to form any idea of the bitterness with which Bonaparte, pronounced these words.  In vain did some of the Councillors of State, and Fouche in particular, endeavour to point out to him that there was no evidence against any one, and that before he pronounced people to be guilty it would be right to ascertain the fact.  Bonaparte repeated with increased violence what he had before said of the Jacobins; thus adding; not without some ground of suspicion, one crime more to, the long catalogue for which they had already to answer.

Fouche had many enemies, and I was not, therefore, surprised to find some of the Ministers endeavouring to take advantage of the difference between his opinion and that of the First Consul; and it must be owned that the utter ignorance of the police respecting this event was a circumstance not very favourable to Fouche.  He, however, was like the reed in the fable—­he bent with the wind, but was soon erect again.  The most skilful actor could scarcely imitate the inflexible calmness he maintained during Bonaparte’s paroxysm of rage, and the patience with which he allowed himself to be accused.

Fouche, when afterwards conversing with me, gave me clearly to understand that he did not think the Jacobins guilty.  I mentioned this to the First Consul, but nothing could make him retract his opinion.  “Fouche,” said he, “has good reason for his silence.  He is serving his own party.  It is very natural that he should seek to screen a set of men who are polluted with blood and crimes!  He was one of their leaders.  Do not I know what he did at Lyons and the Loire?  That explains Fouche’s conduct now!”

This is the exact truth; and now let me contradict one of the thousand fictions about this event.  It has been said and printed that “the dignitaries and the Ministers were assembled at the Tuileries.  ‘Well,’ said the First Consul, advancing angrily towards Fouche, ’will you still say that this is the Royalist party?’ Fouche, better informed than was believed, answered coolly, ’Yes, certainly, I shall say so; and, what is more, I shall prove it.’  This speech caused general astonishment, but was afterwards fully borne out.”  This is pure invention.  The First Consul only said to Fouche; “I do not trust to your police; I guard myself, and I watch till two in the morning.”  This however, was very rarely the case.

On the day after the explosion of the infernal machine a considerable concourse assembled at the Tuileries.  There was absolutely a torrent of congratulations.  The prefect of the Seine convoked the twelve mayors of Paris and came at their head to wait on the First Consul.  In his reply to their address Bonaparte said, “As long as this gang of assassins confined their attacks to me personally I left the law to take its course; but since, by an unparalleled crime, they have endangered the lives of a portion of the population of Paris, their punishment must be as prompt as exemplary.