Muratwithdrewfromtheroomwithasalutationofdeference，andnowthecommandingvoiceofBonapartesummonedhischiefadjutantfromthereception-room。
“Duroc，“saidtheFirstConsul，withcalm，almostsolemnvoice，“youwillgowithtwelvesoldiersinpursuitofGeneralMoreau，andarresthimwhereveryoufindhim。“
Thenoble，openfaceofDurocgrewpale，andputonanexpressionofhorrorandamazement。“General，“hewhispered，“Ibegthat-“
ButthistimeBonapartewouldnotlistentothesoothingwordsofhisfavorite。
“Noreplies!“hethundered。“Youhaveonlytoobey!Nothingmore!“
Duroc，paleandagitated，withdrew，andBonaparteclosedthedoorofthecabinet。“Real，“hesaid，“returntotheprisonofthecondemnedman；takehimhispardon，andbringhimtome，thatImayhearhimmyself。Hasten!“
Realwithdrew，andBonaparteandFoucheremainedalone。
“Youhavegivenyourproofs，Fouche，andnowIbelieveyou。Whenwolvesaretobehunteddownyouareagoodbloodhound，andwewillbeginthechase。Imakeyoufromthismomentchiefofthesecretpolice；yourfirstdutywillbetobringthismattertoanend，andhelpmetoteartopiecesthewholemurderousweb，yourrewardbeingthatIwillnominateyouagainministerofpolice。[Footnote：TheappointmentofFoucheasthechiefofpolicetookplaceinJuneoftheyear1804。]Iwillfulfilmypromisesosoonasyoushallhavemadegoodyours，andputmeinpossessionofthechiefconspirators。“
“YouhavejustarrestedMoreau，general，“repliedFouche，deferentially。“IgiveyoumywordthatinafewhoursPichegruandGeorgeswillbeapprehended。“
“Youforgetthechiefperson，“criedBonaparte，overwhosebrazenforeheadathunder-cloudseemedtopass。“Youforgetthecaricatureofburiedroyalty，theso-calledKingLouisXVII。Hush!ItellyouI
willhavethisman。Iwilldrawoutthefangsofthisroyaladder，sothathecannotbiteanymore!Bringthemanbeforeme。Therepublicisanangrygoddess，anddemandsaroyaloffering。Givethisimpostorintomyhands，orsomethingworsewillhappen!Go，andIadviseyoutobringme，beforethesungoesdown，thetidingsthatthisfabledKingLouisisarrested，orthesunofyourgoodfortuneissetforever!Nowaway!Gooutthroughthelittlecorridor，andthenthroughthesecretgate-youknowtheway。Go!“
Fouchedidnotdaretocontradicttheimperativeorder，butsoftlyandhastilymovedtowardthecurtainwhichledtothegloomyanteroom，andthencethroughadoor，whichonlythoseinitiatedknewhowtoopen，andwhichledtothelittlecorridor。
ButscarcelyhadFoucheenteredthislittledismalroom，whenahandwaslaiduponhisarm，andawoman’svoicewhisperedtohim：
“Imustspeaktoyou——atonce!Come!thisway!“
Thehanddrewhimforwardtothewall，adoorsprangopenwithoutsound，andthevoicewhispered：“Fourstairsdown。Becareful!“
Fouchedidnothesitate；hefollowedhisguidedownthelittlestaircase，alongthedarkcorridor，andupanothershortstaircase。
Hehadrecognizedthevoice，andknewthathisleaderwasnootherthanJosephine，thewifeoftheFirstConsul。
Throughthesecretdoorattheendofthecorridortheyenteredasmallandgloomyantechamber，exactlyliketheonewhichadjoinedthecabinetoftheconsul，andfromitJosephineusheredFoucheintohercabinet。
“YouwillsaynothingtoBonaparteaboutthissecretway，Fouche，“
saidJosephine，withagentle，supplicatorytone。“Hedoesnotknowofit。IhavehaditmadewithouthisknowledgewhilehewasinBoulognelastyear。Willyousweartomethatyouwillnotrevealit？“
“Idoswear，madame。“
“GodknowsthatIhavenothaditmadeoutofcuriositytooverhearBonaparte，“continuedJosephine。“Butitisnecessarysometimesformetoknowwhatisgoingon，andthatwhenthegeneralisangryI
shouldhastentohimtocalmhimandturnasidehiswrath。Ihavewardedoffmanyacalamitysincethisprivatewaywasopened，andI
havebeenabletooverhearBonaparte。ButwhathaveIbeencompelledtolistentoto-day!Oh，Fouche，itwasGodHimselfwhoimpelledmetolisten!Iwaswithhimwhenyouwereannounced，andIsuspectedthatyourvisitpurportedsomethingunusual，somethingdreadful。I
haveheardall，Fouche——all，Itellyou!Iknowthathislifeisthreatened，thatfiftydaggersaredirectedtowardhim。0God!thisperpetualfearandexcitementwillkillme!Ihavenopeaceofmind，norestmore!SincetheunhappydaywhenweleftourdearlittlehousetoliveintheTuileries，sincethatdaytherehasbeenanendtoalljoy!Whydidwedoit？whydidwenotremaininourlittleLuxembourg？whyhavewebeenpersuadedtoliveinthepalaceofthekings？“
“ItisproperforthegreatestmaninFrancetoliveinthehousewherethedepartedraceofkingsoncehadtheirhome，“repliedFouche。
“Oh，yes，“sighedJosephine。“Iknowthesetricksofspeech，withwhichyouhaveturnedtheheadofmypoorBonaparte。Oh!you，you，hisflatterer，youwhourgedhimon，willbeartheblameifmisfortunebreaksinuponus!Youhaveintoxicatedhimwiththeincenseofadulation；youpourintohisveinsdailyandhourlythesweetpoisonwhichistodestroyourhappinessandourpeace!Hewassogood，socheerful，sohappy，myBonaparte!Hewascontentedwiththelaurelswhichvictorylaiduponhisbrow，butyoucontinuedtowhisperinhisearthatacrownwouldaddnewgracetohislaurels。
Youflatteredhisambition；andwhatwasquietlysleepingatthebottomofhisheart，andwhatIhushedwithmykissesandwithmyhand，thatyoutookalleffortstobringoutintothelight：hisvanity——hisloveofpower!Oh，Fouche!youarewicked，cruel，andpitiless!Ihate，Iabhoryouall，foryouarethemurderersofmyBonaparte!“
Shespokeallthissoftly，withquickbreath，whilethetearswerestreamingoverherbeautifulface，andherwholeframetrembledwithemotion。Shethensank，whollyovercome，uponalounge，andpressedhersmallhands，sparklingwithjewels，overhereyes。
“Madame，youareunjust，“repliedFouche，softly。“IfyouhaveoverheardmyconversationwiththeFirstConsul，youareawarethatthedirectobjectofmycomingwastosavehimfrommurderers，andtoinsurehispreciouslife。“
“And，moreover，topourintohisearthepoisonofafutureimperialcrown!“saidJosephine，indignantly。“Oh，Iknowit!Withtalkofconspiraciesandofdaggersyouurgedhimon。Youwanthimtobeanemperor，thatyoumaybeaprinceorduke!Iseeitall，andI
cannotpreventit，forhenolongerlistenstome，henolongerheedsthevoiceofhisJosephine，onlythatofhisambitiousflatterers，andhewillputontheimperialcrownandcompleteourmisfortune!Oh!Iknewit!Thisimperialcrownwillruinus。ItwasprophesiedtomeinmyyouththatIshouldbeanempress，butitwasaddedthatitwouldbefornolongtime。AndyetIshouldliketolive，andIshouldliketobehappystill!“
“Youwillbeso，madame，“saidFouche，withasmile。“Itisalwaysgoodfortunetowearanimperialcrown，andyourbeautifulheadisworthytobearone。“
“No，no，“shecried，angrily。“Donottrymewithyourflatteries!I
amcontentedwithbeingabelovedandhappywife；Idesirenocrown。
ThecrownedheadsthathavedweltintheTuilerieshavebecomethepreyofdestruction，andthepearlsoftheirdiademshavebeenchangedtotears!ButwhatadvantageisitthatIshouldsayallthistoyou？Itisallinvain，invain!Ididnotbringyoutotalkofthis。Itwassomethingentirelydifferent。Listen，Fouche，I
cannotpreventBonaparte’sbecominganemperor，butyoushallnotmakehimaregicide!Iwillnotsufferit!ByHeaven，andalltheholyangels，Iwillnotsufferit!“
“Idonotunderstandyou，madame。Idonotknowwhatyoumean。“
“Oh，youunderstandmeverywell，Fouche。YouknowthatIamspeakingofKingLouisXVII。“
“Ah，madame，youarespeakingoftheimpostor，whogiveshimselfouttobethe’orphanoftheTemple。’“
“Heisit，Fouche。Iknowit，Iamacquaintedwiththehistoryofhisflight。IwasaprisonerintheConciergerieatthesametimewithToulan，thequeen’sloyalservant。HeknewmydevotiontotheunhappyMarieAntoinette；heintrustedtomehissecretofthedauphin’sescape。Later，whenIwasreleased，TallienandBarrasconfirmedthestoryofhisflight，andinformedmethathewassecretedbythePrincedeConde。Ihaveknownitall，andItellyouIknewwhoKleber’sadjutantwas；IinquiredforhimafterhedisappearedatthebattleofMarengo，andwhenmyagentstoldmethattheyoungkingdiedthere，Iworemourningandprayedforhim。
And，nowthatIlearnthatthesonofmybeautifulqueenisstillalive，shallIsufferhimtodielikeatraitor？No，never!Fouche，ItellyouIwillneversufferit；Iwillnothavethisunfortunateyoungmansacrificed!Youmustsavehim——Iwillhaveitso!“
“I!“criedFouche，inamazement。“Butyouknowthatitisimpossible，foryouhaveheardmyconversationwiththeconsul。Hehimselfsaid，’Therepublicdemandsaroyalvictim。Ifitisnotthisso-calledKingLouis，letitbetheDuked’Enghien，foravictimmustfall，inordertointimidatetheroyalists，andbringpeaceatlast。“
“ButIwillnothaveyoubringhumanvictims，“criedJosephine；“therepublicshallnolongerbeacruelMoloch，asitwasinthedaysoftheguillotine。Youshall，andyoumust，savethesonofQueenMarieAntoinette。Idesiretohavepeaceinmyconscience，thatImaylivewithoutreproach，andbehappierperhapsthannow。“
“Butitisimpossible，“insistedFouche。“Youhaveheardyourselfthatif，beforethesungoesdown，Louisbenotimprisoned，thesunofmygoodfortunewillhaveset。“