marie antoinette and her son-第113部分

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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　number　two　I　know；　it　is　the　Count　de　Lille。　He　is　the
sly　spider　who　always　withdraws　behind　his　nets；　but　I　know　the
hand；　too；　that　is　set　in　motion　by　this　head；　it　is　the　Duke
d'Enghien。　He　is　an　untiring　conspirator；　wholly　occupied　with
infernal　machines　and　daggers　for　me。　Ah！　let　him　take　care　of
himself；　the　little　Duke　d'Enghien。　If　I　take　him；　I　will　exercise
the　right　of　retaliation　upon　him；　for　I　am　determined　to　have
peace。　〃We　now　come　to　your　conspiracy　number　three；　to　your　Deus　ex
machina；　the　so…called　Louis　XVII。　This　Deus　really　exists？〃

〃Yes；　general；　he　exists。〃

Bonaparte　laughed　aloud；　but　his　laughter　sounded　like　a　threat。　〃I
have　heard　of　this　story；〃　he　said。　〃The　good…natured　Kleber
believed　it；　and；　after　his　death；　a　paper　was　given　to　me；　written
by　him；　and　directed　to　me；　which　stated　that　his　so…called　nephew
Louis　was　the　heir　of　the　King　of　France；　and　implored　me　earnestly
to　take　the　orphan　of　the　Temple　under　my　protection。　I　instituted
inquiries　for　him　at　once；　it　was　after　the　battle　of　Marengo；　and
this　Monsieur　Louis　was；　till　then；　adjutant　of　General　Desaix。〃

〃Yes；　general；　adjutant　of　Desaix；　down　to　the　battle　of　Marengo
that　is；　to　the　death　of　Desaix。〃

〃If　I　mistake　not；　his　adjutant　was　wounded　in　the　battle；　and　lay
at　the　hospital　in　Alessandria。〃

〃It　is　so；　general。　I　wonder　how　closely　you　have　been　informed
respecting　the　fortunes　of　this　young　man。〃

〃From　that　time　all　trace　of　him　has　been　lost；　and　all　my　inquiries
have　proved　in　vain。　The　adjutant　of　Desaix；　who　fought　so　bravely；
and　who　bore　my　dying　comrade　in　his　arms；　deserved　advancement；　and
I　wanted　to　give　it　to　him；　and　therefore　searched　for　him；　but　in
vain。　I　believed　him　dead；　and　now　you　come　and　tell　me　about　a
conspiracy　in　favor　of　Louis　XVII。　This　young　pretender　is　still
alive；　then；　and　there　are　childlike　souls　who　believe　his　story；
are　there？〃

〃General；　he　says　little；　for　he　is　very　silent　and　reticent；　but　he
has　testimonials　which　speak　for　him；　and　which　show　that　his　story
is　not　an　idle　tale；　but　a　fragment　of　history。　His　papers　give
clear　and　undeniable　evidence　cf　his　lineage　and　the　course　of　his
life。〃

〃I　should　like　to　see　these　papers　once；〃　said　the　consul。

〃He　never　lets　them　go　out　of　his　hands；　for　he　knows　very　well　that
they　are　his　security　for　a　crown。〃

〃Then　bring　me　the　man　himself；　and　then　I　shall　have　him　and　his
papers；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　growl　like　a　lion's。　〃Is　not　he　the
head　of　the　conspiracy？〃

〃Yes；　general；　the　head　of　a　conspiracy　which　I　have　conducted；
because　I　meant　to　have　all　the　threads　in　my　hands；　if　I　was　to　see
clearly。　In　order　to　prove　the　royalists；　I　threw　them　this　bait；
and　many　of　them　have　taken　the　hook　and　come　over　to　the　young
king。　In　this　way　I　have　made　a　division　in　the　ranks　of　the
royalists；　and　the　Count　de　Lille　already　sees　the　consequences。　The
so…called　orphan　of　the　Temple　has　at　this　hour　no　enemy　who　hates
him　more　than　the　Count　de　Lille。〃

〃But　this　enmity　of　the　Count　de　Lille　vanishes　like　a　glow…worm　in
the　darkness。　I　want　tangible　proofs　by　which　I　can　arrest　my
enemies。　Can　you　give　them　to　me？〃

〃General；　it　will　not　be　difficult　to　do　this。　We　will　speak　of　it
hereafter。　Allow　me　first　a　word　about　this　dangerous　adjutant　of
Desaix；　Colonel　Louis。　You　said；　general；　that　you　made　futile
efforts　to　gain　information　about　this　interesting　and　brave　young
man。　Those　efforts　were　made　in　the　years　when　M。　Regnier　d'Angely
was　chief　of　police；　in　which　my　enemies　succeeded　in　withdrawing
the　confidence　of　the　First　Consul　from　me。　But　had　I　been　chief　of
police　at　that　time；　I　should　have　been　able　to　tell　you　that　the
young　man　whom　you　were　seeking；　and　respecting　whom　you　obtained　no
information；　was　living　here　in　Paris。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　in　amazement。　〃This　so…called　Louis　XVII。
in　Paris；　then？〃　〃General；　he　is　still　here；　he　has　been　living　in
Paris　for　about　four　yearsabout　as　long　as　M。　Regnier　has　been
head　of　police。〃

〃And　Regnier　has　told　me　nothing　about　it！　Has　he　not　known　that　so
dangerous　a　person　was　living　in　Paris？〃

Fouche　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Monsieur　Regnierwho　doubts　the
existence　of　secret　societies　in　France；　and　tells　you　that　the
assassins　who　have　so　often　of　late　imperilled　your　life　have　all
been　sent　hither　from　foreign　parts　by　the　pretenders　to　the　crown；
and　that　there　are　no　conspirators　in　FranceMonsieur　Regnier　could
not　of　course　know　the　head　of　this　secret　society。　He　left　them　to
follow　their　own　pleasures　unhindered　here　in　Paris。　But　I　know
them；　and　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor；　general；　that　the　so…called
nephew　of　Kleber　is　living　here　in　Paris。　Directly　after　his　arrival
he　came　to　me；　and　I　handed　to　him　the　papers　and　documents　which
Desaix　intrusted　to　me；　and　which　I　had　solemnly　sworn　to　deliver　to
his　adjutant　Louis。　The　young　man　gave　me　his　confidence；　and　when　I
spoke　to　him　regretfully　and　with　enthusiasm　about　his　father　and
his　mother；　and　addressed　him　as　'his　majesty；'　I　won　his　love。　He
opened　his　heart　to　me；　confessed　that　he　was　Louis　XVII。；　and　asked
my　counsel　and　help。　I　promised　him　both；　and　showed　myself　to　him
in　a　very　compliant　and　devoted　mood。　My　first　counsel　was；　that　he
should　live　incognito　under　a　borrowed　name。　In　order　that　this
might　be　possible；　I　gave　him　the　name　for　his　incognito；　and　had
all　the　necessary　documents　prepared；　the　certificate　of　his　birth；
baptism；　the　marriage　of　his　parents；　and　the　will　of　his
relatives。〃

〃And　all　these　documents　were　false　and　forged？〃　said　Bonaparte；　in
amazement。

〃There　are　everywhere　pliable　public　officials　in　France；〃　replied
Fouche；　with　a　smile。　〃I　did　not　content　myself　with　procuring　for
my　protege　the　papers　which　insured　him　an　honorable　name；
respectable　family　position；　and　a　life　without　care；　I　did　much
more　for　him。　I　followed　the　efforts　already　related　with　others。　I
had　a　certificate　of　the　death　of　M。　Louis　prepared；　so　as　to　give
him　a　passport　out　of　life。　In　order　to　protect　himself　from　every
injury；　I　told　him　that　he；　as　the　adjutant　of　Desaix；　must　pass　as
dead。　He　approved　of　it；　and　I　took　the　pains　to　procure　from　the
hospital　at　Alessandria　a　duly　signed　and　sealed　certificate　that
Colonel　Louis；　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix；　died　of　his　wounds
there。〃

〃Good　God！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　〃is　every　thing　in　life　to　be　bought
and　sold　thus？〃

〃Yes；　general；　every　thingloyalty　and　love；　life　and　death。　I　have
caused　the　son　of　the　King　of　France　to　die；　and　then　rise　again
and　all　with　gold。　But；　when　the　certificate　arrived；　a　change　had
occurred　in　my　relations。　I　had　been　removed　from　office；　and
Regnier　was　my　successor。　I　kept　the　certificate　in　my　possession；
but；　in　order　to　secure　my　protege　against　what　might　befall　me　in
case　of　my　death；　I　wrote　to　him　that　I　had　received　the　papers；　and
that　he　would　live　without　danger　in　Paris；　under　his　assumed　name。
This　letter　I　signed　with　my　whole　name；　and　set　my　seal　to　it；　that
in　case　of　need　it　might　be　of　service　to　him。〃

〃Fouche；　you　are　a　sly　fox；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　laugh。　〃It　is
easier　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　a　cannonball　than　out　of　your
snares。　One　might　say　to　you；　in　the　words　of　the　King　of　Prussia；
'God　defend　mo　from　my　friends；　from　my　enemies　I　can　defend
myself！'　According　to　this　you　have　caused　Colonel　Louis　to　die　for
friendship's　sake；　and　rise　again　under　another　name。〃

〃Yes；　general；　that　is　it！　Colonel　Louisthat　is；　the　rightful
king；　Louis　XVII。is　a　tool　in　my　hands；　which　I　hold　as　a　check　to
all　parties；　and　which　I　can　hold　up　or　withdraw　according　as　it
pleases　me。　At　present　my　game　is　not　merely　to　bring　disunion　and
hatred　into　the　ranks　of　the　royalists；　but　to　bring　over　many
republicans　who　have　a　soft　heart；　to　be　zealous　partisans　of　the
young　and　unfortunate　king。〃

〃And　afterward；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　sterner　tone；　〃you　might
make　use　of　this　instrument　to　intimidate　that　fourth　party　of　which
you　spoke　befor