ble to give any good reasons, but which alarmed him. He
beckoned to two soldiers, and, pointing at Staps, who was pressing his
way outside, he said, "Arrest that man, and bring him hither!" His order
was obeyed in a moment, and the soldiers, holding Staps by the arms,
dragged him to the marshal, whom the Duke de Rovigo and General Rapp had
now joined.

"Why did you have me arrested, general?" asked Staps, in a firm, calm
voice.

"Because I distrust you," replied Bessieres. "Take off your cloak!"

Staps hesitated. "Take off your cloak!" repeated Bessieres; and, not
obeying, the soldiers violently tore the cloak from his shoulders, and,
as they did so, something flashed.

It was the blade of a large knife, in a belt with which he had fastened
his black velvet coat.

"He is saved and I am lost!" muttered Staps to himself, and dropped his
head on his breast.

"What is the meaning of this knife?" asked General Rapp. "What did you
want to do with it?"

Staps slowly raised his head and lifted up his arm to point at the
emperor, who was standing but a few steps from them.

"I intended to punish him," he said, solemnly.

"An assassin! an assassin!" cried the marshals, in dismay, thronging
around him.

The emperor, perhaps, had heard these cries, for he approached.

"What is going on here?" he asked, as his eyes turned to the pale face
of the young man.

"Sire," said Bessieres, with an air of horror, "you see here a criminal
who was about to assassinate you! Here is the knife with which he
intended to perpetrate the deed."

Not a feature of the emperor's countenance changed; not a muscle
quivered or betrayed any inward emotion. "Hush," he said, in a low,
imperious voice. "Take the man into the palace! I will examine him after
the parade is over. Let Savary and Rapp accompany him.--Come, marshals!"

While Savary and Rapp, with the soldiers who surrounded Staps, hastened
into the palace, Napoleon, escorted by his marshals, walked slowly down
the front. He did not finish the parade a minute earlier than usual.
Ascending the staircase, he stood on the landing, and received again the
salutations of the military. He then stepped into the lower hall of the
palace. But there he accelerated his steps, and, hurrying through the
anterooms, entered the apartment contiguous to his cabinet.

An hour had passed since he had admired, in this room, M. Maelzl's
chess-player and postilion, and now he looked wonderingly at the you