ThisletterIsignedwithmywholename，andsetmysealtoit，thatincaseofneeditmightbeofservicetohim。“
“Fouche，youareaslyfox，“saidBonaparte，withalaugh。“Itiseasiertogetoutofthewayofacannonballthanoutofyoursnares。Onemightsaytoyou，inthewordsoftheKingofPrussia，’Goddefendmofrommyfriends，frommyenemiesIcandefendmyself!’AccordingtothisyouhavecausedColonelLouistodieforfriendship’ssake，andriseagainunderanothername。“
“Yes，general，thatisit!ColonelLouis——thatis，therightfulking，Louisisatoolinmyhands，whichIholdasachecktoallparties，andwhichIcanholduporwithdrawaccordingasitpleasesme。Atpresentmygameisnotmerelytobringdisunionandhatredintotheranksoftheroyalists，buttobringovermanyrepublicanswhohaveasoftheart，tobezealouspartisansoftheyoungandunfortunateking。“
“Andafterward，“saidBonaparte，withasternertone，“youmightmakeuseofthisinstrumenttointimidatethatfourthpartyofwhichyouspokebefore——theBonapartists。Butyouhavebeenmistaken，Fouche；thisreckoningdoesnotdo——yourcunninghasoverreacheditself。Youdonotterrifyme；andifitcouldreallyhappenthattheFrenchnationshouldoffermeanimperialcrown，atthesametimethatIshouldacceptit，Ishouldputmyfootontheneckofallrebelsandpretenders。WithasingletreadIwouldcrushthemall。Iwantnoparties，nopoliticalfactions；Iwanttobringalltheserisingsandagitationstosilence。ThereshallbenosecretsocietiesinFrance；andagainsteachandeveryconspirator，whateverhisrankmaybe，Iwillbringfromthistimeforththewholeweightofthelaw。Markthis，Fouche!Imeantomakeanendofallparties，andonlywhenyoushallgivetheirchiefsintomyhand——
notformypersonalvengeance，forIcherishnovengeanceagainstthosecowardlywormsofconspirators，butfortherighteouspunishmentandretaliatorylawsofFrance——onlywhenyouareable，byonegrandcoup，andonewell-foundedcharge，todestroyallconspiracies，andbringallsecretcoalitionstothelight，onlythenshallyoubecomechiefofpolice——onlythenwillthefutureemperorgiveyouthetitleofduke。“