It was on the 14th of June 1804 that I had this audience of the Emperor, and afterwards attended the Empress.

On my return home I spent three hours in making notes of all that was said to me by these two personages; and the substance of these notes I have now given to the reader.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

1804.

Curious disclosures of Fouche—­Remarkable words of Bonaparte respecting the protest of Louis XVIII—­Secret document inserted in the Moniteur—­Announcement from Bonaparte to Regnier—­Fouche appointed Minister of Police—­Error of Regnier respecting the conspiracy of Georges—­Undeserved praise bestowed on Fouche—­ Indication of the return of the Bourbons—­Variation between the words and conduct of Bonaparte—­The iron crown—­Celebration of the 14th of July—­Church festivals and loss of time—­Grand ceremonial at the Invalides—­Recollections of the 18th Brumaire—­New oath of the Legion of Honour—­General enthusiasm—­Departure for Boulogne—­Visits to Josephine at St. Cloud and Malmaison—­Josephine and Madame de Remusat—­Pardons granted by the Emperor—­Anniversary of the 14th of July—­Departure for the camp of Boulogne—­General error respecting Napoleon’s designs—­Caesar’s Tower—­Distribution of the crosses of the Legion of Honour—­The military throne—­Bonaparte’s charlatanism —­Intrepidity of two English sailors—­The decennial prizes and the Polytechnic School—­Meeting of the Emperor and Empress—­First negotiation with the Holy Sea—­The Prefect of Arras and Comte Louis de Narbonne—­Change in the French Ministry.

Louis XVIII., being at Warsaw when he was informed of the elevation of Napoleon to the Imperial dignity, addressed to the sovereigns of Europe a protest against that usurpation of his throne.  Fouche, being the first who heard of this protest, immediately communicated the circumstance to the Emperor, observing that doubtless the copies would be multiplied and distributed amongst the enemies of his Government, in the Faubourg St. Germain, which might produce the worst effects, and that he therefore deemed it his duty to inform him that orders might be given to Regnier and Real to keep a strict watch over those engaged in distributing this document.

“You may judge of my surprise,” added Fouche, “you who know so well that formerly the very mention of the Bourbons rendered Bonaparte furious, when, after perusing the protest, he returned it to me, saying, ’Ah, ah, so the Comte de Lille makes his protest!  Well, well, all in good time.  I hold my right by the voice of the French nation, and while I wear a sword I will maintain it!  The Bourbons ought to know that I do not fear them; let them, therefore, leave me in tranquillity.  Did you say that the fools of the Faubourg St. Germain would multiply the copies of this protest of Comte de Lille? well, they shall read it at their ease.  Send it to the Moniteur, Fouche; and let it be inserted to-morrow morning.’” This passed on the 30th of June, and the next day the protest of Louis XVIII. did actually appear in that paper.