rtgages
suppressed, the Catholic faith restored, anti-revolutionary decrees
accumulating, should begin to see that their return is becoming
difficult, not to say impossible. Bonaparte being the sole obstacle now
in their way, they want to get rid of him--nothing simpler. Conspirators
if defeated are brigands, if successful, heroes; and your perplexity
seems to me very natural."

"The matter now is," said Malin, "to make Bonaparte fling the head of
the Duc d'Enghien at the Bourbons, just as the Convention flung the head
of Louis XVI. at the kings, so as to commit him as fully as we are to
the Revolution; _or else_, we must upset the idol of the French people
and their future emperor, and seat the true throne upon his ruins. I am
at the mercy of some event, some fortunate pistol-shot, some infernal
machine which does its work. Even I don't know the whole conspiracy;
they don't tell me all; but they have asked me to call the Council
of State at the critical moment and direct its action towards the
restoration of the Bourbons."

"Wait," said the notary.

"Impossible! I am compelled to make my decision at once."

"Why?"

"Well, the Simeuse brothers are in the conspiracy; they are here in
the neighborhood; I must either have them watched, let them compromise
themselves, and so be rid of them, or else I must privately protect
them. I asked the prefect for underlings and he has sent me lynxes, who
came through Troyes and have got the gendarmerie to support them."

"Gondreville is your real object," said Grevin, "and this conspiracy
your best chance of keeping it. Fouche, Talleyrand, and those two
fellows have nothing to do with that. Therefore play fair with
them. What nonsense! those who cut Louis XVI.'s head off are in the
government; France is full of men who have bought national property,
and yet you talk of bringing back those who would require you to give up
Gondreville! If the Bourbons were not imbeciles they would pass a sponge
over all we have done. Warn Bonaparte, that's my advice."

"A man of my rank can't denounce," said Malin, quickly.

"Your rank!" exclaimed Grevin, smiling.

"They have offered to make me Keeper of the Seals."

"Ah! Now I understand your bewilderment, and it is for me to see clear
in this political darkness and find a way out for you. Now, it is quite
impossible to foresee what events may happen to bring back the Bourbons
when a General Bonaparte is in possession of eighty line of batt