lay. You may rely upon
my interest with the Emperor whenever you have occasion to demand it."'

'Addressed to a chemist in Amiens,' said Savary, turning over the
letter. 'A poisoner then, on the top of his other virtues. I wonder
for whom this essence of almonds which leaves no trace was intended.'

'I wonder,' said I.

After all, he was my uncle, and he was dead, so why should I say
further?

CHAPTER XVII

THE END

General Savary rode straight to Pont de Briques to report to the
Emperor, while Gerard returned with me to my lodgings to share a bottle
of wine. I had expected to find my Cousin Sibylle there, but to my
surprise there was no sign of her, nor had she left any word to tell us
whither she had gone.

It was just after daybreak in the morning when I woke to find an equerry
of the Emperor with his hand upon my shoulder.

'The Emperor desires to see you, Monsieur de Laval,' said he.

'Where?'

'At the Pont de Briques.'

I knew that promptitude was the first requisite for those who hoped to
advance themselves in his service. In ten minutes I was in the saddle,
and in half an hour I was at the chateau. I was conducted upstairs to a
room in which were the Emperor and Josephine, she reclining upon a sofa
in a charming dressing-gown of pink and lace, he striding about in his
energetic fashion, dressed in the curious costume which he assumed
before his official hours had begun--a white sleeping suit, red Turkish
slippers, and a white bandanna handkerchief tied round his head, the
whole giving him the appearance of a West Indian planter. From the
strong smell of eau-de-Cologne I judged that he had just come from his
bath. He was in the best of humours, and she, as usual, reflected him,
so that they were two smiling faces which were turned upon me as I was
announced. It was hard to believe that it was this man with the kindly
expression and the genial eye who had come like an east wind into the
reception-room the other night, and left a trail of wet cheeks and
downcast faces wherever he had passed.

'You have made an excellent debut as aide-de-camp,' said he; 'Savary
has told me all that has occurred, and nothing could have been better
arranged. I have not time to think of such things myself, but my wife
will sleep more soundly now that she knows that this Toussac is out of
the way.'

'Yes, yes, he was a terrible man,' cried the Empress. 'So was that
Georges Cadoudal. They were both ter