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　addressed　him　as　'his　majesty；'　I　won　his　love。　He
  opened　his　heart　to　me；　confessed　that　he　was　Louis　XVII。；　and　asked
  my　counsel　and　help。　I　promised　him　both；　and　showed　myself　to　him
  in　a　very　compliant　and　devoted　mood。　My　first　counsel　was；　that　he
  should　live　incognito　under　a　borrowed　name。　In　order　that　this
  might　be　possible；　I　gave　him　the　name　for　his　incognito；　and　had
  all　the　necessary　documents　prepared；　the　certificate　of　his　birth；
  baptism；　the　marriage　of　his　parents；　and　the　will　of　his
  relatives。〃
  〃And　all　these　documents　were　false　and　forged？〃　said　Bonaparte；　in
  amazement。
  〃There　are　everywhere　pliable　public　officials　in　France；〃　replied
  Fouche；　with　a　smile。　〃I　did　not　content　myself　with　procuring　for
  my　protege　the　papers　which　insured　him　an　honorable　name；
  respectable　family　position；　and　a　life　without　care；　I　did　much
  more　for　him。　I　followed　the　efforts　already　related　with　others。　I
  had　a　certificate　of　the　death　of　M。　Louis　prepared；　so　as　to　give
  him　a　passport　out　of　life。　In　order　to　protect　himself　from　every
  injury；　I　told　him　that　he；　as　the　adjutant　of　Desaix；　must　pass　as
  dead。　He　approved　of　it；　and　I　took　the　pains　to　procure　from　the
  hospital　at　Alessandria　a　duly　signed　and　sealed　certificate　that
  Colonel　Louis；　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix；　died　of　his　wounds
  there。〃
  〃Good　God！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　〃is　every　thing　in　life　to　be　bought
  and　sold　thus？〃
  〃Yes；　general；　every　thingloyalty　and　love；　life　and　death。　I　have
  caused　the　son　of　the　King　of　France　to　die；　and　then　rise　again
  and　all　with　gold。　But；　when　the　certificate　arrived；　a　change　had
  occurred　in　my　relations。　I　had　been　removed　from　office；　and
  Regnier　was　my　successor。　I　kept　the　certificate　in　my　possession；
  but；　in　order　to　secure　my　protege　against　what　might　befall　me　in
  case　of　my　death；　I　wrote　to　him　that　I　had　received　the　papers；　and
  that　he　would　live　without　danger　in　Paris；　under　his　assumed　name。
  This　letter　I　signed　with　my　whole　name；　and　set　my　seal　to　it；　that
  in　case　of　need　it　might　be　of　service　to　him。〃
  〃Fouche；　you　are　a　sly　fox；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　laugh。　〃It　is
  easier　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　a　cannonball　than　out　of　your
  snares。　One　might　say　to　you；　in　the　words　of　the　King　of　Prussia；
  'God　defend　mo　from　my　friends；　from　my　enemies　I　can　defend
  myself！'　According　to　this　you　have　caused　Colonel　Louis　to　die　for
  friendship's　sake；　and　rise　again　under　another　name。〃
  〃Yes；　general；　that　is　it！　Colonel　Louisthat　is；　the　rightful
  king；　Louis　XVII。is　a　tool　in　my　hands；　which　I　hold　as　a　check　to
  all　parties；　and　which　I　can　hold　up　or　withdraw　according　as　it
  pleases　me。　At　present　my　game　is　not　merely　to　bring　disunion　and
  hatred　into　the　ranks　of　the　royalists；　but　to　bring　over　many
  republicans　who　have　a　soft　heart；　to　be　zealous　partisans　of　the
  young　and　unfortunate　king。〃
  〃And　afterward；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a　sterner　tone；　〃you　might
  make　use　of　this　instrument　to　intimidate　that　fourth　party　of　which
  you　spoke　beforethe　Bonapartists。　But　you　have　been　mistaken；
  Fouche；　this　reckoning　does　not　doyour　cunning　has　overreached
  itself。　You　do　not　terrify　me；　and　if　it　could　really　happen　that
  the　French　nation　should　offer　me　an　imperial　crown；　at　the　same
  time　that　I　should　accept　it；　I　should　put　my　foot　on　the　neck　of
  all　rebels　and　pretenders。　With　a　single　tread　I　would　crush　them
  all。　I　want　no　parties；　no　political　factions；　I　want　to　bring　all
  these　risings　and　agitations　to　silence。　There　shall　be　no　secret
  societies　in　France；　and　against　each　and　every　conspirator；
  whatever　his　rank　may　be；　I　will　bring　from　this　time　forth　the
  whole　weight　of　the　law。　Mark　this；　Fouche！　I　mean　to　make　an　end　of
  all　parties；　and　only　when　you　shall　give　their　chiefs　into　my　hand…
  …not　for　my　personal　vengeance；　for　I　cherish　no　vengeance　against
  those　cowardly　worms　of　conspirators；　but　for　the　righteous
  punishment　and　retaliatory　laws　of　Franceonly　when　you　are　able；
  by　one　grand　coup；　and　one　well…founded　charge；　to　destroy　all
  conspiracies；　and　bring　all　secret　coalitions　to　the　light；　only
  then　shall　you　become　chief　of　policeonly　then　will　the　future
  emperor　give　you　the　title　of　duke。〃
  〃General；　I　build　on　your　word；　and　I　am　sure　of　becoming　chief　of
  police　and　duke。　We　will　put　an　end　to　all　conspiracies。〃
  〃And　to　the　Monsieur　Louis；　too；〃　cried　Bonaparte；　eagerly。　〃It　is　a
  disagreeable　and　troublesome　figure。　So　long　as　he　lives　he　would
  live　in　the　ermine　of　the　imperial　cloak　like　a　troublesome　insect；
  which　always　stings　and　pricks。　One　must　not　allow　such　insects　to
  find　their　way　into　his　fur；　and　this　Monsieur　Louis　must　be　put　out
  of　the　way　once　for　all。　I　hope　he　has　entered　deeply　enough　into
  the　conspiracy；　not　to　come　out　of　it　again　with　a　whole　skin！〃
  〃General；　I　have　told　you　already；　that　day　before　yesterday　his
  dependants　saluted　him；　in　a　secret　gathering；　as　their　king。　It　is
  true；　indeed；　that　the　poor　little　fellow　strongly　opposed　it；　and
  obstinately　refused　to　accept　all　honors；　but　the　fact　remains
  unchanged。〃
  〃And　on　the　ground　of　this　fact　shall　he　be　apprehended；〃　cried
  Bonaparte；　with　a　threatening　voice。
  〃There　must　be　an　example　made；　and　this　Louis　is　a　suitable　person
  for　it。　He　must　be　the　bete　de　souffrance　for　all　the　rest。　He　is
  the　head　of　a　conspiracy；　we　will　crush　this　head；　and　the　limbs
  will　fall　of　themselves。　Besides　the　sensitive　souls　who　love
  nurses'　stories　and　believe　in　every　thing；　there　will　be　no　one　who
  will　weep　for　him。　No　one　will　lament　his　death；　but　he　will　be　a
  warning　to　all。　Direct　yourself　to　this；　Fouche；　and　set　all　the
  infernal　machines　of　your　intrigues　in　operation　that　we　may　put　an
  end　to　conspiracy。〃
  〃General；　only　one　thing　is　wanting；　it　is　that　I　be　at　the　head　of
  the　police；　and　have　the　power　in　my　hands　to　make　my　infernal
  machines　effectual。〃
  〃But　I　have　told　you　that　I　will　appoint　you　as　minister　only　when
  you　give　me　incontrovertible　proofs　that　your　conspiracies　are　not
  the　fabric　of　your　own　phantasy。〃
  〃Very　well；　general；　now　that　we　are　at　one；　I　am　prepared　to　give
  you　these　proofs。　I　have　told　you　that　the　royalists　and　republicans
  have　united　for　the　purpose　of　taking　your　life。　They　have　chosen
  fifty　men　by　ballot；　in　foreign　parts；　who　are　to　come　to　Paris　and
  accomplish　here　the　great　work　of　your　destruction。　These　fifty
  assassins　have　arrived　in　Paris；　and　their　chief　men　had　an
  interview　yesterday　with　the　chiefs　of　the　conspiracies　here。〃
  〃Fouche！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　with　a　threatening　voice；　〃think　well
  what　you　are　saying。　You　are　playing　for　the　stake　of　your　own　head！
  If　these　fifty　assassins　are　creatures　of　your　own　imagination；　it
  is　you　who　will　have　to　pay　for　it。〃
  〃These　fifty　men　have　been　in　Paris　since　the　day　before　yesterday；〃
  rejoined　Fouche；　quietly。　〃They　came　hither　by　different　roads；　and
  appearing　like　simple　travellers；　and　yesterday　they　had　their　first
  interview　with　the　chief　of　the　republican　party。〃
  〃Who　is　this　chi