“Precisely.”
“Come then.”
“Wait one moment. The young men you arrested—”
“The Companions of Jehu?”
“Yes. Well, it seems that they were all of noble families. They were fanatics rather than criminals. It appears that your mother has been made the victim of some judicial trick or other in testifying at their trial and has called their conviction.”
“Possibly. My mother was in the coach stopped by them, as you know, and saw the face of their leader.”
“Well, your mother implores me, through Josephine, to pardon those poor madmen—that is the very word she uses. They have appealed their case. You will get there before the appeal can be rejected, and, if you think it desirable, tell the minister of Justice for me to suspend matters. After you get back we can see what is best to be done.”
“Thank you, general. Anything more?”
“No,” said Bonaparte, “except to think over our conversation.”
“What was it about?”