marie antoinette and her son-第138章

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take　care　of　them　These　papers　are　worth　more　to　you　than　a　million
of　fras；　although　oven　that　should　not　be　scorned。　Here　are　the
documents　that　give　you　possession　of　your　wealth。　I　have　deposited
your　funds　in　the　Bank　of　France；　and　you　can　draw　out　money　at　any
time　by　presenting　these　checks　that　I　give　you；　simply　writing　your
name　upon　them。〃

〃By　simply　writing　my　name　upon　them！〃　cried　Louis；　bitterly。　〃But；
sir；　what　is　my　name？　How　shall　I　be　called？　I　was　formerly
designated　as　the　nephew　of　Kleber；　Colonel　Louis；　the　adjutant　of
Desaix。　But　Colonel　Louis　can　no　longer　acknowledge　that　he　is
alive；　and　you　propose　to　convince　the　First　Consul　that　the　nephew
of　Kleber　is　dead。　Who；　then；　am　I？　What　name　shall　I　subscribe　to
those　papers？　By　what　name　shall　the　nameless；　the　dead　and　buried；
the　resurrected；　the　again　dead　and　buried　oneby　what　name　shall
he　draw　money　from　the　bank？〃

〃Very　true；〃　said　Fouche。　〃A　name；　or　rather　the　mask　of　a　citizen's
or　nobleman's　name；　must　be　your　disguise；　and　it　is　imperatively
necessary　that　we　give　you　such；　and　provide　you　with　papers　that
cannot　be　forged；　which　shall　prove　your　existence；　and　secure　you
against　every　assault。〃

〃Very　good；　then　tell　me　how　I　shall　be　called；〃　said　Louis；　sadly。
〃Be　the　godfather　of　the　solitary　and　nameless。〃

〃Well；　I　will；〃　cried　Fouche。　〃In　the　glamour　of　political　passions
I　have　raised　my　voice　against　the　life　of　your　father；　full　of
regret　I　will　raise　my　voice　for　the　life　of　the　son；　and　assist　him
to　enter　afresh　upon　life　and　into　the　society　of　men。　Young　man；　I
will　give　you　a　name　and　rank；　till　the　French　nation　restore　to　you
your　true　name　and　rank。　You　shall　henceforth　be　called　the　Baron　de
Richemont。　Will　you　accept　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　will　accept　it；〃　said　Louis；　gently。　〃To　be　the　Baron　de
Richemont　is　better　than　to　be　a　dead　and　buried　person　without　any
name。〃

〃Very　good；　my　lord　baron；〃　cried　Fouche；　〃I　will　have　the　necessary
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　whi