still in his hand, was about to follow him,
but Marshal Bessieres, who walked behind, kept him back. "If you present
a petition to the emperor," he said, "wait here until the parade is
over, when he will return this way." The marshal proceeded, but the
young man took no notice of his order, and mingled boldly with the
emperor's suite.

General Rapp at length laid his hand on the youth's shoulder, and said:

"Sir, you must withdraw. This is no place for you."

"I have to present a petition to the emperor which cannot be delayed,"
said the young man, in a gentle voice, "pray permit me to give it to him
at once."

"I tell you it is out of place here," exclaimed the general, vehemently.
Beckoning to one of the second lieutenants, he said: "Conduct this man
away from here."

"Come, sir," said the lieutenant; "stand back, soldiers; let this man
pass." In spite of himself, he was soon hurried to the rear.

"I must attain my object--I must fulfil my oath," he muttered to
himself. "Napoleon must die to-day, and Frederick Staps shall be his
executioner. Forward!" He elbowed himself through the crowd that had
assembled behind the soldiers, and, standing on tiptoe, tried to descry
the emperor and his marshals while walking into the semicircle formed by
the troops.

No one noticed that, seeing a passage in the ranks of the soldiers,
Staps advanced, cautiously and quickly as a snake, until he was again
inside the semicircle. "Fate is favorable to me," he muttered, "and the
moment is at hand when I will deliver Germany!" He approached the
emperor, who was just coming down the front from the other side. "Sire,"
he exclaimed, stretching out his paper toward Napoleon, "take my
petition, and listen to me a few minutes."

The emperor looked for a moment on the pale countenance of the young
man. "I do not understand you," he said; "apply to General Rapp."

Staps apparently had not heard Napoleon's words; he approached still
closer, and put his right hand under his cloak. "Sire, listen to me," he
exclaimed, "I--" A strong hand grasped his arm and pushed him back.

"Did you not hear that you are to apply to General Rapp?" asked Marshal
Bessieres. "Why did you come the second time to a place where you do not
belong? Leave immediately, or you will be arrested!"

"I am going," muttered Staps, and turned to pass through the ranks of
the soldiers.

At this moment a dark suspicion arose in the mind of Bessieres, for
which he was una