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is striving； for the throne； and this grasping Count de Lille； who
in his exile calls himself King Louis XVIII。the instrument with
which I threaten when I am threatened。 Only； my little Baron de
Richemont； I do not know what I can make out of you； but I know that
you shall make out of me a rich； dangerous； and dreaded man。 Poor；
credulous fool！ How easily you fall into the piti The Baron de
Richemont shall never escape from it。 I vouch for itI； Fouche！〃
CHAPTER XXXI。
FOUCHE。
The First Consul was walking with hasty steps up and down his
cabinet。 His eyes flashed； and his face； which elsewhere was
impenetrable； like that of the brazen statues of the Roman emperors；
disclosed the fiery impatience and stormy passions which raged
within him。 His lips； which were pressed closely together； opened
now and then to mutter a word of threatening or of anger； and that
word he hurled like a poisoned arrow directly at the man who； in a
respectful attitude and with pallid cheeks； stood not far from the
door； near the table covered with papers。This man was Fouche；
formerly the chief of police in Paris； and now a mere member of the
senate of the republic。 He had gone to the Tuileries in order to
request a secret audience of Bonaparte； who had now forgotten the
little prefix of 〃First〃 to his consular title； and now reigned
supreme and alone over France。
Bonaparte suddenly paused in his rapid walk； coming to a halt
directly in front of Fouche； and looked at him with flaming eyes； as
if they were two daggers with which he meant to pierce deep into his
heart。 But Fouche did not see this； for he stood with downcast eyes；
and appeared not to be aware that Bonaparte was so near him。
〃Fouche；〃 cried the consul； violently； 〃I know you； and I am not to
be deceived by your indifferent； affected air！ You shall know that I
do not fear youyou and all the ghosts that you can conjure up。 You
think that you frighten me； you wish that I should pay you dearly
for your secret。 But you shall know that I am not at all of a
timorous nature； and that I shall pay no money for the solution of a
riddle which I may perhaps be able to solve without your help。 I
warn you； sir； you secret…vender； be well on your guard！ You have
your spies； but I have my police； and they inform me about every
thing out of the usual course。 It is known； sir； that you are
carrying on a correspondence with people out of the country
understand me； with people out of the country！〃
〃Consul；〃 replied Fouche； calmly； 〃I have certainly not known that
the republic forbids its faithful servants to send letters abroad。〃
〃The republic will never allow one of its servants to correspond
with its enemies；〃 cried Bonaparte； in thundering tones。 〃Be silent；
sir！ no evasions； no circumlocutions！ Let us speak plainly； and to
the point。 You are in correspondence with the Count de Lille。〃
〃You know that； consul； for I have had the honor to give you a
letter myself； which the pretender directed to you； and sent to me
to be delivered。〃
〃A ridiculous； nonsensical letter；〃 replied Bonaparte； with a shrug；
〃a letter in which this fool demands of me to bring him back to
France； and to indicate the place which I wish to occupy in his
government。 By my word； an idiot could not write a more crazy
document！ I am to indicate the place which I wish to occupy in his
government！ Well； I shall do that； but there will be no place left
near me for the Bourbons； whom France has spewed out； as one spews
out mortal poison。 These hated and weak Bourbons shall never attain
to power and prestige again。 Prance has turned away from them。
France abhors this degenerate race of kings； it will erect a new
edifice of power and glory； but there will be no room in it for the
Bourbons！ Mark that； intriguer； and build no air…castles on it。 I
demand of you an open confession； for I shall accuse yon as a
traitor and a royalist。〃
〃Consul； I shall not avoid this charge；〃 replied Fouche； calmly；
〃and I am persuaded that Prance will follow with interest the course
of a trial which will unveil an important secretwhich will inform
it that the rightful King of France； according to the opinion of
Consul Bonaparte； did not die in the Temple under the tender care of
Simon the cobbler； but is still alive； and is； therefore； the true
heir of the crown。 That would occasion some joy to the royalists；
surely！〃
The consul stamped on the floor with rage； his eyes shot flames； and
when he spoke again； his voice rang like peals of thunder； so
angrily and so powerfully did it pour forth。
〃I will change the paecans and the joy of these royalists to
lamentations and wailings；〃 he cried。 〃All the enemies of France
shall know that I hold the sword in my hands； and mean to use it；
not only against foes without； but foes within。 France has given me
this sword； and I shall not lay it down； even if all the kings of
Europe； and all the Bourbons who lie in the vaults of St。 Denis；
leave their graves； to demand it from me！ I am the living sword of
France； and never shall this sword bow before the sceptre of a
Bourbon。 Fresh shoots might sooner spring from the dead stick which
the wanderer carries through the desert； than a Bourbon sceptre
could grow from the sword of Bonaparte； and all the same； whether
this Bourbon calls himself Louis XVII。 or Louis XVIII。！ Mark that；
Fouche； and mark also that when I once say 'I will；' I shall know
how to make my will good； even if the whole world ventures to
confront me。〃
〃I know that； consul；〃 said Fouche； with deference。 〃God gave you；
for the weal of France； an iron will and a brain of fire； and
destined you to wear not only laurels； but crowns。〃
A flame glared from the eyes of the consul and played over the face
of Fouche； but the latter appeared not to notice it； for he cast
down his eyes again； and his manner was easy and unconstrained。
〃You now speak a word which is not becoming；〃 said Bonaparte；
calmly。 〃I am the first servant of the republic； and in a republic
there are no crowns。〃
〃Not citizens' crowns； general？〃 asked Fouche； with a faint smile。
〃I mean； that this noblest of crowns can everywhere be acceptable；
and no head has merited such a crown more than the noble Consul
Bonaparte； who has made the republic of France a worthy rival of its
sister in North America。〃
Bonaparte threw his head proudly back。 〃I am not ambitious of the
honor；〃 he said； 〃of being Washington of France。〃
〃Yet you are he； general；〃 replied Fouche； with a smile。 〃Only the
Washington of France does not live in the White House which a
republic has built； but in the Tuileries； which he has received as
the heir of the French kings。 General； as the worthiest； the
greatest； the most powerful； and the most signally called； you have
come into the possession of the inheritance of the kings of France。
For to this inheritance belongs also the crown of France。 Why do you
refuse this； while accepting all the rest？〃
〃And what if I show you that I do not want it？〃 asked Bonaparte。
〃And what if I should tell you that I do not feel myself worthy to
assume the whole； undivided inheritance of the Bourbons？ Would you
be f