marie antoinette and her son-第125节

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and　dares　to　say　to　you　that　there　are　no　secret　societies　in
France？〃

〃Prove　to　me　by　facts　the　existence　of　your　conspiracies；　and　I　will
commission　you　to　help　me　destroy　this　hydra's　head。　Give　me　the
proofs；　and　you　shall　be　head　of　police　again。〃

Fouche　bowed。　〃You　shall　have　the　proofs；　general；　to…dayat　once；
provided　that　we　thoroughly　understand　each　other。　I　am　ambitious；
general；　and　I　have　no　wish　to　be　driven　back　for　a　single　day　into
nothingness；　as　I　should　be；　if　my　enemies　withdraw　their　confidence
in　me。　Now　I　am；　at　least；　a　member　of　the　senate；　but　if　the　senate
is　dissolved；　and　I　should　subsequently　be　deposed　again　from　the
head　of　the　police；　I　should　be　nothing　but　FoucheFouche　fallen
out　of　favor。　Voila　tout！〃

〃No；　not　so；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　smile。　〃You　will　always　be
known　as　the　murderer　of　the　king；　that　is　a　fine　title　for　a
republican；　is　it　not？〃

〃Ah；　general；　I　see　that　you　understand　me；〃　cried　Fouche。　〃We　are
now　talking　about　a　name；　a　position；　a　title　for　me。　Provided　that
here　in　the　Tuileries　a　throne　is　reestablished；　we　must　have　a
court　again；　men　with　orders；　titles；　and　dignities。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Bonaparte；　thoughtfully。　〃The　world　continues　to
revolve　in　the　same　circles　of　folly　and　vanity；　and　after　making　an
effort　to　withdraw　from　them；　it　falls　back　again　into　the　old　ruts。
Men　are　nothing　but　actors；　and　every　one　wants　to　adorn　himself
with　glistening　rags；　in　order　to　take　the　first　part；　and　have　his
name　go　upon　the　poster　of　history。　Well；　how　would　you　be　called；
Fouche；　if　the　drama　of　an　empire　should　really　be　brought　forward
upon　the　great　stage　of　the　world？　〃

〃I　should　like　the　title　of　a　prince　or　duke；　sire。〃　Bonaparte　could
scarcely　suppress　the　smile　of　satisfaction　that　played　over　his
face。　It　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　ever　been　addressed　as　king
or　emperor；　and　this　〃sire〃　which　Fouche　dropped　into　the　ear　of
Bonaparte　like　a　sweet　poison；　flattered　his　senses　and　soothed　him
like　delightful　music。　But　the　strength　of　his　genius　soon　resumed
its　sway；　and　he　broke　out　into　a　loud；　merry　laugh。

〃Confess；　Fouche；〃　he　cried；　〃that　it　is　comical　to　hear　the　consul
talking　with　a　senator　of　the　republic　about　an　empire　and　ducal
titles。　Truly；　if　the　strict　republicans　of　your　conspiracy　number
one　should　hear　this；　they　would　be　justified　in　accusing　us　as
traitors　and　conspirators。〃

〃We　must　get　the　start　of　themwe　must　accuse　them。〃

〃If　we　possess　secure　means　to　do　so。〃

〃I　possess　them；　and　I　will　give　them　to　you；　Consul　Bonaparte；　as
soon　as　the　emperor　of　the　future　assures　me　of　a　princely　title；　in
addition　to　the　chieftaincy　of　police。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Bonaparte；　laughing；　〃the　emperor　of　the　future
promises　you　that　as　soon　as　he　is　able　to　bake　a　batch　of　these
delicacies；　he　will　put　his　chief　of　police　in　the　oven　and　draw　him
out　as　a　prince　or　a　duke。　The　emperor　of　the　future　gives　you　his
word　of　honor　that　he　will　do　it。　Are　you　satisfied　now；　my　lord
republican？〃

〃Sire；　completely　satisfied；〃　said　Fouche；　bowing　low。

〃And　now　let　us　talk　together　seriously；〃　said　Bonaparte。　〃You　have
spoken　of　conspiracies；　you　assert　that　they　exist；　but　do　not
forget　that　you　have　promised　me　tangible　proofsunderstand　me
well；　tangible　proofs；　that　is；　it　is　not　enough　for　me　to　see　the
papers　and　the　lists　of　conspirators　who　have　escaped　into　foreign
landsI　want　persons；　men　of　flesh　and　bloodtraitors　whom　I　may
hang；　not　in　effigy；　but　in　reality；　and　who　may　serve　as　a　warning
example　to　the　whole　herd　of　conspirators；　and　put　an　end　forever　to
this　nonsense。　I　am　wearied　of　being　perpetually　threatened　by
traitors；　poisoned　daggers；　air…guns；　plots；　and　intrigues；　of　all
kinds。　It　is　time　to　hunt　down　the　chief　men　of　these　bravoes　who
have　been　sent　here　from　England；　Germany；　Russia；　and　Italy；　and　I
have　had　enough　of　illustrating　the　old　proverb；　'Hang　the　little
thief　and　let　the　great　one　run。'　I　mean　to　have　the　great　thief　and
to　hang　him；　for　that　is　the　only　way　of　intimidating　these　fellows
and　inspiring　them　with　respect。〃

〃Sire；　you　shall　have　your　great　thieves；〃　said　Fouche；　with　a
smile。

〃Give　them　into　my　hands；　and　I　promise　you　they　shall　never
escape；〃　cried　Bonaparte；　eagerly。　〃It　is　high　time　to　make　an
example；　and　show　these　people　at　last　that　I　claim　the　right　of
paying　back。　The　Count　de　Lille　and　the　Duke　d'Enghien　are　always
egging　their　conspirators　upon　me；　they　appear　to　have　no　other　aim
than　to　get　rid　of　me；　and　are　unwearied　with　their　daggers；
infernal　machines；　and　counter…plots。　But　their　own　persons；　and
those　of　their　highest　helpers；　always　remain　beyond　reach。　They
arrange　their　plans　always　at　a　safe　distance；　and　risk　nothing　by
this；　for；　if　we　take　some　of　their　subordinate　tools　and　punish
them；　they　make　an　outcry　about　barbarity　and　cruelty；　and　appeal　to
their　sacred　right　of　using　all　means　to　regain　their　inheritance；
and　reestablish　the　throne　in　France。　They　do　not　deny　that　they
would　have　no　conscientious　scruples　about　shedding　my　blood。　Now；
why　should　I　have　any　about　shedding　theirs？　Blood　for　blood；　that
is　the　natural　and　unavoidable　law　of　retaliation；　and　woe　to　him
who　lays　claim　to　it！　These　Bourbons　do　so。　I　have　never　injured　one
of　them　personally；　a　great　nation　has　placed　me　at　its　head；　my
blood　is　worth　as　much　as　theirs；　and　it　is　time　at　last　that　I　make
it　al　pari　with　theirs。　I　will　no　longer　serve　as　a　target　for　all
murderers；　and　then　afterward　only　find　the　dagger；　instead　of
seizing　the　hands　that　ply　it。　Let　me　once　have　hold　of　the　hands；
and　all　the　daggers　will　disappear　forever！〃

〃I　will　give　these　hands　into　your　power；　or；　at　least；　some　fingers
of　them。〃

〃I　want　them　all；〃　cried　Bonaparte；　eagerly；〃all　the　fingers；　all
the　hands。　You　have　spoken　of　three　different　conspiracies。　I　want
the　leaders　of　them；　and　then　all　others　may　run。　If　the　hydra　loses
its　three　heads；　it　must　at　last　die。　So　give　me　the　three　heads；
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