“No，itcannotbetakenback，“repliedFouche，withasigh。“Ihavedisclosedmyself，orratherIhavebeenoutwitted。Youareinallthingsaheroandamaster，incunningasmuchasinbraveryanddiscretion。IbowbeforeyouasbeforeageniuswhomGodHimselfhassentupontheearth，tobringthechaoticworldintoorderagain；I
bowbeforeyouasbeforemylordandmaster；andinsteadofopposingyou，Iwillhenceforthbecontentwithbeingyourinstrument，providedthatyouwillacceptmeassuch。“
“Thatis，Fouche，providedthatIwillfulfilyourconditions，“
criedBonaparte，withashrug。“Verywellnameyourconditions!
Withoutcircumlocution!Whatdoyoudemand？“
“Consul，inorderthatwemayunderstandoneanother，wemustbothbeopenandunreserved。Willyoupermitmetobefreewithyou？“
“Certainly，“repliedBonaparte，withacondescendingnod。
“Consul，youhavethrustmeaside，youhavenolongerconfidenceinme。Youhavetakenfrommethepostofministerofpolice，andgivenittomyenemyRegnier。Thathasgivenmepain，ithasinjuredme；
forithasbrandedmebeforealltheworldasauselessman，whomBonapartesuspects。Yourenemieshavebelievedthatmyalienationfromyouwouldconducetotheiradvantage，andthatoutofthedismissedpoliceprefecttheymightgainanenemytoBonaparte。
Conspiratorsofallkindshavecometome——emissariesofCountdeLille，deputiesfromtheroyalistsinVendee，aswellasfromtheredrepublicans，bywhomyou，Bonaparte，areasmuchhatedasbytheroyalists，fortheywillneverforgiveyouforputtingyourselfattheheadoftherepublic，andmakingyourselftheirmaster。Allofthesepartieshavemadepropositionstome，allofthemwantmetojointhem。Ihavelentmyeartothemall，Ihavebeeninformedofalltheirplans，andamatthishourtheswornallyofboththerepublicansandtheroyalists。Oh!Ibegyou，“continuedFouche，asBonapartestartedup，andopenedhislipstospeak——“Ibegyou，general，hearmetotheend，anddonotinterruptmetillIhavetoldyouall——Yes，Ihavealliedmyselftothreeseparateconspiracies，andhavebecomezealousinthemall。Thereis，first，thatoftherepublicans，whohateyouasatyrantoftherepublic；
thereis，inthesecondplace，theconspiracyoftheroyalists，whowanttoputtheCountdeLilleonthethrone；andthird，thereisthatofthegenuineCapetists，whowanttomakethe’orphanoftheTemple’LouisXVII。ThesethreeconspiracieshaveitastheirfirstobjecttoremoveanddestroyConsulBonaparte。Yes，toreachthisendthethreehaveunited，andmadeamutualcompromise。Whicheverpartysucceedsinmurderingyou，istocomeintopower，andtheothersaretorelinquishthefieldtoit：andsoifBonaparteiskilledbyarepublicandagger，therepublicistoremainatpresenttherecognizedformofgovernment；andiftheballofaroyalistremovesyou，therepublicansstriketheirbanner，andgrantthatFranceshalldetermine，byageneralballot，“whetheritshallbearepublicorakingdom。“
“Well，“askedBonaparte，calmly，asFoucheclosed，andcastaninquiringglanceattheconsul’sface，whichwas，notwithstanding，entirelycoldandimpenetrable——“well，whydoyoustop？Ididnotinterruptyouwithaquestion。Goon!“
“Iwill，consul。Ihavemademyselfamemberofthesethreeconspiracies；for，inordertocontendwiththeheadsofCerberus，onemusthavethemalljoined；andinordertobetheconquerorinagreataffair，onemustknowwhoallhisenemiesare，andwhatarealltheirplans。Iknowalltheplansoftheallies，andbecauseI
knowthem，itiswithinmypowertobringdiscontentandenmityamongthem，usingforthisendthethirdconspiracy——thatofthedependantsofLouisXVII。，theorphanoftheTemple。Throughsympathywithhim，Ihavedividedthepartyofroyalists；IhavewithdrawnfromtheCountdeLillemanyofhisimportantdependants，andevensomeofthechiefconspirators，whocametoParistocontendforLouisXVIII。，haverecentlyinsecretbentthekneetoLouisXVII。，andswornfidelitytohim。“
“Thatisnottrue，“criedBonaparte，vehemently。“Youaretellingmenurses’stories，withwhichchildrenmaybefrightened，butmennot。
TherearenosecretmeetingsinParis!“
“General，ifyourministerofpolice，Regnier，hastoldyouso，heonlyshowsthatheisnomantobeattheheadofthepolice，andknowsnothingofthedetectiveservice。Itellyou，general，therearesecretsocietiesinParis，andIoughttoknow，forIamamemberoffourseparateones。“
“Ah!sir，“sneeredBonaparte，“youareoutofyourhead!Before，youspokeofthreeconspiracies，andnowtheyhavegrowntobefour。“
“Iamspeakingnowofsecretsocieties，consul，fornoteverysecretsocietycanbecalledaconspiracy。Before，whenIwasgivingaccountofconspiracies，Imentionedthree；now，whenwespeakofsecretsocieties，Ihavetomentionafourth。Butthisdoesnotdeservethenameofaconspiracy，foritsobjectisnotmurderandrevolution，nordoesitarmitselfwithdaggersandpistols。“
“Ishouldbecurioustoknowthenameofyourfourthsociety，“criedBonaparte，impatiently。
“Iwillsatisfyyourcuriosity，general。Thisfourthsecretsocietybearsthename’theBonapartists，’or——allowmetoapproachyoucloser，thatthewallsoftheoldpalacemaynotheartheword——or’theImperialists。’“
Bonaparteshrankback，andaglowofredpassedforamomentoverhischeeks。“Whatdoyoumeanbythat？“
“Imeanbythat，general，whatIhavealreadysaid：yourbrowismadenottowearlaurelsalone，butacrown，andthereisonlyonewaytodestroytheotherthreeconspiracies——thewayproposedbythefourthsecretsociety。Inordertomaketheeffortsoftherepublicansandroyalistsineffective，andtotreadthemunderyourfeet，Franceneedsanemperor。“
“Anddoyouwanttomakeyourmanikin，LouisXVII。，EmperorofFrance？“
“No，general，“answeredFouche，solemnly——“no；IwanttomakeConsulBonaparteEmperoroftheFrench!“
Theconsultrembled，andhiseyesflashedthroughtheapartment，theformercabinetofLouisXVI。，asifhewantedtoconvincehimselfthatnoonehadheardthisdangerouswordofthefuture。ThenheslowlybentforwardwithoutmeetingFouche’slooks，whichwereintentlyfixeduponhim。
Apauseensued——along，anxiouspause。ThenBonaparteslowlyraisedhiseyeagain，andnowitwasfilledaswithsunlight。
“Isyourfourthsecretsocietynumerous？“heasked，withthatmagicalsmilewhichwonallhearts。
“Itcomprisesartists，poets，scholars，andaboveeverythingelse，officersandgenerals，“repliedFouche。“Itgrowsmorenumerouseveryday，andasfortunatelyIhaveonlybeendeposedfrommyplaceofministerofpolice，butstillremainamemberofthesenateoftherepublic，ithasbeenmyefforttogainoverinthesenateinfluentialmembersformysecretsocietyofimperialists。Ifmyhopesarecrownedwithsuccess，thesecretsocietywillsoonbecomeanopenone，andthesenatewillapplytoyouwithapublicrequesttoputanendtoalltheseconspiraciesandintrigues，toplaceyourselfattheheadofFrance，andaccepttheimperialcrownwhichthesenateoffersyou。But——“
“Icomprehendyour’but，’Fouche，“interruptedBonaparte，eagerly。
“Youwanttomakeyourconditions。Animperialcrowndoesnotfalldirectfromheavenupontheheadofaman；theremustbehandstheretotakeit，anditmighthappenthattheywouldbecrushedbythefallingcrown。Theymustbepaidfortheirheroism，therefore。Letussuppose，then，thatIgivecredencetoallyourstories，eventhatabouttheempireofthefuture——tellme，now，whatyoudemand。“
“General，ifIshowyouandallFrancebyfactsthatthecountryisrentbyconspiracies，thatthecancerofsecretsocietiesiseatingintotheverymarrowoftheland，andimperillingallitsinstitutions，willyouconfesstomethenthatIambetteradaptedtobetheheadofthepolicethanM。Regnierd’Angely，whoinsistsanddarestosaytoyouthattherearenosecretsocietiesinFrance？“
“Provetomebyfactstheexistenceofyourconspiracies，andIwillcommissionyoutohelpmedestroythishydra’shead。Givemetheproofs，andyoushallbeheadofpoliceagain。“
Fouchebowed。“Youshallhavetheproofs，general，to-day——atonce，providedthatwethoroughlyunderstandeachother。Iamambitious，general，andIhavenowishtobedrivenbackforasingledayintonothingness，asIshouldbe，ifmyenemieswithdrawtheirconfidenceinme。NowIam，atleast，amemberofthesenate；butifthesenateisdissolved，andIshouldsubsequentlybedeposedagainfromtheheadofthepolice，IshouldbenothingbutFouche——Fouchefallenoutoffavor。Voilatout!“
“No，notso，“saidBonaparte，withasmile。“Youwillalwaysbeknownasthemurdereroftheking；thatisafinetitleforarepublican，isitnot？“
“Ah，general，Iseethatyouunderstandme，“criedFouche。“Wearenowtalkingaboutaname，aposition，atitleforme。ProvidedthathereintheTuileriesathroneisreestablished，wemusthaveacourtagain，menwithorders，titles，anddignities。“
“Itistrue，“saidBonaparte，thoughtfully。“Theworldcontinuestorevolveinthesamecirclesoffollyandvanity，andaftermakinganefforttowithdrawfromthem，itfallsbackagainintotheoldruts。
Menarenothingbutactors，andeveryonewantstoadornhimselfwithglisteningrags，inordertotakethefirstpart，andhavehisnamegoupontheposterofhistory。Well，howwouldyoubecalled，Fouche，ifthedramaofanempireshouldreallybebroughtforwarduponthegreatstageoftheworld？“
“Ishouldlikethetitleofaprinceorduke，sire。“Bonapartecouldscarcelysuppressthesmileofsatisfactionthatplayedoverhisface。Itwasthefirsttimethathehadeverbeenaddressedaskingoremperor，andthis“sire“whichFouchedroppedintotheearofBonapartelikeasweetpoison，flatteredhissensesandsoothedhimlikedelightfulmusic。Butthestrengthofhisgeniussoonresumeditssway，andhebrokeoutintoaloud，merrylaugh。
“Confess，Fouche，“hecried，“thatitiscomicaltoheartheconsultalkingwithasenatoroftherepublicaboutanempireandducaltitles。Truly，ifthestrictrepublicansofyourconspiracynumberoneshouldhearthis，theywouldbejustifiedinaccusingusastraitorsandconspirators。“