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Chamber of Representatives at Paris； which was at first supposed to be a
clap of thunder； but was soon ascertained to have been occasioned by a
young Samson having fallen with a packet of detonating powder in his
pocket。
On receiving this intelligence I imagined； I know not why； that this
young Saxon was La Sahla； and that he had probably intended to blow up
Napoleon and even the Legislative Body； but I have since ascertained that
I was under a mistake as to his intentions。 My knowledge of La Sahla's
candour induces me to believe the truth of his declarations to the
police； and if there be any inaccuracies in the report of these
declarations I do not hesitate to attribute them to the police itself；
of which Fouche was the head at the period in question。
It is the latter part of the report which induced me to observe above；
that if there were any inaccuracies in the statement they were more
likely to proceed from Fouche's police than the false representations of
young La Sahla。 It is difficult to give credit without proof to such
accusations。 However； I decide nothing； but I consider it my duty to
express doubts of the truth of these charges brought against the two
Prussian ministers； of whom the Prince of Wittgenstein； a man of
undoubted honour； has always spoken to me in the best of terms。
There is nothing to prove that La Sahla returned to France the second
time with the same intentions as before。 This project； however； is a
mystery to me； and his detonating powder gives rise to many conjectures。
I had scarcely left Hamburg when the Prince of Eckmuhl （Marshal Davoust）
was appointed Governor…General of that place on the union of the Hanse
Towns with the Empire。 From that period I was constantly occupied in
contending against the persecutions and denunciations which he racked his
imagination to invent。 I cannot help attributing to those persecutions
the Emperor's coolness towards me on my arrival in Paris。 But as
Davoust's calumnies were devoid of proof； he resorted to a scheme by
which a certain appearance of probability might supply the place of
truth。 When I arrived in Paris； at the commencement of 1811； I was
informed by an excellent friend I had left at Hamburg； M。 Bouvier； an
emigrant； and one of the hostages of Louis XVI。； that in a few days I
would receive a letter which would commit me； and likewise M。 de
Talleyrand and General Rapp。 I had never had any connection on matters
of business； with either of these individuals； for whom I entertained the
most sincere attachment。 They； like myself； were not in the good graces
of Marshal Davoust； who could not pardon the one for his incontestable
superiority of talent； and the other for his blunt honesty。 On the
receipt of M。 Bouvier's letter I carried it to the Due de Rovigo； whose
situation made him perfectly aware of the intrigues which had been
carried on against me since I had left Hamburg by one whose ambition
aspired to the Viceroyalty of Poland。 On that； as on many other similar
occasions； the Duc de Rovigo advocated my cause with Napoleon。 We agreed
that it would be best to await the arrival of the letter which M。 Bouvier
had announced。 Three weeks elapsed； and the letter did not appear。 The
Duc de Rovigo； therefore； told me that I must have been misinformed。
However； I was certain that M。 Bouvier would not have sent me the
information on slight grounds； and I therefore supposed that the project
had only been delayed。 I was not wrong in my conjecture； for at length
the letter arrived。 To what a depth of infamy men can descend！ The。
letter was from a man whom I had known at Hamburg； whom I had obliged；
whom I had employed as a spy。 His epistle was a miracle of impudence。
After relating some extraordinary transactions which he said had taken
place between us； and which all bore the stamp of falsehood； he requested
me to send him by return of post the sum of 60；000 francs on account of
what I had promised him for some business he executed in England by the
direction of M。 de Talleyrand； General Rapp； and myself。 Such miserable
wretches are often caught in the snares they spread for others。 This was
the case in the present instance； for the fellow had committed； the
blunder of fixing upon the year 1802 as the period of this pretended
business in England； that is to say； two years before my appointment as
Minister…Plenipotentiary to the Hanse Towns。 This anachronism was not
the only one I discovered in the letter。
I took a copy of the letter； and immediately carried the original to the
Duc de Rovigo； as had been agreed between us。 When I waited on the
Minister he was just preparing to go to the Emperor。 He took with him
the letter which I brought； and also the letter which announced its
arrival。 As the Duc de Rovigo entered the audience…chamber Napoleon
advanced to meet him； and apostrophised him thus： 〃Well； I have learned
fine things of your Bourrienne； whom you are always defending。〃 The fact
was； the Emperor had already received a copy of the letter； which had
been opened at the Hamburg post…office。 The Due de Rovigo told the
Emperor that he had long known what his Majesty had communicated to him。
He then entered into a full explanation of the intrigue； of which it was
wished to render me the victim； and proved to him the more easily the
falsehood of my accusers by reminding him that in 1802 I was not in
Hamburg； but was still in his service at home。
It may be supposed that I was too much interested in knowing what had
passed at the Tuileries not to return to the Duc de Rovigo the same day。
I learned from him the particulars which I have already related。 He
added that he had observed to the Emperor that there was no connection
between Rapp and M。 Talleyrand which could warrant the suspicion of their
being concerned in the affair in question。 〃When Napoleon saw the matter
in its true light；〃 said Savary； 〃when I proved to him the palpable
existence of the odious machination； he could not find terms to express
his indignation。 'What baseness； what horrible villainy！' he exclaimed；
and gave me orders to arrest and bring to Paris the infamous writer of
the letter； and you may rely upon it his orders shall be promptly
obeyed。〃
Savary； as he had said； instantly despatched orders for the arrest of the
writer； whom he directed to be sent to France。 On his arrival he was
interrogated respecting the letter。 He declared that he had written it
at the instigation and under the dictation of Marshal Davoust； for doing
which he received a small sum of money as a reward。 He also confessed
that when the letter was put into the post the Prince of Eckmuhl ordered
the Director of the Post to open it； take a copy； then seal it again； and
send it to its addressthat is to say； to meand the copy to the
Emperor。 The writer of the letter was banished to Marseilles； or to the
Island of Hyeres； but the individual who dictated it continued a Marshal；
a Prince； and a Governor…General； and still looked forward to the
Viceroyalty of Poland！ Such was the discriminating justice of the
Empire； and Davoust continued his endeavours to revenge himself by other