she must be watched; she does not love me.  The interests of those whom she might compromise, require that I should not permit her to return to Paris.  If I should allow her to do so, she would place me under the necessity of sending her to Bicetre, or of imprisoning her in the Temple, before six months elapsed; that would be extremely disagreeable, for it would cause a sensation, and injure me in the public opinion.  Inform your mother that my resolution is irrevocable.  While I live, she shall not return to Paris.”

It was in vain that young Stael assured him in his mother’s name, that she would avoid giving him the least occasion for displeasure, and that she would live in complete retirement if permitted to return to Paris.

“Ah, yes!  I know the value of fine promises!” exclaimed the emperor.  “I know what the result would be, and I repeat it, it cannot be!  She would be the rallying-point of the whole Faubourg St. Germain.  She live in retirement!  Visits would be made her, and she would return them; she would commit a thousand indiscretions, and say a thousand humorous things, to which she attaches no importance, but which annoy me.  My government is no jest, I take every thing seriously; I wish this to be understood, and you may proclaim it to the whole world!”

Young Stael had, however, the courage to continue his entreaties; he even went so far as to inquire in all humility for the grounds of the emperor’s ill-will against his mother.  He said he had been assured that Necker’s last work was more particularly the cause of the emperor’s displeasure, and that he believed Madame de Stael had assisted in writing it.  This was, however, not so, and he could solemnly assure the emperor that his mother had taken no part in it whatever.  Besides, Necker had also done full justice to the emperor in this work.

“Justice, indeed!  He calls me the ‘necessary man.’  The necessary man! and yet, according to his book, the first step necessary to be taken, was to take off this necessary man’s head!  Yes, I was necessary to repair all that your grandfather had destroyed!  It is he who overthrew the monarchy, and brought Louis XVI. to the scaffold!”

“Sire!” exclaimed the young man, deeply agitated, “you are then not aware that my grandfather’s estates were confiscated because he defended the king!”

“A fine defence, indeed!  If I give a man poison, and then, when he lies in the death-struggle, give him an antidote, can you then maintain that I wished to save this man?  It was in this manner that M. Necker defended Louis XVI.  The confiscations of which you speak prove nothing.  Robespierre’s property was also confiscated.  Not even Robespierre, Marat, and Danton, have brought such misery upon France as Necker; he it is who made the revolution.  You did not see it, but I was present in those days of horror and public distress; but I give you my word that they shall return no more while I live!  Your schemers write out their utopias, the simple-minded read these dreams, they are printed and believed in; the common welfare is in everybody’s mouth, and soon there is no more bread for the people; it revolts, and that is the usual result of all these fine theories!  Your grandfather is to blame for the orgies that brought France to desperation.”