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French； was submitted to the French people for acceptance Monsieur
d'Hauteserre signed the paper Goulard brought him。 When it was made
known that the Pope would come to France to crown the Emperor；
Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne no longer opposed the general desire that
her cousins and the young d'Hauteserres should petition to have their
names struck off the list of /emigres/； and be themselves reinstated
in their rights as citizens。 On this； old d'Hauteserre went to Paris
and consulted the ci…devant Marquis de Chargeboeuf who knew
Talleyrand。 That minister； then in favor； conveyed the petition to
Josephine； and Josephine gave it to her husband； who was addressed as
Emperor； Majesty； Sire； before the result of the popular vote was
known。 Monsieur de Chargeboeuf； Monsieur d'Hauteserre； and the Abbe
Goujet； who also went to Paris； obtained an interview with Talleyrand；
who promised them his support。 Napoleon had already pardoned several
of the principal actors in the great royalist conspiracy； and yet；
though the four gentlemen were merely suspected of complicity； the
Emperor； after a meeting of the Council of State； called the senator
Malin； Fouche； Talleyrand； Cambaceres； Lebrun； and Dubois； prefect of
police； into his cabinet。
〃Gentlemen；〃 said the future Emperor； who still wore the dress of the
First Consul； 〃we have received from the Sieurs de Simeuse and
d'Hauteserre； officers in the army of the Prince de Conde； a request
to be allowed to re…enter France。〃
〃They are here now；〃 said Fouche。
〃Like many others whom I meet in Paris；〃 remarked Talleyrand。
〃I think you have not met these gentlemen；〃 said Malin； 〃for they are
hidden in the forest of Nodesme； where they consider themselves at
home。〃
He was careful not to tell the First Consul and Fouche how he himself
had given them warning； by talking with Grevin within hearing of
Michu； but he made the most of Corentin's reports and convinced
Napoleon that the four gentlemen were sharers in the plot of Riviere
and Polignac； with Michu for an accomplice。 The prefect of police
confirmed these assertions。
〃But how could that bailiff know that the conspiracy was discovered？〃
said the prefect； 〃for the Emperor and the council and I were the only
persons in the secret。〃
No one paid attention to this remark。
〃If they have been hidden in that forest for the last seven months and
you have not been able to find them；〃 said the Emperor to Fouche；
〃they have expiated their misdeeds。〃
〃Since they are my enemies as well；〃 said Malin； frightened by the
Emperor's clear…sightedness； 〃I desire to follow the magnanimous
example of your Majesty； I therefore make myself their advocate and
ask that their names be stricken from the list of /emigres/。〃
〃They will be less dangerous to you here than if they are exiled； for
they will now have to swear allegiance to the Empire and the laws；〃
said Fouche； looking at Malin fixedly。
〃In what way are they dangerous to the senator？〃 asked Napoleon。
Talleyrand spoke to the Emperor for some minutes in a low voice。 The
reinstatement of the Messieurs de Simeuse and d'Hauteserre appeared to
be granted。
〃Sire；〃 said Fouche； 〃rely upon it； you will hear of those men again。〃
Talleyrand； who had been urged by the Duc de Grandlieu； gave the
Emperor pledges in the name of the young men on their honor as
gentlemen （a term which had great fascination for Napoleon）； to
abstain from all attacks upon his Majesty and to submit themselves to
his government in good faith。
〃Messieurs d'Hauteserre and de Simeuse are not willing to bear arms
against France； now that events have taken their present course；〃 he
said； aloud； 〃they have little sympathy； it is true； with the Imperial
government； but they are just the men that your Majesty ought to
conciliate。 They will be satisfied to live on French soil and obey the
laws。〃
Then he laid before the Emperor a letter he had received from the
brothers in which these sentiments were expressed。
〃Anything so frank is likely to be sincere；〃 said the Emperor；
returning the letter and looking at Lebrun and Cambaceres。 〃Have you
any further suggestions？〃 he asked of Fouche。
〃In your Majesty's interests；〃 replied the future minister of police；
〃I ask to be allowed to inform these gentlemen of their reinstatement
when it is /really granted/；〃 he added； in a louder tone。
〃Very well；〃 said Napoleon； noticing an anxious look on Fouche's face。
The matter did not seem positively decided when the Council rose； but
it had the effect of putting into Napoleon's mind a vague distrust of
the four young men。 Monsieur d'Hauteserre； believing that all was
gained； wrote a letter announcing the good news。 The family at Cinq…
Cygne were therefore not surprised when； a few days later； Goulard
came to inform the countess and Madame d'Hauteserre that they were to
send the four gentlemen to Troyes； where the prefect would show them
the decree reinstating them in their rights and administer to them the
oath of allegiance to the Empire and the laws。 Laurence replied that
she would send the notification to her cousins and the Messieurs
d'Hauteserre。
〃Then they are not here？〃 said Goulard。
Madame d'Hauteserre looked anxiously after Laurence； who left the room
to consult Michu。 Michu saw no reason why the young men should not be
released at once from their hiding…place。 Laurence； Michu； his son；
and Gothard therefore started as soon as possible for the forest；
taking an extra horse； for the countess resolved to accompany her
cousins to Troyes and return with them。 The whole household； made
aware of the good news； gathered on the lawn to witness the departure
of the happy cavalcade。 The four young men issued from their long
confinement； mounted their horses； and took the road to Troyes；
accompanied by Mademoiselle Cinq…Cygne。 Michu； with the help of his
son and Gothard； closed the entrance to the cellar； and started to
return home on foot。 On the way he recollected that he had left the
forks and spoons and a silver cup； which the young men had been using；
in the cave； and he went back for them alone。 When he reached the edge
of the pond he heard voices； and went straight to the entrance of the
cave through the brushwood。
〃Have you come for your silver？〃 said Peyrade； showing his big red
nose through the branches。
Without knowing why； for at any rate his young masters were safe；
Michu felt a sharp agony in all his joints； so keen was the sense of
vague； indefinable coming evil which took possession of him； but he
went forward at once； and found Corentin on the stairs with a taper in
his hand。
〃We are not very harsh；〃 he said to Michu； 〃we might have seized your
ci…devants any day for the last week； but we knew they were reinstated
You're a tough fellow to deal with； and you gave us too much trouble
not to make us anxious to satisfy our curiosity about this hiding…
place of yours。〃
〃I'd give something；〃 cried Michu； 〃to know how and by whom we have
been sold。〃
〃If that puzzles you； old fellow；〃 said Peyrade； laughing； 〃look at
your horses' shoes； and you'll see that you betrayed yourselves。〃
〃Well； there need be no