n one wretch was
ready to employ daggers against the Emperor. Among this number was a man
named Louis Loizeau, recently arrived from London. He repaired to
Altona, there to enjoy the singular privilege which that city afforded of
sheltering all the ruffians, thieves, and bankrupts who fled from the
justice of their own Governments. On the 17th of July Loizeau presented
himself to Comte de Gimel, who resided at Altona, as the agent of the
Comte de Lille. He offered to repair to Paris and assassinate the
Emperor. Comte de Gimel rejected the proposal with indignation; and
replied, that if he had no other means of serving the Bourbons than
cowardly assassination he might go elsewhere and find confederates. This
fact, which was communicated to me by a friend of M. de Gimel, determined
me to arrest Loizeau. Not being warranted, however, to take this step at
Altona, I employed a trusty agent to keep watch, and draw him into a
quarrel the moment he should appear on the Hamburg side of a public walk
which divides that city from Altona, and deliver him up to the nearest
Hamburg guard-house. Loizeau fell into the snare; but finding that he
was about to be conducted from the guardhouse to the prison of Hamburg,
and that it was at my request he had been arrested, he hastily unloosed
his cravat, and tore with his teeth the papers it contained, part of
which he swallowed. He also endeavoured to tear some other papers which
were concealed under his arm, but was prevented by the guard. Furious at
this disappointment, he violently resisted the five soldiers who had him
in custody, and was not secured until he had been slightly wounded. His
first exclamation on entering prison was, "I am undone!" Loizeau was
removed to Paris, and, though I am ignorant of the ultimate fate of this
wretch, I am pretty certain that Fouche would take effectual means to
prevent him from doing any further mischief.

CHAPTER VI.

1806.

Menaces of Prussia--Offer for restoring Hanover to England--Insolent
ultimatum--Commencement of hostilities between France and Prussia--
Battle of Auerstadt--Death of the Duke of Brunswick--Bernadotte in
Hamburg--Davonet and Bernadotte--The Swedes at Lubeck--Major Amiel--
Service rendered to the English Minister at Hamburg--My appointment
of Minister for the King of Naples--New regulation of the German
post-office--The Confederation of the North--Devices of the Hanse
Towns--Occupation of Hamburg i