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to hang him； for that is the only way of intimidating these fellows
and inspiring them with respect。〃
〃Sire； you shall have your great thieves；〃 said Fouche； with a
smile。
〃Give them into my hands； and I promise you they shall never
escape；〃 cried Bonaparte； eagerly。 〃It is high time to make an
example； and show these people at last that I claim the right of
paying back。 The Count de Lille and the Duke d'Enghien are always
egging their conspirators upon me； they appear to have no other aim
than to get rid of me； and are unwearied with their daggers；
infernal machines； and counter…plots。 But their own persons； and
those of their highest helpers； always remain beyond reach。 They
arrange their plans always at a safe distance； and risk nothing by
this； for； if we take some of their subordinate tools and punish
them； they make an outcry about barbarity and cruelty； and appeal to
their sacred right of using all means to regain their inheritance；
and reestablish the throne in France。 They do not deny that they
would have no conscientious scruples about shedding my blood。 Now；
why should I have any about shedding theirs？ Blood for blood； that
is the natural and unavoidable law of retaliation； and woe to him
who lays claim to it！ These Bourbons do so。 I have never injured one
of them personally； a great nation has placed me at its head； my
blood is worth as much as theirs； and it is time at last that I make
it al pari with theirs。 I will no longer serve as a target for all
murderers； and then afterward only find the dagger； instead of
seizing the hands that ply it。 Let me once have hold of the hands；
and all the daggers will disappear forever！〃
〃I will give these hands into your power； or； at least； some fingers
of them。〃
〃I want them all；〃 cried Bonaparte； eagerly；〃all the fingers； all
the hands。 You have spoken of three different conspiracies。 I want
the leaders of them； and then all others may run。 If the hydra loses
its three heads； it must at last die。 So give me the three heads；
that of the republicans and of the two royalist parties。 The head of
conspiracy number two I know； it is the Count de Lille。 He is the
sly spider who always withdraws behind his nets； but I know the
hand； too； that is set in motion by this head； it is the Duke
d'Enghien。 He is an untiring conspirator； wholly occupied with
infernal machines and daggers for me。 Ah！ let him take care of
himself； the little Duke d'Enghien。 If I take him； I will exercise
the right of retaliation upon him； for I am determined to have
peace。 〃We now come to your conspiracy number three； to your Deus ex
machina； the so…called Louis XVII。 This Deus really exists？〃
〃Yes； general； he exists。〃
Bonaparte laughed aloud； but his laughter sounded like a threat。 〃I
have heard of this story；〃 he said。 〃The good…natured Kleber
believed it； and； after his death； a paper was given to me； written
by him； and directed to me； which stated that his so…called nephew
Louis was the heir of the King of France； and implored me earnestly
to take the orphan of the Temple under my protection。 I instituted
inquiries for him at once； it was after the battle of Marengo； and
this Monsieur Louis was； till then； adjutant of General Desaix。〃
〃Yes； general； adjutant of Desaix； down to the battle of Marengo
that is； to the death of Desaix。〃
〃If I mistake not； his adjutant was wounded in the battle； and lay
at the hospital in Alessandria。〃
〃It is so； general。 I wonder how closely you have been informed
respecting the fortunes of this young man。〃
〃From that time all trace of him has been lost； and all my inquiries
have proved in vain。 The adjutant of Desaix； who fought so bravely；
and who bore my dying comrade in his arms； deserved advancement； and
I wanted to give it to him； and therefore searched for him； but in
vain。 I believed him dead； and now you come and tell me about a
conspiracy in favor of Louis XVII。 This young pretender is still
alive； then； and there are childlike souls who believe his story；
are there？〃
〃General； he says little； for he is very silent and reticent； but he
has testimonials which speak for him； and which show that his story
is not an idle tale； but a fragment of history。 His papers give
clear and undeniable evidence cf his lineage and the course of his
life。〃
〃I should like to see these papers once；〃 said the consul。
〃He never lets them go out of his hands； for he knows very well that
they are his security for a crown。〃
〃Then bring me the man himself； and then I shall have him and his
papers；〃 said Bonaparte； with a growl like a lion's。 〃Is not he the
head of the conspiracy？〃
〃Yes； general； the head of a conspiracy which I have conducted；
because I meant to have all the threads in my hands； if I was to see
clearly。 In order to prove the royalists； I threw them this bait；
and many of them have taken the hook and come over to the young
king。 In this way I have made a division in the ranks of the
royalists； and the Count de Lille already sees the consequences。 The
so…called orphan of the Temple has at this hour no enemy who hates
him more than the Count de Lille。〃
〃But this enmity of the Count de Lille vanishes like a glow…worm in
the darkness。 I want tangible proofs by which I can arrest my
enemies。 Can you give them to me？〃
〃General； it will not be difficult to do this。 We will speak of it
hereafter。 Allow me first a word about this dangerous adjutant of
Desaix； Colonel Louis。 You said； general； that you made futile
efforts to gain information about this interesting and brave young
man。 Those efforts were made in the years when M。 Regnier d'Angely
was chief of police； in which my enemies succeeded in withdrawing
the confidence of the First Consul from me。 But had I been chief of
police at that time； I should have been able to tell you that the
young man whom you were seeking； and respecting whom you obtained no
information； was living here in Paris。〃
〃What！〃 cried Bonaparte； in amazement。 〃This so…called Louis XVII。
in Paris； then？〃 〃General； he is still here； he has been living in
Paris for about four yearsabout as long as M。 Regnier has been
head of police。〃
〃And Regnier has told me nothing about it！ Has he not known that so
dangerous a person was living in Paris？〃
Fouche shrugged his shoulders。 〃Monsieur Regnierwho doubts the
existence of secret societies in France； and tells you that the
assassins who have so often of late imperilled your life have all
been sent hither from foreign parts by the pretenders to the crown；
and that there are no conspirators in FranceMonsieur Regnier could
not of course know the head of this secret society。 He left them to
follow their own pleasures unhindered here in Paris。 But I know
them； and I give you my word of honor； general； that the so…called
nephew of Kleber is living here in Paris。 Directly after his arrival
he came to me； and I handed to him the papers and documents which
Desaix intrusted to me； and which I had solemnly sworn to deliver to
his adjutant Louis。 The young man gave me his confidence； and when I
spoke to him regretfully and with enthusiasm about his father and
his mother； and addres