rty days. This affair
produced a most painful sensation in France, and the minister of police
was reproached with great imprudence, which made many new enemies to the
government, and did not add to its security. The fact was, the true
criminals had been overlooked; and, like the worms which eat away the
interior of a beautiful fruit without changing its form and color, they
more skilfully and adroitly attacked the very heart of society when it
seemed most secure and safe. The perfidious worm which was eating away
at the heart of France, as it had long done those of the other European
monarchies, was Carbonarism. As we said in our first chapters, the
existence of this power was scarcely suspected, while in secret, by its
ramifications, it ruled Europe.

A man of mind and energy, but whose mild and almost effeminate manners
concealed vigor and perseverance, M. H----, at that time under the
direction of M. Angles, supervised the political police of the kingdom.
M. H---- was always aware of the extent of the operations of the
various factions, and probably was the only man in France really alarmed
at the influence which Carbonarism exerted in France and the neighboring
states. Often he had made communications to the prefect, another
minister, who paid attention to known parties and attached but little
importance to this new foe, which was, however, the most terrible of
all, and proposed to itself the object of destroying, at any risk, and
received into its bosom all the operatives of this work, whatsoever
might be their opinions. M. H---- had no evidence in relation to this
terrible organization, nor did he know where it met. Towards the end of
February, 1819, M. H---- received a letter sealed in black, and with the
impression on the wax of an auger piercing the globe. The strange seal
did not escape his notice. The direction was, "M. H----, for himself
alone, _confidential_." The superior of the political police read the
letter, which was as follows:--

"Monsieur,--A man who can do the state great service wishes to have an
interview with you, and requests that you will grant him a moment's
conversation to-morrow evening at nine-oclock, in your cabinet. He will
be masked. He begs you to permit him to keep his mask until he shall be
satisfied that he is seen by no one else. Should the strangeness of this
request not permit you to accept it, place a lighted taper in your
window opening on the _quai des Orfevres_ and no one w