marie antoinette and her son-第102章

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republic　or　a　kingdom。〃

〃Well；〃　asked　Bonaparte；　calmly；　as　Fouche　closed；　and　cast　an
inquiring　glance　at　the　consul's　face；　which　was；　notwithstanding；
entirely　cold　and　impenetrable〃　well；　why　do　you　stop？　I　did　not
interrupt　you　with　a　question。　Go　on！〃

〃I　will；　consul。　I　have　made　myself　a　member　of　these　three
conspiracies；　for；　in　order　to　contend　with　the　heads　of　Cerberus；
one　must　have　them　all　joined；　and　in　order　to　be　the　conqueror　in　a
great　affair；　one　must　know　who　all　his　enemies　are；　and　what　are
all　their　plans。　I　know　all　the　plans　of　the　allies；　and　because　I
know　them；　it　is　within　my　power　to　bring　discontent　and　enmity
among　them；　using　for　this　end　the　third　conspiracythat　of　the
dependants　of　Louis　XVII。；　the　orphan　of　the　Temple。　Through
sympathy　with　him；　I　have　divided　the　party　of　royalists；　I　have
withdrawn　from　the　Count　de　Lille　many　of　his　important　dependants；
and　even　some　of　the　chief　conspirators；　who　came　to　Paris　to
contend　for　Louis　XVIII。；　have　recently　in　secret　bent　the　knee　to
Louis　XVII。；　and　sworn　fidelity　to　him。〃

〃That　is　not　true；〃　cried　Bonaparte；　vehemently。　〃You　are　telling　me
nurses'　stories；　with　which　children　may　be　frightened；　but　men　not。
There　are　no　secret　meetings　in　Paris！〃

〃General；　if　your　minister　of　police；　Regnier；　has　told　you　so；　he
only　shows　that　he　is　no　man　to　be　at　the　head　of　the　police；　and
knows　nothing　of　the　detective　service。　I　tell　you；　general；　there
are　secret　societies　in　Paris；　and　I　ought　to　know；　for　I　am　a
member　of　four　separate　ones。〃

〃Ah！　sir；〃　sneered　Bonaparte；　〃you　are　out　of　your　head！　Before；　you
spoke　of　three　conspiracies；　and　now　they　have　grown　to　be　four。〃

〃I　am　speaking　now　of　secret　societies；　consul；　for　not　every　secret
society　can　be　called　a　conspiracy。　Before；　when　I　was　giving
account　of　conspiracies；　I　mentioned　three；　now；　when　we　speak　of
secret　societies；　I　have　to　mention　a　fourth。　But　this　does　not
deserve　the　name　of　a　conspiracy；　for　its　object　is　not　murder　and
revolution；　nor　does　it　arm　itself　with　daggers　and　pistols。〃

〃I　should　be　curious　to　know　the　name　of　your　fourth　society；〃　cried
Bonaparte；　impatiently。

〃I　will　satisfy　your　curiosity；　general。　This　fourth　secret　society
bears　the　name　'the　Bonapartists；'　orallow　me　to　approach　you
closer；　that　the　walls　of　the　old　palace　may　not　hear　the　wordor
'the　Imperialists。'　〃

Bonaparte　shrank　back；　and　a　glow　of　red　passed　for　a　moment　over
his　cheeks。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　mean　by　that；　general；　what　I　have　already　said：　your　brow　is
made　not　to　wear　laurels　alone；　but　a　crown；　and　there　is　only　one
way　to　destroy　the　other　three　conspiraciesthe　way　proposed　by　the
fourth　secret　society。　In　order　to　make　the　efforts　of　the
republicans　and　royalists　ineffective；　and　to　tread　them　under　your
feet；　France　needs　an　emperor。〃

〃And　do　you　want　to　make　your　manikin；　Louis　XVII。；　Emperor　of
France？〃

〃No；　general；〃　answered　Fouche；　solemnly〃no；　I　want　to　make　Consul
Bonaparte　Emperor　of　the　French！〃

The　consul　trembled；　and　his　eyes　flashed　through　the　apartment；　the
former　cabinet　of　Louis　XVI。；　as　if　he　wanted　to　convince　himself
that　no　one　had　heard　this　dangerous　word　of　the　future。　Then　he
slowly　bent　forward　without　meeting　Fouche's　looks；　which　were
intently　fixed　upon　him。

A　pause　ensueda　long；　anxious　pause。　Then　Bonaparte　slowly　raised
his　eye　again；　and　now　it　was　filled　as　with　sunlight。

〃Is　your　fourth　secret　society　numerous？〃　he　asked；　with　that
magical　smile　which　won　all　hearts。

〃It　comprises　artists；　poets；　scholars；　and　above　every　thing　else；
officers　and　generals；〃　replied　Fouche。　〃It　grows　more　numerous
every　day；　and　as　fortunately　I　have　only　been　deposed　from　my　place
of　minister　of　police；　but　still　remain　a　member　of　the　senate　of
the　republic；　it　has　been　my　effort　to　gain　over　in　the　senate
influential　members　for　my　secret　society　of　imperialists。　If　my
hopes　are　crowned　with　success；　the　secret　society　will　soon　become
an　open　one；　and　the　senate　will　apply　to　you　with　a　public　request
to　put　an　end　to　all　these　conspiracies　and　intrigues；　to　place
yourself　at　the　head　of　France；　and　accept　the　imperial　crown　which
the　senate　offers　you。　But〃

〃I　comprehend　your　'but；'　Fouche；〃　interrupted　Bonaparte；　eagerly。
〃You　want　to　make　your　conditions。　An　imperial　crown　does　not　fall
direct　from　heaven　upon　the　head　of　a　man；　there　must　be　hands　there
to　take　it；　and　it　might　happen　that　they　would　be　crushed　by　the
falling　crown。　They　must　be　paid　for　their　heroism；　therefore。　Let
us　suppose；　then；　that　I　give　credence　to　all　your　stories；　even
that　about　the　empire　of　the　futuretell　me；　now；　what　you　demand。〃

〃General；　if　I　show　you　and　all　France　by　facts　that　the　country　is
rent　by　conspiracies；　that　the　cancer　of　secret　societies　is　eating
into　the　very　marrow　of　the　land；　and　imperilling　all　its
institutions；　will　you　confess　to　me　then　that　I　am　better　adapted
to　be　the　head　of　the　police　than　M。　Regnier　d'Angely；　who　insists
and　dares　to　say　to　you　that　there　are　no　secret　societies　in
France？〃

〃Prove　to　me　by　facts　the　existence　of　your　conspiracies；　and　I　will
commission　you　to　help　me　destroy　this　hydra's　head。　Give　me　the
proofs；　and　you　shall　be　head　of　police　again。〃

Fouche　bowed。　〃You　shall　have　the　proofs；　general；　to…dayat　once；
provided　that　we　thoroughly　understand　each　other。　I　am　ambitious；
general；　and　I　have　no　wish　to　be　driven　back　for　a　single　day　into
nothingness；　as　I　should　be；　if　my　enemies　withdraw　their　confidence
in　me。　Now　I　am；　at　least；　a　member　of　the　senate；　but　if　the　senate
is　dissolved；　and　I　should　subsequently　be　deposed　again　from　the
head　of　the　police；　I　should　be　nothing　but　FoucheFouche　fallen
out　of　favor。　Voila　tout！〃

〃No；　not　so；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　smile。　〃You　will　always　be
known　as　the　murderer　of　the　king；　that　is　a　fine　title　for　a
republican；　is　it　not？〃

〃Ah；　general；　I　see　that　you　understand　me；〃　cried　Fouche。　〃We　are
now　talking　about　a　name；　a　position；　a　title　for　me。　Provided　that
here　in　the　Tuileries　a　throne　is　reestablished；　we　must　have　a
court　again；　men　with　orders；　titles；　and　dignities。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Bonaparte；　thoughtfully。　〃The　world　continues　to
revolve　in　the　same　circles　of　folly　and　vanity；　and　after　making　an
effort　to　withdraw　from　them；　it　falls　back　again　into　the　old　ruts。
Men　are　nothing　but　actors；　and　every　one　wants　to　adorn　himself
with　glistening　rags；　in　order　to　take　the　first　part；　and　have　his
name　go　upon　the　poster　of　history。　Well；　how　would　you　be　called；
Fouche；　if　the　drama　of　an　empire　should　really　be　brought　forward
upon　the　great　stage　of　the　world？　〃

〃I　should　like　the　title　of　a　prince　or　duke；　sire。〃　Bonaparte　could
scarcely　suppress　the　smile　of　satisfaction　that　played　over　his
face。　It　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　ever　been　addressed　as　king
or　emperor；　and　this　〃sire〃　which　Fouche　dropped　into　the　ear　of
Bonaparte　like　a　sweet　poison；　flattered　his　senses　and　soothed　him
like　delightful　music。　But　the　strength　of　his　genius　soon　resumed
its　sway；　and　he　broke　out　into　a　loud；　merry　laugh。

〃Confess；　Fouche；〃　he　cried；　〃that　it　is　comical　to　hear　the　consul
talking　with　a　senator　of　the　republic　about　an　empire　and　ducal
titles。　Truly；　if　the　strict　republicans　of　your　conspiracy　number
one　should　hear　this；　they　would　be　justified　in　accusing　us　as
traitors　and　conspirators。〃

〃We　must　get　the　start　of　themwe　must　accuse　them。〃

〃If　we　possess　secure　means　to　do　so。〃

〃I　possess　them；　and　I　will　give　them　to　you；　Consul　Bonaparte；　as
soon　as　the　emperor　of　the　future　assures　me　of　a　princely　title；　in
addition　to　the　chieftaincy　of　police。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Bonaparte；　laughing；　〃the　emperor　of　the　future
promises　you　that　as　soon　as　he　is　able　to　bake　a　batch　of　these
delicacies；　he　will　put　his　chief　of　police　in　the　oven　and　draw　him
out　as　a　prince　or　a　duke。　The　emperor　of　the　future　gives　you　his
word　of　honor　that　he　will　do　it。　Are　you　satisfied　now；　my　lord
republican？〃

〃Sire；　completely　satisfied；〃　said　Fouche；　bowing　low。

〃And　now　let　us　talk　together　seriously；〃　said　Bonaparte。　〃You　have
spoken　of　conspiracies；　you　assert　that　they　exist；　but　do　not
forget　that　you　have　promised　me　tangible　proofsunderstand　me
well；　tangible　proofs；　that　is；　it　is　not　enough　for　me　to　see　the
papers　and　the　lists　of　conspirators　who　have　escaped　into　foreign
landsI　want　persons；　men　of　flesh　and　bloodtraitors　whom　I　may
hang；　not　in　effigy；　but　in　reality；　and　who　may　serve　as　a　warning
example　to　the　whole　herd　of　conspirators；　and　put　an　end　forever　to
this　nonsense。　I　am　wearied　of　being　perpetually　threatened　by
traitors；　poisoned　daggers；　air…guns；　plots；　and　intrigues；　of　all
kinds。　It　is　time　to　hunt　down　the　chief　men　of　these　bravoes　who
have　been　sent　here　from　England；　Germany；　Russia；　and　Italy；　and　I
have　had　enough　of　illustrating　the　old　proverb；　'Hang　the　little
thief　and　let　the　great　one　run。'　I　mean　to　have　the　great　thief　and
to　hang　him；　for　that　is　the　only　way　of　intimidating　these　fellows
and　inspiring　them　with　respect。〃

〃Sire；　you　shall　have　your　great　thieves；〃　said　Fouche；　with　a
smile。

〃Give　them　into　my　hands；　and　I　promise　you　they　shall　never
escape；〃　cried　Bonaparte；　eagerly。　〃It　is　high　time　to　make　an
example；　and　show　these　people　at　last　that　I　claim　the　right　of
paying　back。　The　Count　de　Lille　and　the　Duke　d'Enghien　are　always
egging　their　conspirators　upon　me；　they　appear　to　have　no　other　aim
than　to　get　rid　of　me；　and　are　unwearied　with　their　daggers；
infernal　machines；　and　counter…plots。　But　their　own　persons；　and
those　of　their　highest　helpers；　always　remain　beyond　reach。　They
arrange　their　plans　always　at　a　safe　distance；　and　risk　nothing　by
this；　for；　if　we　take　some　of　their　subordinate　tools　and　punish
them；　they　make　an　outcry　about　barbarity　and　cruelty；　and　appeal　to
their　sacred　right　of　using　all　means　to　regain　their　inheritance；
and　reestablish　the　throne　in　France。　They　do　not　deny　that　they
would　have　no　conscientious　scruples　about　shedding　my　blood。　Now；
why　should　I　have　any　about　shedding　theirs？　Blood　for　blood；　that
is　the　natural　and　unavoidable　law　of　retaliation；　and　woe　to　him
who　lays　claim　to　it！　These　Bourbons　do　so。　I　have　never　injured　one
of　them　personally；　a　great　nation　has　placed　me　at　its　head；　my
blood　is　worth　as　much　as　theirs；　and　it　is　time　at　last　that　I　make
it　al　pari　with　theirs。　I　will　no　longer　serve　as　a　target　for　all
murderers；　and　then　afterward　only　find　the　dagger；　instead　of
seizing　the　hands　that　ply　it。　Let　me　once　have　hold　of　the　hands；
and　all　the　daggers　will　disappear　forever！〃

〃I　will　give　these　hands　into　your　power；　or；　at　least；　some　fingers
of　them。〃

〃I　want　them　all；〃　cried　Bonaparte；　eagerly；〃all　the　fingers；　all
the　hands。　You　have　spoken　of　three　different　conspiracies。　I　want
the　leaders　of　them；　and　then　all　others　may　run。　If　the　hydra　loses
its　three　heads；　it　must　at　last　die。　So　give　me　the　three　heads；
that　of　the　republicans　and　of　the　two　royalist　parties。　The　head　of
conspiracy　n