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interview with the chief of the republican party。〃
〃Who is this chief？ Name him； or I will call you a liar and
impostor！〃
〃This chief；〃 said Fouche； slowly； and measuring every word； 〃this
chief is General Moreau。〃
Bonaparte uttered a low cry； an ashy paleness suffused his cheeks；
he pressed his lips together； and his eyes flamed out such darts of
rage that even Fouche trembled and lowered his gaze。
〃Moreau；〃 muttered Bonaparte； after a long pause； 〃Moreau a
conspirator； a traitor！ Moreau in an alliance with assassins whom
the royalists are sending out against me！ I knew very well that he
was my enemy； but I did not think that his enmity would lead him to
be a murderer！〃
He walked up and down with quick steps； his hands folded behind his
back； then stopped short before Fouche and looked him full in the
face。
〃Fouche； do you abide by your assertion； that Moreau is a
conspirator？〃
〃I abide by it； general。〃
〃And those fifty assassins； whom the royalists have sent； are in
Paris？〃
〃Yes； general； they are in Paris； and Georges and Pichegru are at
their head。〃
〃Fouche；〃 cried Bonaparte； clinching his fist and raising it
threateningly； 〃Fouche； so sure as God lives； I will have you hanged
as a traitor if you have lied！〃
〃General； as surely as God lives； I have spoken the truth。 I came
here to show you what I am； and what Regnier is。 I have waited here
till the whole net of these conspiracies should be spread out and be
fully complete。 The time has come when I must speak； and now I say
to you； general； take some steps； for there is danger on foot！〃
Bonaparte； trembling with emotion； had thrown himself into an arm…
chair； and took； as was his custom in moments of the greatest
excitement； his penknife from the writing…desk； and began to whittle
on the back of the chair。
Fouche stood leaning against the wall； and looked with complete
calmness and an invisible smile at this singular occupation of the
general； when the door of the cabinet was opened； and the Mameluke
Roustan appeared at the entrance。
〃Consul；〃 he said； softly； 〃Councillor Real is again here； and
pressingly desires an audience。〃
Bonaparte rose； and threw away the knife。 〃Real！〃 he cried in a loud
tone。
The man who was summoned immediately appeared at the open doora
tall； grave personage； with a face so pale and distorted that
Bonaparte noticed it； despite his great agitation。
〃What is it； Real？〃 he asked； eagerly。 〃Have you spoken with the
condemned man？〃
〃Yes； general； I have spoken with him；〃 whispered Real； with pale
lips。
〃And it is as I said； is it not？ This Doctor Querolle has only
pretended to be able to make great disclosures； only to prolong his
own life a few hours。 He has poisoned his wife； in order to marry
his mistress； and the poisoner is executed。〃
〃General；〃 cried Fouche； almost with an air of joy； 〃I knew
Querolle； and I knew that his wife poisoned herself。 Querolle is not
a poisoner。〃
〃What is he then； M。 Omniscience？〃
〃General； he is a conspirator！〃
〃A conspirator！〃 repeated Bonaparte； and now his troubled face
turned again to the councillor。 〃Real； what do you know？ What did
the condemned man say to you？〃
〃Consul； he swore that he was innocent of the death of his wife； but
he acknowledged himself a member of a conspiracy； the object of
which is to murder General Bonaparte。 He asserts that the royalists
and republicans have allied themselves； that fifty emissaries of the
Count de Lille and the Duke d'Enghien； Pichegru and Georges at their
head； have crept into Paris； that they had an interview yesterday
with General Moreau； and with the so…called King Louis XVII。； who is
secreted in Paris； and that at this hour those fifty men are
prowling around the streets of the city； and are watching the
Tuileries； waiting for an opportunity to kill the First Consul。〃
The troubled eye of Bonaparte turned slowly from the pale face of
Councillor Real to the calm； sagacious face of Fouche； which guarded
itself well from expressing any token of triumph and satisfaction。
The consul then walked slowly through the room； and with his foot
pushed open the door leading into the great reception…room； in
which； at this hour every day； all the dignitaries of the republic
were assembled； to receive the orders of Bonaparte。
〃Murat！〃 cried Bonaparte； loudly； and at once the person summoned；
General Murat； at that time governor of Paris； appeared at the door
of the cabinet。
〃Murat；〃 said Bonaparte； in the tones in which he issued his
commands on the battle…field； 〃give orders at once that the gates of
Paris be closed； and that no stranger be allowed to go out of the
city till you have further orders。 You will come to me in an hour；
and receive a proclamation to your soldiers； which you will sign；
have it printed and posted at the street…corners of Paris。 Make all
these preparations！ Go！〃
Murat withdrew from the room with a salutation of deference； and now
the commanding voice of Bonaparte summoned his chief adjutant from
the reception…room。
〃Duroc；〃 said the First Consul； with calm； almost solemn voice； 〃you
will go with twelve soldiers in pursuit of General Moreau； and
arrest him wherever you find him。〃
The noble； open face of Duroc grew pale； and put on an expression of
horror and amazement。 〃General；〃 he whispered； 〃I beg that…〃
But this time Bonaparte would not listen to the soothing words of
his favorite。
〃No replies！〃 he thundered。 〃You have only to obey！ Nothing more！〃
Duroc； pale and agitated； withdrew； and Bonaparte closed the door of
the cabinet。 〃Real；〃 he said； 〃return to the prison of the condemned
man； take him his pardon； and bring him to me； that I may hear him
myself。 Hasten！〃
Real withdrew； and Bonaparte and Fouche remained alone。
〃You have given your proofs； Fouche； and now I believe you。 When
wolves are to be hunted down you are a good bloodhound； and we will
begin the chase。 I make you from this moment chief of the secret
police； your first duty will be to bring this matter to an end； and
help me to tear to pieces the whole murderous web； your reward being
that I will nominate you again minister of police。 ＇Footnote： The
appointment of Fouche as the chief of police took place in June of
the year 1804。＇ I will fulfil my promise so soon as you shall have
made good yours； and put me in possession of the chief
conspirators。〃
〃You have just arrested Moreau； general；〃 replied Fouche；
deferentially。 〃I give you my word that in a few hours Pichegru and
Georges will be apprehended。〃
〃You forget the chief person；〃 cried Bonaparte； over whose brazen
forehead a thunder…cloud seemed to pass。 〃You forget the caricature
of buried royalty； the so…called King Louis XVII。 Hush！ I tell you I
will have this man。 I will draw out the fangs of this royal adder；
so that he cannot bite any more！ Bring the man before me。 The
republic is an angry goddess； and demands a royal offering。 Give
this impostor into my hands； or something worse will happen！ Go； and
I advise you to bring me； before the sun goes down； the tidings that
this fabled King Louis is arrested； or the sun of your good fortune
is set forever！ Now away！ Go out through the little corridor； and
then through the secret gate…you know the way。 Go！〃
Fouche did not dare to contradict the imperative order； but softly
and hastily moved toward the curtain which led to the gloomy
anteroom； and thence through a door； which only those initiated knew
how to open； and which led to the little corridor。
But scarcely had Fouche entered this little dismal room； when a hand
was laid upon his arm； and a woman's voice whispered to him：
〃I must speak to youat once！ Come！ this way！〃
The hand drew him forward to the wall； a door sprang open without
sound； and the voice whispered： 〃Four stairs down。 Be careful！〃
CHAPTER XXXII。
JOSEPHINE。
Fouche did not hesitate； he followed his guide down the little
staircase； along the dark corridor； and up another short staircase。
He had recognized the voice； and knew that his leader was no other
than Josephine； the wife of the First Consul。
Through the secret door at the end of the corridor they entered a
small and gloomy antechamber； exactly like the one which adjoined
the cabinet of the consul； and from it Josephine ushered Fouche into
her cabinet。
〃You will say nothing to Bonaparte about this secret way； Fouche；〃
said Josephine； with a gentle； supplicatory tone。 〃He does not know
of it。 I have had it made without his knowledge while he was in
Boulogne last year。 Will you swear to me that you will not reveal
it？〃
〃I do swear； madame。〃
〃God knows that I have not had it made out of curiosity to overhear
Bonaparte；〃 continued Josephine。 〃But it is necessary sometimes for
me to know what is going on； and that when the general is angry I
should hasten to him to calm him and turn aside his wrath。 I have
warded off many a calamity since this private way was opened； and I
have been able to overhear Bonaparte。 But what have I been compelled
to listen to to…day！ Oh； Fouche； it was God Himself who impelled me
to listen！ I was with him when you were announced； and I suspected
t