"Very near to the end of our journey, Monsieur le Ministre. Madame, or mademoiselle, is most anxious to regain her former position; she longs for all the luxurious splendor she used to live in. Let us but show her this rich reward, and she will be our own!" "In _my_ trade, Monsieur Lajolais, generalities are worth nothing. Give me details; let me know how you would proceed." "Easily enough, sir; Mahon must first of all be disposed of, and perhaps the best way will be to have him arrested for debt. This will not be difficult, for his bills are every where. Once in the Temple, she will never think more of him. It must then be her task to obtain the most complete influence over Moreau. She must affect the deepest interest in the Royalist cause: I'll furnish her with all the watch-words of the party, and Moreau, who never trusts a man, will open all his confidence to a woman." "Very good, go on!" cried Fouché, gathering fresh interest as the plot began to reveal itself before him. "He hates writing; she will be his secretary, embodying all his thoughts and suggestions; and now and then, for _her own guidance_, obtaining little scraps in _his_ hand. If he be too cautious here, I will advise her to remove to Geneva, for change of air; he likes Switzerland, and will follow her immediately." "This will do; at least it looks practicable," said Fouché, thoughtfully; "is she equal to the part you would assign her?" "Ay, sir, and to a higher one, too! She has considerable ability, and great ambition; her present narrow fortune has irritated and disgusted her; the moment is most favorable for us." "If she should play us false," said Fouché, half aloud. "From all I can learn, there is no risk of this; there is a headlong determination in her, when once she has conceived a plan, from which nothing turns her; overlooking all but her object, she will brave any thing, do any thing to attain it." "Bonaparte was right in what he said of Necker's daughter," said Fouché, musingly, "and there is no doubt it adds wonderfully to a woman's _head_, that she has no _heart_. And now, the price, Master Lajolais; remember that our treasury received some deadly wounds lately--what is to be the price?" "It may be a smart one; she is not likely to be a cheap purchase." "In the event of success--I mean of such proof as may enable us to arrest Moreau, and commit him to prison--" He stopped as he got thus far, and paused for some seconds--"Bethink you, then, Lajolais," said he, "what a grand step this would be, and how terrible the consequences if undertaken on rash or insufficient grounds. Moreau's popularity with the army is only second to one man's! His unambitious character has made him many friends; he has few, very few enemies." "But you need not push matters to the last--an implied, but not a proven guilt would be enough; and you can pardon him!"