to these suggestions. "There is nothing
you could ask that would be too much to reward the services you
would render to our country," said the agent of the Royalists;
"and remember that the highest fortunes under a Republic are the
most unstable. Give us your word to do what we ask, and then at
least M. Ferry will never be president." "I give you my word,"
said Boulanger. But the other then suggested that so important an
arrangement must be ratified by some person higher in the confidence
of the Comte de Paris than himself; and he went in haste for the
Baron de Makau. That gentleman showed General Boulanger a letter from
the Comte de Paris, giving him full powers as his representative.
The general was to support the proposal for a popular vote for or
against the restoration of monarchy, and to use his influence with
the people in its favor. If monarchy were restored, he was to be made
head of the army. After a long conversation the general departed,
promising to sound the chiefs of the Radicals, and ascertain which
of them would be most available to carry out the plan.

But to his friend the editor of the "Cocarde," who seemed alarmed
at the extent of his promises, he said, as soon as they were alone
together, "I would do anything to avoid civil war and the election
of Ferry; but what fools these people must be to put themselves
in my power!"

He spoke no more till they returned to the house where they had
left the dinner-party. The discussion was going on as before, only
M. Clemenceau had made up his mind that he would not undertake
to form a ministry, and M. Andrieux had been summoned from his
bed to know if he would do so. He expressed his willingness to
undertake the task, but said frankly that he could not offer the
War Office to General Boulanger. "Anything else, my dear general,
you shall have," he said, "and in a few months probably you may
have that also; but if you formed part of the Cabinet at first, I
could not conciliate the Chamber. You shall be military governor
of Paris,--the noblest military post in the world."

But this offer was incompatible with the secret engagements that
the general had entered into not an hour before. The conference,
therefore, broke up at five in the morning without a decision having
been reached.

The next morning the two gentlemen who had been charged by M. Grevy
to procure him a prime minister, and if possible a cabinet, reported
the failure of their mission. "Then all