“No,” replied Corvisart, “but I came by the Emperor’s order.  He wishes you to see my brother-in-law.  ‘He is,’ said he to me, ’the senior judge, and a man of considerable eminence; his opinion will carry with it great weight, and I know that he is favourable to Moreau; he is in the wrong.  Visit Bourrienne, said the Emperor, and concert with him respecting the best method of convincing Desmaisons of his error, for I repeat he is wrong, he is deceived.’  This is the mission with which I am entrusted.”

“How,” said I, with thorough astonishment, “how came you to be employed in this affair?  Could you believe for one moment that I would tamper with a magistrate in order to induce him to exercise an unjust rigour?”

“No, rest assured,” replied Corvisart, “I merely visited you this morning in obedience to the order of the Emperor; but I knew beforehand in what manner you would regard the proposition with which I was charged.  I knew your opinions and your character too well to entertain the smallest doubt in this respect, and I was convinced that I ran no risk in becoming the bearer of a commission which would be attended with no effect.  Besides, had I refused to obey the Emperor, it would have proved prejudicial to your interest, and confirmed him in the opinion that you were favourable to the acquittal of Moreau.  For myself,” added Corvisart, “it is needless to affirm that I have no intention of attempting to influence the opinion of my brother-in-law; and if I had, you know him sufficiently well to be convinced in what light he would regard such a proceeding.”

Such were the object and result of Corvisart’s visit, and I am thence led to believe that similar attempts must have been made to influence other members of the Tribunal.

—­["The judges had been pressed and acted on in a thousand ways by the hangers on of the Palace and especially by Real, the natural intermediary between justice and the Government.  Ambition, servility, fear, every motive capable of influencing them, had been used:  even their humane scruples were employed” (Lanfrey tome iii. p. 193, who goes on to say that the judges were urged to sentence Moreau to death in order that the Emperor might fully pardon him).]

But however this may be, prudence led me to discontinue visiting M. Desmaisons, with whom I was in habits of the strictest friendship.

About this period I paid a visit which occupies an important place in my recollections.  On the 14th of June 1804, four days after the condemnation of Georges and his accomplices, I received a summons to attend the Emperor at St. Cloud.  It was Thursday, and as I thought on the great events and tragic scenes about to be acted, I was rather uneasy respecting his intentions.

But I was fortunate enough to find my friend Rapp in waiting, who said to me as I entered, “Be not alarmed; he is in the best of humours at present, and wishes to have some conversation with you.”