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Consul； which was in peril from this cause long after the victory of
Marengo。 It was Fouche's sense of the evil he had thus brought about
which led him to warn Napoleon； who held a contrary opinion； that
republicans were more concerned than royalists in the various
conspiracies。
〃Fouche was an admirable judge of men； he relied on Sieyes because of
his thwarted ambition； on Talleyrand because he was a great
/seigneur/； on Carnot for his perfect honesty； but the man he dreaded
was the one whom you have seen here this evening。 I will now tell how
he entangled that man in his meshes。
〃Malin was only Malin in those days；a secret agent and correspondent
of Louis XVIII。 Fouche now compelled him to reduce to writing all the
proclamations of the proposed revolutionary government； its warrants
and edicts against the factions of the 18th Brumaire。 An accomplice
against his own will； Malin was required to have these documents
secretly printed； and the copies held ready in his own house for
distribution if Bonaparte were defeated。 The printer was subsequently
imprisoned and detained two months； he died in 1816； and always
believed he had been employed by a Montagnard conspiracy。
〃One of the most singular scenes ever played by Fouche's police was
caused by the blunder of an agent； who despatched a courier to a
famous banker of that day with the news of a defeat at Marengo。
Victory； you will remember； did not declare itself for Napoleon until
seven o'clock in the evening of the battle。 At midday the banker's
agent； considering the day lost and the French army about to be
annihilated； hastened to despatch the courier。 On receipt of that news
Fouche was about to put into motion a whole army of bill…posters and
cries； with a truck full of proclamations； when the second courier
arrived with the news of the triumph which put all France beside
itself with joy。 There were heavy losses at the Bourse； of course。 But
the criers and posters who were gathered to announce the political
death of Bonaparte and to post up the new proclamations were only kept
waiting awhile till the news of the victory could be struck off！
〃Malin； on whom the whole responsibility of the plot of which he had
been the working agent was likely to fall if it ever became known； was
so terrified that he packed the proclamations and other papers in
carts and took them down to Gondreville in the night…time； where no
doubt they were hidden in the cellars of that chateau； which he had
bought in the name of another manwho was it； by the bye？ he had him
made chief…justice of an Imperial courtAh！ Marion。 Having thus
disposed of these damning proofs he returned to Paris to congratulate
the First Consul on his victory。 Napoleon； as you know； rushed from
Italy to Paris after the battle of Marengo with alarming celerity。
Those who know the secret history of that time are well aware that a
message from Lucien brought him back。 The minister of the interior had
foreseen the attitude of the Montagnard party； and though he had no
idea of the quarter from which the wind really blew； he feared a
storm。 Incapable of suspecting the three ministers and Carnot； he
attributed the movement which stirred all France to the hatred his
brother had excited by the 18th Brumaire； and to the confident belief
of the men of 1793 that defeat was certain in Italy。
〃The battle of Marengo detained Napoleon on the plains of Lombardy
until the 25th of June； but he reached Paris on the 2nd of July。
Imagine the faces of the five conspirators as they met the First
Consul at the Tuileries； and congratulated him on the victory。 Fouche
on that very occasion at the palace told Malin to have patience； for
/all was not over yet/。 The truth was； Talleyrand and Fouche both held
that Bonaparte was not as much bound to the principles of the
Revolution as they were； and as he ought to be； and for this reason；
as well as for their own safety； they subsequently； in 1804； buckled
him irrevocably； as they believed； to its cause by the affair of the
Duc d'Enghien。 The execution of that prince is connected by a series
of discoverable ramifications with the plot which was laid on that
June evening in the boudoir of the ministry of foreign affairs； the
night before the battle of Marengo。 Those who have the means of
judging； and who have known persons who were well…informed； are fully
aware that Bonaparte was handled like a child by Talleyrand and
Fouche； who were determined to alienate him irrevocably from the House
of Bourbon； whose agents were even then； at the last moment；
endeavoring to negotiate with the First Consul。〃
〃Talleyrand was playing whist in the salon of Madame de Luynes；〃 said
a personage who had been listening attentively to de Marsay's
narrative。 〃It was about three o'clock in the morning； when he pulled
out his watch； looked at it； stopped the game； and asked his three
companions abruptly and without any preface whether the Prince de
Conde had any other children than the Duc d'Enghien。 Such an absurd
inquiry from the lips of Talleyrand caused the utmost surprise。 'Why
do you ask us what you know perfectly well yourself？' they said to
him。 'Only to let you know that the House of Conde comes to an end at
this moment。' Now Monsieur de Talleyrand had been at the hotel de
Luynes the entire evening； and he must have known that Bonaparte was
absolutely unable to grant the pardon。〃
〃But；〃 said Eugene de Rastignac； 〃I don't see in all this any
connection with Madame de Cinq…Cygnes and her troubles。〃
〃Ah； you were so young at that time； my dear fellow； I forgot to
explain the conclusion。 You all know the affair of the abduction of
the Comte de Gondreville； then senator of the Empire； for which the
Simeuse brothers and the two d'Hauteserres were condemned to the
galleys；an affair which did； in fact； lead to their death。〃
De Marsay； entreated by several persons present to whom the
circumstances were unknown； related the whole trial； stating that the
mysterious abductors were five sharks of the secret service of the
ministry of the police； who were ordered to obtain the proclamations
of the would…be Directory which Malin had surreptitiously taken from
his house in Paris； and which he had himself come to Gondreville for
the express purpose of destroying； being convinced at last that the
Empire was on a sure foundation and could not be overthrown。 〃I have
no doubt；〃 added de Marsay； 〃that Fouche took the opportunity to have
the house searched for the correspondence between Malin and Louis
XVIII。； which was always kept up； even during the Terror。 But in this
cruel affair there was a private element； a passion of revenge in the
mind of the leader of the party； a man named Corentin； who is still
living； and who is one of those subaltern agents whom nothing can
replace and who makes himself felt by his amazing ability。 It appears
that Madame； then Mademoiselle de Cinq…Cygne； had ill…treated him on a
former occasion when he attempted to arrest the Simeuse brothers。 What
happened afterwards in connection with the senator's abduction was the
result of his private vengeance。
〃These facts were known； of course； to Malin； and