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himself said； 'The republic demands a royal victim。 If it is not
this so…called King Louis； let it be the Duke d'Enghien； for a
victim must fall； in order to intimidate the royalists； and bring
peace at last。〃
〃But I will not have you bring human victims；〃 cried Josephine； 〃the
republic shall no longer be a cruel Moloch； as it was in the days of
the guillotine。 You shall； and you must； save the son of Queen Marie
Antoinette。 I desire to have peace in my conscience； that I may live
without reproach； and be happier perhaps than now。〃
〃But it is impossible；〃 insisted Fouche。 〃You have heard yourself
that if； before the sun goes down； Louis be not imprisoned； the sun
of my good fortune will have set。〃
〃And I told you； Fouche； that if you do thisif you become a
regicide a second timeI will be your unappeasable enemy your whole
life long； I will undertake to avenge on you the death of the queen
and her son； I will follow your every step with my hate； and will
not rest till I have overthrown you。 And you know well that
Bonaparte loves me； that I have influence with him； and that what I
mean to do； I accomplish at last by prayers； tears； and frowns。 So
do not exasperate me； Fouche； do not make me your irreconcilable
enemy。 Save the son of the king whom you killed； conciliate the
shades of his unhappy parents。 Fouche； we are in the cabinet of the
queen！ Here she often tarried； here she often pressed her son to her
heart； and asked God's blessing on him。 Fouche； the spirit of Marie
Antoinette is with us； and she will know it if you in pity spare the
life of her son。 Marie Antoinette will accuse you at the throne of
God； and plead with God to show you no compassion； if you refuse to
be merciful to her son。 Fouche； in the name of the queenon my
kneesI implore you； save her son！〃
And Josephine； her face bathed in tears； sank before him and raised
her folded hands suppliantly to Fouche。 The minister； deeply moved；
pale with the recollections which Josephine awakened within him；
stooped down to her； and bade her arise； and when she refused； and
begged and threatened； and wept； his obstinacy was at last touched；
or perhaps his prudence； which counselled him to make a friend；
rather than an enemy； out of the all…powerful wife of the future
emperor。
〃Rise； madame；〃 he said。 〃What mortal is able to resist your
requests； since Bonaparte himself cannot？ I will save your protege；
whatever shall come to me afterward from it。〃
She sprang up； and in the wildness of her joy threw her beautiful
arms around Fouche's neck； and kissed him。
〃Fouche；〃 she said； 〃I give you this kiss in the name of Queen Marie
Antoinette。 It is a kiss of forgiveness； and of blessing。 You swear
to me that you will save him？〃
〃I swear it； madame！〃
〃And I swear to you that as soon as he is saved； and Bonaparte's
anger can no longer reach him； I will confess all to my husband； and
put it in such a Light that Bonaparte shall thank and reward you。
Now tell me； how you will save him。〃
〃I shall only be able if you will help me； madame。〃
〃I am ready for any thingthat you know well。 Tell me what I shall
do。〃
〃You must yourself direct a few lines to the young man； conjuring
him in the name of his mother to fly； to save himself from the anger
of the First Consulto leave Europe。〃
〃Oh！ Fouche； how sly you are！〃 said Josephine； sadly。
〃You want my handwriting； in order to justify yourself to the First
Consul in case of emergency； very good。 I will write the billet。〃
She hastened to her table； dashed a few words upon paper； and then
passed the note to Fouche。 〃Read it；〃 she said； 〃it contains all
that is necessary； does it not？〃
〃Yes； madame； and you have written in such beautiful and moving
words； that the young man will be melted； and will obey you。 Will
you now have the goodness to put the note in an envelope and to
address it？〃
She folded it； and put it into an envelope。 〃To whom shall I address
it？〃 she then asked。
〃Address it to King Louis XVII。〃
She did so with a quick stroke of the pen and handed the letter to
Fouche。 〃Take it；〃 she said； 〃it is your justification。 And in order
that you may be entirely secure；〃 she continued； with a slight
smile； 〃retain this letter yourself。 What I would say to this young
man I would rather communicate by word of mouth。〃
〃How；〃 cried Fouche； 〃 you want〃
〃To see and speak with the king；〃 she said； sorrowfully； 〃to beg his
forgiveness for myself and Bonaparte。 Hush！ do not oppose me； I am
resolved upon it。 I want to see the young man。〃
〃But he cannot come here； madamehere； into the very den of the
lion。〃
〃No； not here； into the desecrated palace of the kings；〃 she
answered； bitterly。 〃No； he cannot come hereI shall go to him。〃
〃You are jesting； madame； it is impossible。 You； the wife of the
First Consul； you will〃
〃I want to fulfil a duty of gratitude and of loyalty； Fouche。 In my
heart I still feel myself the subject of the queen。 Let me follow
the call of my heart！ Listen！ My carriage stands ready。 I was
intending to drive to my friend Madame Tallien。 I will take a
pleasure…drive instead。 In the Bois de Boulogne I will cause the
carriage to stop； send it away； and return on foot。 You will await
in there with a fiacre and take me to the king。〃
〃It shall be so；〃 said Fouche。 〃Your will shall be my law。 I only
ask that you hasten； for you know well that I have much to do to…
day。 I shall take advantage of the time to procure for the young man
the necessary passports for travel。 But； madame； you must help him
leave the city。 For you know that the gates are all closed。〃
〃I will tell Bonaparte that I am troubled to be in the city； now
that it is so shut in。 I will drive out to St。 Cloud。 His carriage
can follow mine； and if the gate…keeper puts hinderances in the way；
I will command him to let Louis pass。 Now let us hasten！〃
An hour later Josephine； after dismissing her equipage with the
servants； entered the fiacre which was waiting for her near the
fountain。 Fouche received her there； and was unwearied in his
complaints of the poor carriage which the wife of the First Consul
must use。
Josephine smiled； 〃My dear sir；〃 she said； 〃there have been times
when I should have been very proud and very happy to have had such a
fiacre as this； and not to have been compelled to walk through the
muddy streets of Paris。 Let it be as it is！ The present days of
superfluity have not made me proud； and I have a vivid recollection
of the past。 But tell me； Fouche； whither are we driving； and where
does the young king live？〃
〃We are driving； if you graciously approve of it； to my house； and I
have brought the young man there； for in his own house he is no
longer safe。 I have had it surrounded by agents of the secret
police； with orders to arrest him on his return。 He will； of course；
not return； and it will be easier to assume the appearance that he
received an intimation of his peril and escaped in season。 But here
we are before my door； and if you will draw the thick veil which
happily you have fastened to your bonnet； carefully before your
face； I hope that no one will see that the most beautiful