his political or administrative machine.
That powerful will seemed to impress itself as much upon things as upon
men. His decision once uttered, the Emperor, overtaken by the coalition
of 1806, forgot the whole matter. He thought only of new battles to
fight, and his mind was occupied in massing his regiments to strike the
great blow at the heart of the Prussian monarchy. His desire for prompt
justice in the present case found powerful assistance in the great
uncertainty which affected the position of all magistrates of the
Empire. Just at this time Cambaceres, as arch-chancellor, and Regnier,
chief justice, were preparing to organize _tribunaux de premiere
instance_ (lower civil courts), imperial courts, and a court of appeal
or supreme court. They were agitating the question of a legal garb or
costume; to which Napoleon attached, and very justly, so much importance
in all official stations; and they were also inquiring into the
character of the persons composing the magistracy. Naturally, therefore,
the officials of the department of the Aube considered they could have
no better recommendation than to give proofs of their zeal in the matter
of the abduction of the Comte de Gondreville. Napoleon's suppositions
became certainties to these courtiers and also to the populace.

Peace still reigned on the continent; admiration for the Emperor was
unanimous in France; he cajoled all interests, persons, vanities, and
things, in short, everything, even memories. This attack, therefore,
directed against his senator, seemed in the eyes of all an assault upon
the public welfare. The luckless and innocent gentlemen were the objects
of general opprobrium. A few nobles living quietly on their estates
deplored the affair among themselves but dared not open their lips;
in fact, how was it possible for them to oppose the current of public
opinion. Throughout the department the deaths of the eleven persons
killed by the Simeuse brothers in 1792 from the windows of the hotel
Cinq-Cygne were brought up against them. It was feared that other
returned and now emboldened _emigres_ might follow this example of
violence against those who had bought their estates from the "national
domain," as a method of protesting against what they might call an
unjust spoliation.

The unfortunate young nobles were therefore considered as robbers,
brigands, murderers; and their connection with Michu was particularly
fatal to them. Michu, who was declared, e