“He said the West must be fought in the East and the Midi.”
“Like England in India.”
“Consequently he gave citizen Fouché full powers, and, even if it cost a million and he had to kill five hundred men, he must have our heads.”
“Well, he knows his man when he makes his demand; remains to be seen if we let him have them.”
“So citizen Fouché went home furious, and vowed that before eight days passed there should not be a single Companion of Jehu left in France.”
“The time is short.”
“That same day couriers started for Lyons, Mâcon, Sons-le-Saulnier, Besançon and Geneva, with orders to the garrison commanders to do personally all they could for our destruction; but above all to obey unquestioningly M. Roland de Montrevel, aide-de-camp to the First Consul, and to put at his disposal as many troops as he thought needful.”
“And I can add,” said Morgan, “that M. Roland de Montrevel is already in the field. He had a conference with the captain of the gendarmerie, in the prison at Bourg, yesterday.”
“Does any one know why?” asked a voice.
“The deuce!” said another, “to engage our cells.”