426 
Polignac and De Riviere. He habi- 
tually closetted himself with Georges, 
aud both were always together by 
themselves. ‘These confessions ex- 
cited peculiar attention. “Who could 
this mysterious personage be? It was 
a man of no ordinary rank; so much 
respect could only be paid to one of 
high distinction. Tmagination then 
played her part... Georges was sup- 
plied with considerable sams, together 
with all those who had been disem- 
barked in the same manner by Capt. 
Wright.’ This circumstance  suffi- 
ciently proved that the enterprise was 
projected ina high quarter. To this 
were joined the depositions of some 
of Georges’ subordinates, who related 
what had been said to them on deli- 
vering the poignards which were found 
upon them. ‘The revolution might, in 
truth, have profited by the blow in- 
tended to be struck by Georges; but 
it was evident that it was not to the 
advantage of the republic that the 
conspiracy had been formed. The 
house of Bourbon naturally presented 
itself to évery mind. It was conjec- 
tured, therefore, that the mysterious 
personage of whom they were: in 
search could only be one of those who 
were particularly interested in the 
success of the project. It was told 
the First Consul; and the latter 
thought within himself, that it was not 
probable such an enterprise could be 
undertaken without having on the 
spot a prince of the family, who could 
rally every one around him as soon as 
the blow should be struck. This rea- 
soning was strengthened by the obser- 
vation, that it was at the house of 
Georges alone, and not at’ General 
Moreau’s, that this mysterious person- 
age had been seen. 
The names of the princes of the 
house of Bourbon were then called 
over. It could not be Monsicur the 
Count d’Artois: his age was opposed 
to the idea. It could not be the Duc 
de Berri: the people connected with 
Georges -knew him personally, and 
they affirmed he was not the man. 
The idea could not for a moment be 
entertained of the Duc d’Angouléme : 
he wasiat Mittau, alone with the king. 
The Due de Boarbon was in London, 
and his description could not corres- 
pond with that of the unknown per- 
sonage. The ‘mind then naturally 
rested on the Duc d’Enghein: his evil 
genius seemed ‘to have collected a 
mass of circumstances and conjectures 
1 
Documents illustrative of History. 
[Dee 
which were destined to overwhelm 
him.) He was then residing in the 
states of Baden, near the Rhine. Vhe 
details given respecting the mysterious 
stranger were ‘sufficiently “applicable 
to his person ; his courage and deter- 
mined character rendered him fit for a 
decisive and perilous enterprise. 
It may be proper to observe, that 
at this epoch the ramifications of the 
police were not extended beyond the 
frontiers: it was solely through the 
medium of the Minister of Foreign 
Affairs (‘Talleyrand,) that the govern- 
ment received all the information 
which came from abroad. 
‘The confession of the two subordi- 
nates of Georges, and the conjectures 
which were afloat, on which the mind 
rested for want of more ample infor- 
mation, were communicated’ ‘to the 
First Consul. He immediately dis- 
patched an envoy to the spot, to ascer- 
tain what had been the pursuits of the 
Duc d’Enghein for the previous six 
months. ‘The Counsellor ‘of ‘State 
(Réal,) being charged with this affair, 
he accordingly lost no° time, ‘Dut 
repaired himself to the first inspector- 
general of the gendarmerie (General 
Moncey), traced before him the route 
which the envoy ought ‘to pursue; and 
declared to him that the First Consul 
desired that he might depart forthwith. 
The general immediately chose an 
officer of his department, communi- 
cated to him the instructions which he 
had just received, and desired, him to 
repair to ile spot. This man was not 
without capacity, but his imagination 
exercised over his mind more sway 
than reason. Thus all of a sudden he 
was seized with the idea that the Duc 
d’Enghein must infallibly be the per- 
sonage sought after, and busied him- 
self much more with the importance 
of his mission and his instructions, 
than with the researches which he 
ought to have made. 
He set out with all speed, ‘and, soon 
after, arrived at Strasbourg ; there he 
learned that the Due d’Enghein came 
almost every week. to the theatre of 
that city. This was a fact which was 
afterwards confirmed to me by a per- 
son attached to the duke at the epoch 
of his being forcibly carried away. | It 
was even added, that he had been as 
far as Paris under the government of 
the Directory, and at the time ‘that 
Bernadotte was Minister of War.’ It 
was coneluded from this, that, if he 
exposed himself to such great dangers 
from 
