certificates　and　papers　made　out；　and　enter　your　property　in　the
  Bank　of　France　under　the　name　of　the　Baron　de　Richemont。　If　you
  please；　come　to…morrow　to　me；　and　I　will　deliver　to　you　the　papers
  of　Monsieur　de　Richemont。〃
  〃I　shall　come；　be　sure　of　that；〃　said　Louis；　giving　him　his　hand；
  〃it　seems　to　me　my　fate　to　go　incognito　through　life；　and　God　alone
  knows　whether　I　shall　ever　abandon　this　incognito。〃
  He　saluted　Fouche　with　a　sad　smile；　and　went　out。　The　minister
  listened　to　the　resounding　footstep；　and　then　broke　out　into　loud；
  mocking　laughter。
  〃Foolish　boy！〃　he　said；　raising　his　hand　threateningly；　〃foolish
  boy！　You　suppose　that　only　God　knows　whether　you　will　ever　come　out
  of　your　incognito。　You　mistakebesides　God；　Fouche　knows　it。　Yes；
  Fouche　knows　that　this　incognito　extends　over　you　like　a　net；　from
  which　you　never　will　escape。　No；　the　Baron　de　Richemont　shall　never
  be　transformed　into　King　Louis　XVII。　But　he　shall　be　an　instrument
  with　which　I　will　hold　in　check　this　ambitious　Consul　Bonaparte；　who
  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　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；