ion I held with him on the following Thursday;
but though this language might be appropriate from the lips of a
sovereign whose ministers are responsible, it appears but a lame excuse
in the mouth of Bonaparte, the possessor of absolute power.

The condemned busied themselves in endeavouring to procure a repeal of
their sentence, the greatest number of them yielded in this respect to
the entreaties of their friends, who lost no time in taking the steps
requisite to obtain the pardon of those in whom they were most
interested. Moreau at first also determined to appeal; but he
relinquished his purpose before the Court of Cessation commenced its
sittings.

As soon as the decree of the special Tribunal was delivered, Murat,
Governor of Paris, and brother-in-law to the Emperor, sought his presence
and conjured him in the most urgent manner to pardon all the criminals,
observing that such an act of clemency would redound greatly to his
honour in the opinion of France and all Europe, that it would be said the
Emperor pardoned the attempt against the life of the First Consul, that
this act of mercy would shed more glory over the commencement of his
reign than any security which could accrue from the execution of the
prisoners. Such was the conduct of Murat; but he did not solicit, as
has been reported, the pardon of any one in particular.

Those who obtained the imperial pardon were Bouvet de Lozier, who
expected it from the disclosures he had made; Rusillon, de Riviere,
Rochelle, Armand de Polignac, d'Hozier, Lajolais, who had beforehand
received a promise to that effect, and Armand Gaillard.

The other ill-fated victims of a sanguinary police underwent their
sentence on the 25th of June, two days after the promulgation of the
pardon of their associates.

Their courage and resignation never forsook them even for a moment, and
Georges, knowing that it was rumoured he had obtained a pardon,
entreated that he might die the first, in order that his companions in
their last moments might be assured he had not survived them.

CHAPTER XXVII.

1804.

Clavier and Hemart--Singular Proposal of Corvisart-M. Desmaisons--
Project of influencing the judges--Visit to the Tuileries--Rapp in
attendance--Long conversation with the Emperor--His opinion on the
trial of Moreau--English assassins and Mr. Fox--Complaints against
the English Government--Bonaparte and Lacuee--Affectionate
behaviour--Arrest of Pichegru-