of the smallest events think that his Majesty's idea was to oppose the
subtle expedients of the police under M. Fouche to the then all-powerful
police of the Baron de Stein, the armed head of all the secret parties
which were forming in every direction, and which were regarded, not
without reason, as the rulers of popular opinion in Prussia and Germany,
and, above all, in the numerous schools, where the students were only
awaiting the moment for taking up arms. These conjectures as to M.
Fouche's presence at Dresden were without foundation. The Emperor in
recalling him had a real motive, which he, however, disguised under a
specious pretext. Having been deeply impressed by the conspiracy of
Malet, his Majesty thought that it would not be prudent to leave at Paris
during his absence a person so discontented and at the same time so
influential as the Duke of Otranto; and I heard him many times express
himself on this subject in a manner which left no room for doubt. But in
order to disguise this real motive, the Emperor appointed M. Fouche
governor of the Illyrian provinces in place of Count Bertrand, who was
given the command of an army-corps, and was soon after appointed to
succeed the adorable General Duroc in the functions of grand marshal of
the palace. Whatever the justice of this distrust of Fouche, it is very
certain that few persons were so well convinced of the superiority of his
talents as a police officer as his Majesty himself. Several times when
anything extraordinary occurred at Paris, and especially when he learned
of the conspiracy of Malet, the Emperor, recalling in the evening what
had impressed him most deeply during the day, ended by saying, "This
would not have happened if Fouche had been minister of police!" Perhaps
this was undue partiality; for the Emperor assuredly never had a more
faithful and devoted servant than the Duke of Rovigo, although many jests
were made in Paris over his custom of punishing by a few hours
imprisonment.