of quasi-minister in the department of
Public Instruction. I heard with pleasure of his appointment, in
conjunction with that of M. Carnot and M. Charton, for I knew their
perfect integrity.

"Summoned then, about a month after these events, by M. Reynaud, and
having entered his office and approached him with my ordinary air, I saw
in his countenance a look of consternation. He informed me that
something very grave had taken place, and that this something concerned
me; that certain lists specifying the sums distributed by the late
government, with the names of the recipients, had been seized at the
Tuileries; that my name had been found in them; that it occurred several
times, with a sum--with sums--of a considerable amount attached to it.
At first I began to laugh; but perceiving that M. Reynaud did not laugh,
and receiving from him repeated appeals to my recollection, I began to
ply him with questions in return. He was unable to enter into any exact
details; but he assured me that the fact was certain,--that he had
verified it with his own eyes; and as his alarm evidently proceeded from
his friendship, I could not doubt the reality of what he had told me.

"I believe that, by my manner of replying on the instant, I convinced
him of the existence of some error or some fraud. But I perceived that
there were others, near him, behind him, who would be less easily
convinced. As soon, therefore, as I had returned home, I addressed to
the _Journal des Debats_ a letter of denial, a defiance to calumny, in
the tone natural to honorable persons and such as feel secure in their
own innocence. This letter furnished M. Reynaud with a weapon against my
accusers behind the scene. As a proof that he accepted both the
sentiment and the terms, he caused it to be inserted in the _Moniteur_.

"However, I was not entirely satisfied; I wished to bring the affair
fully to light. I made attempts to procure the lists in question. I went
to see M. Taschereau, who was publishing them in his _Revue
retrospective_; I saw M. Landrin, the Attorney-General of the Republic;
I even caused inquiries to be made of the former Ministers, then in
London, with whom I had had the honor of being personally acquainted. No
result; nobody understood to what my questions had reference. Wearied
out at last, I discontinued the pursuit, though without dismissing the
subject from my thoughts.

"I will get to the bottom of this affair. There was in the department o