I knew not what consolation to offer:  to Josephine; and knowing as I did the natural lightness of her character, I should have been surprised to find her grief so acute, after the lapse of a year, had I not been aware that there are certain chords which, when struck, do not speedily cease to vibrate in the heart of a woman.  I sincerely pitied Josephine, and among all the things I said to assuage her sorrow, the consolation to which she appeared most sensible was the reprobation which public opinion had pronounced on Bonaparte’s divorce, and on this subject I said nothing but the truth, for Josephine was generally beloved.  I reminded her of a prediction I had made under happier circumstances, viz. on the day that she came to visit us in our little house at Ruel.  “My dear friend,” said she, “I have not forgotten it, and I have often thought of all you then said.  For my part, I knew he was lost from the day he made himself Emperor.  Adieu!  Bourrienne, come and see me soon again; come often, for we have a great deal to talk about; you know how happy I always am to see you.”  Such was, to the best of my recollection, what passed at my first interview with Josephine after my return from Hamburg.

CHAPTER XXIV

1811

   Arrest of La Sahla—­My visit to him—­His confinement at Vincennes—­
   Subsequent history of La Sahla—­His second journey to France—­
   Detonating powder—­Plot hatched against me by the Prince of Eckmuhl
   —­Friendly offices of the Due de Rovigo—­Bugbears of the police—­
   Savary, Minister of Police.

I had been in Paris about two months when a young man of the name of La Sahla was arrested on the suspicion of having come from Saxony to attempt the life of the Emperor.  La Sahla informed the Duo de Rovigo, then Minister of the Police, that he wished to see me, assigning as a reason for this the reputation I had left behind me in Germany.  The Emperor, I presume, had no objection to the interview, for I received an invitation to visit the prisoner.  I accordingly repaired to the branch office of the Minister of the Police, in the Rue des St. Peres, where I was introduced to a young man between seventeen and eighteen years of age.

My conversation with the young man, whose uncle was, I believe, Minister to the King of Saxony, interested me greatly in his behalf; I determined, if possible, to save La Sahla, and I succeeded.  I proceeded immediately to the Duo de Rovigo, and I convinced him that under the circumstances of the case it was important to make it be believed that the young man was insane.  I observed that if he were brought before a court he would repeat all that he had stated to me, and probably enter into disclosures which might instigate fresh attempts at assassination.  Perhaps an avenger of La Sahla might rise up amongst the students of Leipzig, at which university he had spent his youth.  These reasons, together with others, had the success I hoped for.  The Emperor afterwards acknowledged the prudent course which had been adopted respecting La Sahla; when speaking at St. Helena of the conspiracies against his life he said, “I carefully concealed all that I could.”