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〃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 foolish and senseless enough to believe such an idle tale？〃
〃Consul； you have already done so many things that are wonderful；
and have brought so many magic charms to reality； that I no longer
hold any thing to be impossible； as soon as you have laid your hand
upon it。〃
〃And therefore you hold a concealed magician's wand； which you
propose to draw forth at some decisive moment； and present to me； as
the cross is presented to Beelzebub in the tale？〃
〃I do not understand you； consul；〃 replied Fouche； with the most
innocent air in the world。
〃Well； then； I will make myself intelligible。 The magician's wand；
which you are keeping concealed； is called Louis XVII。 Oh！ do not
shake your cunning head； do not deny with your smooth lips； which
once uttered the death…sentence of Louis XVI。； and which now are
used to teach a fool and a pretender that he is the son of the
murdered king。 Truly； it is ridiculous。 The regicide wants to atone
for his offence by hatching a fable； and making a king out of a
manikin。〃
〃General； no fable； and no manikin；〃 cried Fouche； with a
threatening voice。 〃The son of the unfortunate king is alive； and〃
〃Ah！〃 interrupted Bonaparte； triumphantly； 〃so you confess at last；
you reveal your great secret at length！ I have driven the sly fox
out of his hole and the hunt can now begin。 It will be a hot chase；
I promise you； and I shall not rest till I have drawn the skin over
the ears of the fox； or〃
〃Until he says his pater peccavi？〃 asked Fouche； with a gentle
smile。
〃Until he delivers to me the changeling whom he wants to use as his
Deus ex machina；〃 replied Bonaparte。 〃My dear sir； it helps you not
at all to begin again this system of lies。 Your anger has betrayed
you； and I have succeeded in outwitting the fox。 The so…called 'son
of the king is alive；' that has escaped you； and you cannot take it
back。〃
〃No； it cannot be taken back；〃 replied Fouche； with a sigh。 〃I have
disclosed myself； or rather I have been outwitted。 You are in all
things a hero and a master； in cunning as much as in bravery and
discretion。 I bow before you as before a genius whom God Himself has
sent upon the earth； to bring the chaotic world into order again； I
bow before you as before my lord and master； and instead of opposing
you； I will henceforth be content with being your instrument；
provided that you will accept me as such。〃
〃That is； Fouche； provided that I will fulfil your conditions；〃
cried Bonaparte； with a shrug。 〃Very well name your conditions！
Without circumlocution！ What do you demand？〃
〃Consul； in order that we may understand one another； we must both
be open and unreserved。 Will you permit me to be free with you？〃
〃Certainly；〃 replied Bonaparte； with a condescending nod。
〃Consul； you have thrust me aside； you have no longer confidence in
me。 You have taken from me the post of minister of police； and given
it to my enemy Regnier。 That has given me pain； it has injured me；
for it has branded me before all the world as a useless man； whom
Bonaparte suspects。 Your enemies have believed that my alienation
from you would conduce to their advantage； and that out of the
dismissed police prefect they might gain an enemy to Bonaparte。
Conspirators of all kinds have come to meemissaries of Count de
Lille； deputies from the royalists in Vendee； as well as from the
red republicans； by whom you； Bonaparte； are as much hated as by the
royalists； for they will never forgive you for putting yourself at
the head of the republic； and making yourself their master。 All of
these parties have made propositions to me； all of them want me to
join them。 I have lent my ear to them all； I have been informed of
all their plans； and am at this hour the sworn ally of both the
republicans and the royalists。 Oh！ I beg you；〃 continued Fouche； as
Bonaparte started up； and opened his lips to speak〃I beg you；
general； hear me to the end； and do not interrupt me till I have
told you all。Yes； I have allied myself to three separate
conspiracies； and have become zealous in them all。 There is； first；
that of the republicans； who hate you as a tyrant of the republic；
there is； in the second place； the conspiracy of the royalists； who
want to put the Count de Lille on the throne； and third； there is
that of the genuine Capetists； who want to make the 'orphan of the
Temple' Louis XVII。 These three conspiracies have it as their first
object to remove and destroy Consul Bonaparte。 Yes； to reach this
end the three have united； and made a mutual compromise。 Whichever
party succeeds in murdering you； is to come into power； and the
others are to relinquish the field to it： and so if Bonaparte is
killed by a republican dagger； the republic is to remain at present
the recognized form of government； and if the ball of a royalist
removes you； the republicans strike their banner； and grant that
France shall determine； by a general ballot； 〃whether it shall be a
republic or a kingdom。〃
〃Well；〃 asked Bonaparte； calmly； as Fouche closed； and cast an
inquiring glance at the consul's face； which was； notwithstanding；
entirely cold and impenetrable〃 well； why do you stop？ I did not
interrupt you with a question。 Go on！〃
〃I will； consul。 I have made myself a member of these three
conspiracies； for； in order to contend with the heads of Cerberus；
one must have them all joined； and in order to be the conqueror in a
great affair； one must know who all his enemies are； and what are
all their plans。 I know all the plans of the allies； and because I
know them； it is within my power to bring discontent and enmity
among them； using for this end the third conspiracythat of the
dependants of Louis XVII。； the orphan of the Temple。 Through
sympathy with him； I have divided the party of royalists； I have
withdrawn from the Count de Lille many of his important dependants；
and even some of the chief conspirators； who came to Paris to
contend for Louis XVIII。； have recently in secret bent the knee to
Louis XVII。； and sworn fidelity to him。〃
〃That is not true；〃 cried Bonaparte； vehemently。 〃You are telling me
nurses' stories； with which children may be frightened； but men not。
There are no secret meetings in Paris！〃
〃General； if your minister of police； Regnier； has told you so； he
only shows that he is no man to be at the head of the police； and
knows nothing of the detective service。 I tell you； general； there
are secret societies in Paris； and I ought to know； for I am a
member of four separate ones。〃
〃Ah！ sir；〃 sneered Bonaparte； 〃you are out of your head！ Before； you
spoke of three conspiracies； and now they have grown to be four。〃
〃I am speaking now of secret societies； consul； for not every secret
society can be called a conspiracy。 Before； when I was giving
account of conspiracies； I mentioned three； now； when we speak of
secret societies； I have to mention a fourth。 But this does not
deserve the name of a conspiracy； for its object is not murder and
revolution； nor does it arm itself with daggers and pistols。〃