“AndItoldyou，Fouche，thatifyoudothis——ifyoubecomearegicideasecondtime——Iwillbeyourunappeasableenemyyourwholelifelong；Iwillundertaketoavengeonyouthedeathofthequeenandherson；Iwillfollowyoureverystepwithmyhate，andwillnotresttillIhaveoverthrownyou。AndyouknowwellthatBonapartelovesme，thatIhaveinfluencewithhim，andthatwhatI
meantodo，Iaccomplishatlastbyprayers，tears，andfrowns。Sodonotexasperateme，Fouche；donotmakemeyourirreconcilableenemy。Savethesonofthekingwhomyoukilled，conciliatetheshadesofhisunhappyparents。Fouche，weareinthecabinetofthequeen!Heresheoftentarried，heresheoftenpressedhersontoherheart，andaskedGod’sblessingonhim。Fouche，thespiritofMarieAntoinetteiswithus，andshewillknowitifyouinpitysparethelifeofherson。MarieAntoinettewillaccuseyouatthethroneofGod，andpleadwithGodtoshowyounocompassion，ifyourefusetobemercifultoherson。Fouche，inthenameofthequeen——onmyknees——Iimploreyou，saveherson!“
AndJosephine，herfacebathedintears，sankbeforehimandraisedherfoldedhandssuppliantlytoFouche。Theminister，deeplymoved，palewiththerecollectionswhichJosephineawakenedwithinhim，stoopeddowntoher，andbadeherarise；andwhensherefused，andbeggedandthreatened，andwept，hisobstinacywasatlasttouched，orperhapshisprudence，whichcounselledhimtomakeafriend，ratherthananenemy，outoftheall-powerfulwifeofthefutureemperor。
“Rise，madame，“hesaid。“Whatmortalisabletoresistyourrequests，sinceBonapartehimselfcannot？Iwillsaveyourprotege，whatevershallcometomeafterwardfromit。“
Shesprangup，andinthewildnessofherjoythrewherbeautifularmsaroundFouche’sneck，andkissedhim。
“Fouche，“shesaid，“IgiveyouthiskissinthenameofQueenMarieAntoinette。Itisakissofforgiveness，andofblessing。Yousweartomethatyouwillsavehim？“
“Iswearit，madame!“
“AndIsweartoyouthatassoonasheissaved，andBonaparte’sangercannolongerreachhim，Iwillconfessalltomyhusband，andputitinsuchaLightthatBonaparteshallthankandrewardyou。
Nowtellme，howyouwillsavehim。“
“Ishallonlybeableifyouwillhelpme，madame。“
“Iamreadyforanything——thatyouknowwell。TellmewhatIshalldo。“
“Youmustyourselfdirectafewlinestotheyoungman，conjuringhiminthenameofhismothertofly，tosavehimselffromtheangeroftheFirstConsul——toleaveEurope。“
“Oh!Fouche，howslyyouare!“saidJosephine，sadly。
“Youwantmyhandwriting，inordertojustifyyourselftotheFirstConsulincaseofemergency，verygood。Iwillwritethebillet。“
Shehastenedtohertable，dashedafewwordsuponpaper，andthenpassedthenotetoFouche。“Readit，“shesaid；“itcontainsallthatisnecessary，doesitnot？“
“Yes，madame；andyouhavewritteninsuchbeautifulandmovingwords，thattheyoungmanwillbemelted，andwillobeyyou。Willyounowhavethegoodnesstoputthenoteinanenvelopeandtoaddressit？“
Shefoldedit，andputitintoanenvelope。“TowhomshallIaddressit？“shethenasked。
“AddressittoKingLouisXVII。“
ShedidsowithaquickstrokeofthepenandhandedthelettertoFouche。“Takeit，“shesaid，“itisyourjustification。Andinorderthatyoumaybeentirelysecure，“shecontinued，withaslightsmile，“retainthisletteryourself。WhatIwouldsaytothisyoungmanIwouldrathercommunicatebywordofmouth。“
“How，“criedFouche，“youwant——“
“Toseeandspeakwiththeking，“shesaid，sorrowfully，“tobeghisforgivenessformyselfandBonaparte。Hush!donotopposeme，Iamresolveduponit。Iwanttoseetheyoungman。“
“Buthecannotcomehere，madame——here，intotheverydenofthelion。“
“No，nothere，intothedesecratedpalaceofthekings，“sheanswered，bitterly。“No，hecannotcomehere——Ishallgotohim。“
“Youarejesting，madame，itisimpossible。You，thewifeoftheFirstConsul，youwill——“
“Iwanttofulfiladutyofgratitudeandofloyalty，Fouche。InmyheartIstillfeelmyselfthesubjectofthequeen。Letmefollowthecallofmyheart!Listen!Mycarriagestandsready。IwasintendingtodrivetomyfriendMadameTallien。Iwilltakeapleasure-driveinstead。IntheBoisdeBoulogneIwillcausethecarriagetostop，senditaway，andreturnonfoot。Youwillawaitintherewithafiacreandtakemetotheking。“
“Itshallbeso，“saidFouche。“Yourwillshallbemylaw。Ionlyaskthatyouhasten，foryouknowwellthatIhavemuchtodoto-
day。Ishalltakeadvantageofthetimetoprocurefortheyoungmanthenecessarypassportsfortravel。But，madame，youmusthelphimleavethecity。Foryouknowthatthegatesareallclosed。“
“IwilltellBonapartethatIamtroubledtobeinthecity，nowthatitissoshutin。IwilldriveouttoSt。Cloud。Hiscarriagecanfollowmine，andifthegate-keeperputshinderancesintheway，IwillcommandhimtoletLouispass。Nowletushasten!“
AnhourlaterJosephine，afterdismissingherequipagewiththeservants，enteredthefiacrewhichwaswaitingforhernearthefountain。Fouchereceivedherthere，andwasunweariedinhiscomplaintsofthepoorcarriagewhichthewifeoftheFirstConsulmustuse。
Josephinesmiled，“Mydearsir，“shesaid，“therehavebeentimeswhenIshouldhavebeenveryproudandveryhappytohavehadsuchafiacreasthis，andnottohavebeencompelledtowalkthroughthemuddystreetsofParis。Letitbeasitis!Thepresentdaysofsuperfluityhavenotmademeproud，andIhaveavividrecollectionofthepast。Buttellme，Fouche，whitherarewedriving，andwheredoestheyoungkinglive？“
“Wearedriving，ifyougraciouslyapproveofit，tomyhouse，andI
havebroughttheyoungmanthere，forinhisownhouseheisnolongersafe。Ihavehaditsurroundedbyagentsofthesecretpolice，withorderstoarresthimonhisreturn。Hewill，ofcourse，notreturn，anditwillbeeasiertoassumetheappearancethathereceivedanintimationofhisperilandescapedinseason。Butherewearebeforemydoor，andifyouwilldrawthethickveilwhichhappilyyouhavefastenedtoyourbonnet，carefullybeforeyourface，IhopethatnoonewillseethatthemostbeautifulladyinParishonorsmyhousewithherdistinguishedpresence。“
Josephinemadenoreplytothisflattery，butdrewtheblacklaceveilcloselyoverherface，andhastenedtoleavethefiacre，andenteredthehouse。
“Fouche，“shewhispered，assheascendedthestaircase，“myheartbeatsasviolentlyasitdidwhenIdrovetotheTuileriestobepresentedtoMarieAntoinette。ItwasthefirsttimethatIspokewiththeQueenofFrance。“
“Andnow，madame，“saidFouche，withasmile，“youwillspeakwiththelastKingofFrance。“
“DoesheknowwhoIam？“
“No，madame；Ihaveleftittoyoutoinformhim。Hereweareatthesaloon——heiswithin!“
“Waitonlyamoment，Fouche。Imustcollectmyself。Myheartbeatsdreadfully。Now，nowyoumayopenthedoor!“
Theyenteredthelittlesaloon。Josephinestoodstillnearthedoor，andwhileshehastilyremovedherbonnetandthethickveilandhandedthemtoFouche，herlarge，brilliant，browneyeswereturnedtotheyoungmanwhostoodinthewindow-niche，hishandscalmlyfoldedoverhisbreast。Inthisattitude，withthecalmlookofhisface，thegentleglanceofhisblueeyes，heboresoclosearesemblancetothepictureswhichrepresentedLouisXVI。inhisyouth，thatJosephinecouldnotrepressacryofsurprise，andhastenedforwardtotheyoungman，whonowadvancedoutofthewindowrecess。“Madame，“hesaid，bowinglowbeforethisbeautifulanddignifiedladywhomhedidnotknow，butwhosesympathizingfacemadehishearttremble——“madame，doubtlessyouaretheladywhomM。
FouchesaidImightexpecttomeethere。“
“Yes，Iamshe，“repliedJosephine，withavoicetremblingwithemotion，hereyes，floodedwithtears，allthewhilebeingfixedonthegrave，youthfulfacewhichbroughtbacksomanymemoriesofthepast。“Ihavecometoseeyouandtobringyouthegreetingsofamanwhomyouloved，whoreveredyou，andwhodiedblessingyou。“
“Ofwhomdoyouspeak？“askedLouis，turningpale。
“MencalledhimToulan，“whisperedJosephine。“QueenMarieAntoinettetermedhimFidele。“
“Fidele!“criedLouis，inatoneofanguish。“Fideleisdead!——mydeliverer，hewhosefidelityandbraveryreleasedmefrommydreadfulprison。Oh，madame，whatsadthoughtsdoyoubringbackwithhisname!“
JosephineturnedwithatriumphantlooktoFouche，whowasstillstandingbehindherintheneighborhoodofthedoor。Herlooksaid，“Youseeheisnotraitor，hehasstoodtheproof。“
Foucheunderstoodthelanguageofthislookperfectly，andasmileplayedoverhisfeatures。ThenJosephineturnedagaintotheyoungman。
“YoudidnotknowthatToulanwasdead？“sheasked，softly。
“HowcouldIknowit？“hecried，bitterly。“Iwastakenatthattimetoasolitarycastle，whereIremainedseveralyears，andthenI