons present to whom the
circumstances were unknown； related the whole trial； stating that the
mysterious abductors were five sharks of the secret service of the
ministry of the police； who were ordered to obtain the proclamations
of the would…be Directory which Malin had surreptitiously taken from
his house in Paris； and which he had himself come to Gondreville for
the express purpose of destroying； being convinced at last that the
Empire was on a sure foundation and could not be overthrown。 〃I have
no doubt；〃 added de Marsay； 〃that Fouche took the opportunity to have
the house searched for the correspondence between Malin and Louis
XVIII。； which was always kept up； even during the Terror。 But in this
cruel affair there was a private element； a passion of revenge in the
mind of the leader of the party； a man named Corentin； who is still
living； and who is one of those subaltern agents whom nothing can
replace and who makes himself felt by his amazing ability。 It appears
that Madame； then Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne； had ill…treated him on a
former occasion when he attempted to arrest the Simeuse brothers。 What
happened afterwards in connection with the senator's abduction was the
result of his private vengeance。
〃These facts were known； of course； to Malin； and through him to Louis
XVIII。 You may therefore；〃 added de Marsay； turning to the Princesse
de Cadignan； 〃explain the whole matter to the Marquise de Cinq…Cygne；
and show her why Louis XVIII。 thought fit to keep silence。〃
End