police
awaiting him.

"Well, what now, citizen Fouche? You look upset. Have I, perchance, been
assassinated?"

"Citizen First Consul," said the minister, "you seemed to attach the
utmost importance to the destruction of those bands who call themselves
the Companions of Jehu."

"Evidently, since I sent Roland himself to pursue them. Have you any
news of them?"

"We have."

"From whom?"

"Their leader himself."

"Their leader?"

"He has had the audacity to send me a report of their last exploit."

"Against whom?"

"The fifty thousand francs you sent to the Saint-Bernard fathers."

"What became of them?"

"The fifty thousand francs?"

"Yes."

"They are in the possession of those brigands, and their leader informs
me he will transfer them shortly to Cadoudal."

"Then Roland is killed?"

"No."

"How do you mean, no?"

"My agent is killed; Colonel Maurice is killed; but your aide-de-camp is
safe and sound."

"Then he will hang himself," said Bonaparte.

"What good would that do? The rope would break; you know his luck."

"Or his misfortune, yes--Where is the report?"

"You mean the letter?"

"Letter, report, thing--whatever it was that told you this news."

The minister handed the First Consul a paper inclosed in a perfumed
envelope.

"What's this?"

"The thing you asked for."

Bonaparte read the address: "To the citizen Fouche, minister of police.
Paris." Then he opened the letter, which contained the following.

CITIZEN MINISTER--I have the honor to inform you that the fifty
thousand francs intended for the monks of Saint-Bernard came
into our hands on the night of February 25, 1800 (old style),
and that they will reach those of citizen Cadoudal within the
week.

The affair was well-managed, save for the deaths of your agent
and Colonel Saint-Maurice. As for M. Roland de Montrevel, I have
the satisfaction of informing you that nothing distressing has
befallen him. I did not forget that he was good enough to receive
me at the Luxembourg.

I write you, citizen minister, because I presume that M. Roland
de Montrevel is just now too much occupied in pursuing us to
write you himself. But I am sure that at his first leisure moment
you will receive from him a report containing all the details
into which I cannot enter for lack of time and facilities for
writing.

In exchange for the service I render you, citizen minister, I
will ask you to do one f