“Wemustgetthestartofthem——wemustaccusethem。“
“Ifwepossesssecuremeanstodoso。“
“Ipossessthem，andIwillgivethemtoyou，ConsulBonaparte，assoonastheemperorofthefutureassuresmeofaprincelytitle，inadditiontothechieftaincyofpolice。“
“Verywell，“saidBonaparte，laughing，“theemperorofthefuturepromisesyouthatassoonasheisabletobakeabatchofthesedelicacies，hewillputhischiefofpoliceintheovenanddrawhimoutasaprinceoraduke。Theemperorofthefuturegivesyouhiswordofhonorthathewilldoit。Areyousatisfiednow，mylordrepublican？“
“Sire，completelysatisfied，“saidFouche，bowinglow。
“Andnowletustalktogetherseriously，“saidBonaparte。“Youhavespokenofconspiracies；youassertthattheyexist，butdonotforgetthatyouhavepromisedmetangibleproofs——understandmewell，tangibleproofs；thatis，itisnotenoughformetoseethepapersandthelistsofconspiratorswhohaveescapedintoforeignlands——Iwantpersons，menoffleshandblood——traitorswhomImayhang，notineffigy，butinreality，andwhomayserveasawarningexampletothewholeherdofconspirators，andputanendforevertothisnonsense。Iamweariedofbeingperpetuallythreatenedbytraitors，poisoneddaggers，air-guns，plots，andintrigues，ofallkinds。ItistimetohuntdownthechiefmenofthesebravoeswhohavebeensentherefromEngland，Germany，Russia，andItaly，andI
havehadenoughofillustratingtheoldproverb，’Hangthelittlethiefandletthegreatonerun。’Imeantohavethegreatthiefandtohanghim，forthatistheonlywayofintimidatingthesefellowsandinspiringthemwithrespect。“
“Sire，youshallhaveyourgreatthieves，“saidFouche，withasmile。
“Givethemintomyhands，andIpromiseyoutheyshallneverescape，“criedBonaparte，eagerly。“Itishightimetomakeanexample，andshowthesepeopleatlastthatIclaimtherightofpayingback。TheCountdeLilleandtheDuked’Enghienarealwayseggingtheirconspiratorsuponme；theyappeartohavenootheraimthantogetridofme，andareunweariedwiththeirdaggers，infernalmachines，andcounter-plots。Buttheirownpersons，andthoseoftheirhighesthelpers，alwaysremainbeyondreach。Theyarrangetheirplansalwaysatasafedistance，andrisknothingbythis；for，ifwetakesomeoftheirsubordinatetoolsandpunishthem，theymakeanoutcryaboutbarbarityandcruelty，andappealtotheirsacredrightofusingallmeanstoregaintheirinheritance，andreestablishthethroneinFrance。Theydonotdenythattheywouldhavenoconscientiousscruplesaboutsheddingmyblood。Now，whyshouldIhaveanyaboutsheddingtheirs？Bloodforblood，thatisthenaturalandunavoidablelawofretaliation，andwoetohimwholaysclaimtoit!TheseBourbonsdoso。Ihaveneverinjuredoneofthempersonally；agreatnationhasplacedmeatitshead；mybloodisworthasmuchastheirs，anditistimeatlastthatImakeitalpariwiththeirs。Iwillnolongerserveasatargetforallmurderers，andthenafterwardonlyfindthedagger，insteadofseizingthehandsthatplyit。Letmeoncehaveholdofthehands，andallthedaggerswilldisappearforever!“
“Iwillgivethesehandsintoyourpower，or，atleast，somefingersofthem。“
“Iwantthemall，“criedBonaparte，eagerly，——“allthefingers，allthehands。Youhavespokenofthreedifferentconspiracies。Iwanttheleadersofthem，andthenallothersmayrun。Ifthehydralosesitsthreeheads，itmustatlastdie。Sogivemethethreeheads，thatoftherepublicansandofthetworoyalistparties。TheheadofconspiracynumbertwoIknow；itistheCountdeLille。Heistheslyspiderwhoalwayswithdrawsbehindhisnets，butIknowthehand，too，thatissetinmotionbythishead；itistheDuked’Enghien。Heisanuntiringconspirator，whollyoccupiedwithinfernalmachinesanddaggersforme。Ah!lethimtakecareofhimself，thelittleDuked’Enghien。IfItakehim，Iwillexercisetherightofretaliationuponhim，forIamdeterminedtohavepeace。“Wenowcometoyourconspiracynumberthree，toyourDeusexmachina，theso-calledLouisXVII。ThisDeusreallyexists？“
“Yes，general，heexists。“
Bonapartelaughedaloud，buthislaughtersoundedlikeathreat。“I
haveheardofthisstory，“hesaid。“Thegood-naturedKleberbelievedit，and，afterhisdeath，apaperwasgiventome，writtenbyhim，anddirectedtome，whichstatedthathisso-callednephewLouiswastheheiroftheKingofFrance，andimploredmeearnestlytotaketheorphanoftheTempleundermyprotection。Iinstitutedinquiriesforhimatonce；itwasafterthebattleofMarengo，andthisMonsieurLouiswas，tillthen，adjutantofGeneralDesaix。“
“Yes，general，adjutantofDesaix，downtothebattleofMarengo——
thatis，tothedeathofDesaix。“
“IfImistakenot，hisadjutantwaswoundedinthebattle，andlayatthehospitalinAlessandria。“
“Itisso，general。Iwonderhowcloselyyouhavebeeninformedrespectingthefortunesofthisyoungman。“
“Fromthattimealltraceofhimhasbeenlost，andallmyinquirieshaveprovedinvain。TheadjutantofDesaix，whofoughtsobravely，andwhoboremydyingcomradeinhisarms，deservedadvancement，andIwantedtogiveittohim，andthereforesearchedforhim，butinvain。Ibelievedhimdead，andnowyoucomeandtellmeaboutaconspiracyinfavorofLouisXVII。Thisyoungpretenderisstillalive，then，andtherearechildlikesoulswhobelievehisstory，arethere？“
“General，hesayslittle，forheisverysilentandreticent，buthehastestimonialswhichspeakforhim，andwhichshowthathisstoryisnotanidletale，butafragmentofhistory。Hispapersgiveclearandundeniableevidencecfhislineageandthecourseofhislife。“
“Ishouldliketoseethesepapersonce，“saidtheconsul。
“Heneverletsthemgooutofhishands，forheknowsverywellthattheyarehissecurityforacrown。“
“Thenbringmethemanhimself，andthenIshallhavehimandhispapers，“saidBonaparte，withagrowllikealion’s。“Isnothetheheadoftheconspiracy？“
“Yes，general，theheadofaconspiracywhichIhaveconducted，becauseImeanttohaveallthethreadsinmyhands，ifIwastoseeclearly。Inordertoprovetheroyalists，Ithrewthemthisbait，andmanyofthemhavetakenthehookandcomeovertotheyoungking。InthiswayIhavemadeadivisionintheranksoftheroyalists，andtheCountdeLillealreadyseestheconsequences。Theso-calledorphanoftheTemplehasatthishournoenemywhohateshimmorethantheCountdeLille。“
“ButthisenmityoftheCountdeLillevanisheslikeaglow-worminthedarkness。IwanttangibleproofsbywhichIcanarrestmyenemies。Canyougivethemtome？“
“General，itwillnotbedifficulttodothis。Wewillspeakofithereafter。AllowmefirstawordaboutthisdangerousadjutantofDesaix，ColonelLouis。Yousaid，general，thatyoumadefutileeffortstogaininformationaboutthisinterestingandbraveyoungman。ThoseeffortsweremadeintheyearswhenM。Regnierd’Angelywaschiefofpolice，inwhichmyenemiessucceededinwithdrawingtheconfidenceoftheFirstConsulfromme。ButhadIbeenchiefofpoliceatthattime，Ishouldhavebeenabletotellyouthattheyoungmanwhomyouwereseeking，andrespectingwhomyouobtainednoinformation，waslivinghereinParis。“
“What!“criedBonaparte，inamazement。“Thisso-calledLouisXVII。
inParis，then？““General，heisstillhere；hehasbeenlivinginParisforaboutfouryears——aboutaslongasM。Regnierhasbeenheadofpolice。“
“AndRegnierhastoldmenothingaboutit!HashenotknownthatsodangerousapersonwaslivinginParis？“
Foucheshruggedhisshoulders。“MonsieurRegnier——whodoubtstheexistenceofsecretsocietiesinFrance，andtellsyouthattheassassinswhohavesooftenoflateimperilledyourlifehaveallbeensenthitherfromforeignpartsbythepretenderstothecrown，andthattherearenoconspiratorsinFrance——MonsieurRegniercouldnotofcourseknowtheheadofthissecretsociety。HeleftthemtofollowtheirownpleasuresunhinderedhereinParis。ButIknowthem，andIgiveyoumywordofhonor，general，thattheso-callednephewofKleberislivinghereinParis。Directlyafterhisarrivalhecametome，andIhandedtohimthepapersanddocumentswhichDesaixintrustedtome，andwhichIhadsolemnlysworntodelivertohisadjutantLouis。Theyoungmangavemehisconfidence，andwhenI
spoketohimregretfullyandwithenthusiasmabouthisfatherandhismother，andaddressedhimas’hismajesty，’Iwonhislove。Heopenedhishearttome，confessedthathewasLouisXVII。，andaskedmycounselandhelp。Ipromisedhimboth，andshowedmyselftohiminaverycompliantanddevotedmood。Myfirstcounselwas，thatheshouldliveincognitounderaborrowedname。Inorderthatthismightbepossible，Igavehimthenameforhisincognito，andhadallthenecessarydocumentsprepared，thecertificateofhisbirth，baptism，themarriageofhisparents，andthewillofhisrelatives。“
“Andallthesedocumentswerefalseandforged？“saidBonaparte，inamazement。
“ThereareeverywherepliablepublicofficialsinFrance，“repliedFouche，withasmile。“Ididnotcontentmyselfwithprocuringformyprotegethepaperswhichinsuredhimanhonorablename，respectablefamilyposition，andalifewithoutcare；Ididmuchmoreforhim。Ifollowedtheeffortsalreadyrelatedwithothers。I
hadacertificateofthedeathofM。Louisprepared，soastogivehimapassportoutoflife。Inordertoprotecthimselffromeveryinjury，Itoldhimthathe，astheadjutantofDesaix，mustpassasdead。Heapprovedofit，andItookthepainstoprocurefromthehospitalatAlessandriaadulysignedandsealedcertificatethatColonelLouis，theadjutantofGeneralDesaix，diedofhiswoundsthere。“
“GoodGod!“criedBonaparte，“iseverythinginlifetobeboughtandsoldthus？“
“Yes，general，everything——loyaltyandlove，lifeanddeath。IhavecausedthesonoftheKingofFrancetodie，andthenriseagain——
andallwithgold。But，whenthecertificatearrived，achangehadoccurredinmyrelations。Ihadbeenremovedfromoffice，andRegnierwasmysuccessor。Ikeptthecertificateinmypossession；
but，inordertosecuremyprotegeagainstwhatmightbefallmeincaseofmydeath，IwrotetohimthatIhadreceivedthepapers，andthathewouldlivewithoutdangerinParis，underhisassumedname。