Rapp) that
next to you I am the best German scholar in Napoleon's Court, I was
appointed interpreter on this occasion. The Emperor put the following
questions to Staps, which I translated, together with the answers:

"'Where do you come from?'--'From Narremburgh.'--'What is your father?'--
'A Protestant minister.'--'How old are you?'--'Eighteen.'--'What did
you intend to do with your knife?'--'To kill you.'--'You are mad, young
man; you are one of the illuminati?'--'I am not mad; I know not what is
meant by the illuminati!'--'You are ill, then?'--'I am not; I am very
well.'--'Why did you wish to kill me?'--'Because you have ruined my
country.'--'Have I done you any harm?'--'Yes, you have harmed me as well
as all Germans.'--'By whom were you sent? Who urged you to this crime?'--
'No one; I was urged to it by the sincere conviction that by killing
you I should render the greatest service to my country.'--'Is this the
first time you have seen me?'--'I saw you at Erfurt, at the time of your
interview with the Emperor of Russia.'--'Did you intend to kill me
then?'--'No; I thought you would not again wage war against Germany. I
was one of your greatest admirers.'--'How long have you been in Vienna?'--
'Ten days.'--'Why did you wait so long before you attempted the
execution of your project?'--'I came to Schoenbrunn a week ago with the
intention of killing you, but when I arrived the parade was just over; I
therefore deferred the execution of my design till today.'--'I tell you,
young man, you are either mad or in bad health.'

"The Emperor here ordered Corvisart to be sent for. Staps asked who
Corvisart was? I told him that he was a physician. He then said,
'I have no need of him.' Nothing further was said until the arrival of
the doctor, and during this interval Steps evinced the utmost
indifference. When Corvisart arrived Napoleon directed him to feel the
young man's pulse, which he immediately did; and Staps then very coolly
said, 'Am I not well, sir?' Corvisart told the Emperor that nothing
ailed him. 'I told you so,' said Steps, pronouncing the words with an
air of triumph.

"I was really astonished at the coolness and apathy of Staps, and the
Emperor seemed for a moment confounded by the young man's
behaviour.--After a few moments' pause the Emperor resumed the
interrogatory as follows:

"'Your brain is disordered. You will be the ruin of your family. I will
grant you your life if you ask pardon for the crime you m