taken in his stead.  It happened again this time, and Manginot seized him, thinking he had done a fine thing.  But the first interview undeceived him.  However, he sent word of his capture to Real, who, in his zeal to execute the First Consul’s orders, took upon himself to determine that Placide d’Ache was as dangerous a royalist “brigand” as his brother.  He ordered the prisoner to be brought under a strong escort to Paris, determining to interrogate him himself.  But as soon as he had seen “Tourlour,” and had asked him a few questions, including one as to his behaviour during the Terror, and received for answer, “I hid myself with mamma,” Real understood that such a man could not be brought before a tribunal as a rival to Bonaparte.  He kept him, however, in prison, so that the name of d’Ache could appear on the gaol-book of the Temple.

In the meantime, on the 9th of March 1804, at the hour when Placide d’Ache was being interrogated, an event occurred, which transformed the drama and hastened its tragic denouement.

CHAPTER II

THE CAPTURE OF GEORGES CADOUDAL

Georges had arrived in Paris on September 1, 1803, in a yellow cabriolet driven by the Marquis d’Hozier dressed as a coachman.  D’Hozier, who was formerly page to the King and had for several months been established as a livery-stable keeper in the Rue Vieille-du-Temple, conducted Georges to the Hotel de Bordeaux, kept by the widow Dathy, in the Rue de Grenelle-Saint-Honore.

The task of finding hiding-places in Paris for the conspirators, had been given to Houvel, called Saint-Vincent, whom we have already seen at Saint-Leu.  Houvel’s real name was Raoul Gaillard.  A perfect type of the incorrigible Chouan, he was a fine-looking man of thirty, fresh-complexioned, with white teeth and a ready smile, and dressed in the prevailing fashion.  He was a close companion of d’Ache, and it was even said that they had the same mistress at Rouen.  The speciality of Raoul and his brother Armand was attacking coaches which carried government money.  Their takings served to pay recruits to the royalist cause.  For the past six months Raoul Gaillard had been in Paris looking for safe lodging-places.  He was assisted in this delicate task by Bouvet de Lozier, another of d’Ache’s intimate friends, who like him, had served in the navy before the Revolution.

Georges went first to Raoul Gaillard at the Hotel de Bordeaux, but he left in the evening and slept with Denaud at the “Cloche d’Or,” at the corner of the Rue du Bac, and the Rue de Varenne.  He was joined there by his faithful servant Louis Picot, who had arrived in Paris the same day.  The “Cloche d’Or” was a sort of headquarters for the conspirators; they filled the house, and Denaud was entirely at their service.  He was devoted to the cause, and not at all timid.  He had placed Georges’ cab in the stable of Senator Francois de Neufchateau, whose house was next door.