Meanwhile the negotiations for peace were proceeding very slowly,
and Germany was still suffering. A young man, instigated by a blind
feeling of patriotism, formed the design of delivering his country
from him whom he regarded as the cause of its misfortunes. He
presented himself at Schoenbrunn on the 23d October, while the troops
were defiling: I was on duty; Napoleon was standing between the Prince
de Neufchatel and me. The young man, who was named St. * * *, advanced
to the Emperor. Berthier, conceiving that he was about to present a
petition, stepped forward and told him to deliver it to me. He replied
that he wished to speak to Napoleon; but he was again told, that if
he had any communication to make, he must apply to the aide-de-camp
on duty. He withdrew to a short distance, repeating that he would
speak with Napoleon only. He came forward again, and approached very
near the person of the Emperor. I drew him back and told him in
German that he must withdraw: that if he had any thing to solicit,
he would be heard after the parade. His right hand was thrust into
a side-pocket under his great-coat, and he held a paper, one end of
which was visible. I was struck with the expression of his eyes when
he looked at me: his decided manner roused my suspicions. I called to
an officer of gendarmerie who was on the spot, and ordered him to be
put under arrest and conducted to the Castle. The attention of every
one present was so occupied with the parade, that nobody noticed what
was going forward. I was soon after informed that a large carving
knife had been found on St. * * *. I told Duroc what I had learnt,
and we went together to the place to which he had been conducted. We
found him sitting on a bed, on which were laid the portrait of a young
female, a portfolio, and a purse containing a few old louis-d'or. I
asked his name.—“I can tell it only to Napoleon,” was his reply.—“What
did you intend to do with the knife that was found upon you?”—“That
I can tell only to Napoleon.”—“Did you propose to assassinate
him?”—“Yes, Sir.”—“Why?”—“That I can tell only to him.”
I went to communicate this singular circumstance to the Emperor. He
desired that the young man might be conducted to his closet. I went
out to give this order; and on my return I found Bernadotte, Berthier,
Savary, and Duroc, with the Emperor. St. * * * was brought in by two
gendarmes, with his hands tied behind him. He appeared perfectly
composed. The presence of Napoleon made not the least impression on
him, but he saluted him respectfully. The Emperor asked him whether
he could speak French, and he replied in a firm tone: “Very little.”
Napoleon then directed me to ask him, in his name, the following
questions:—
“Where were you born?”—“In Naumburgh.”—“What is your father?”—“A
protestant minister.”—“How old are you?”—“I am eighteen years of
age.”—“What did you intend to do with the knife?”—“To kill you.”—“You
are mad, young man; you are an _illuminato_.”—“I am not mad; and I
know not what is meant by an _illuminato_.”—“You are sick, then.”—“I
am not sick; on the contrary, I am in good health.”—“Why did you wish
to assassinate me?”—“Because you have caused the misfortunes of my
country.”—“Have I done you any harm?”—“You have done harm to me as
well as to all Germans.”—“By whom were you sent? Who instigated you
to this crime?”—“Nobody. I determined to take your life, from the
conviction that I should thereby render the highest service to my
country and to Europe.”—“Is this the first time you ever saw me?”—“I
saw you at Erfurt at the time of the interview.”—“Did you then intend
to assassinate me?”—“No; I thought that you would no longer wage war
in Germany; I was then one of your most ardent admirers.”—“How long
have you been in Vienna?”—“Ten days.”—“Why did you so long defer the
execution of your design?”—“I came to Schoenbrunn a week ago; but
the parade was over when I arrived, and I postponed the execution
of my design until this day.”—“I tell you, you are either mad or
sick.”—“Neither the one nor the other.”—“Desire Corvisart to come
here.”—“Who is Corvisart?”—“He is a physician,” I replied. “I have
no need of him.” We remained silent until the doctor arrived. St. *
* * evinced the utmost indifference. At length Corvisart made his
appearance. Napoleon directed him to feel the young man's pulse. “Am
I not quite well, Sir?”—“He is in very good health,” said the doctor,
addressing himself to the Emperor.—“I told you so,” said St. * * *,
with an air of satisfaction.
Napoleon was embarrassed by the unconcerned manner of the offender.
“You are a wild enthusiast,” said he; “you will ruin your family. I
am willing to grant your life, if you ask pardon for the crime which
you intended to commit, and for which you ought to be sorry.”—“I want
no pardon,” replied St. * * *, “I feel the deepest regret for not
having executed my design.”—“You seem to think very lightly of the
commission of a crime!”—“To kill you would not have been a crime,
but a duty.”—“Whose portrait is that that was found upon you?”—“It
is the portrait of a young lady to whom I am attached.”—“She will be
very much distressed to hear of the unhappy situation in which you
are placed!”—“She will regret to hear that I have not succeeded. She
detests you no less than I do.”—“Would you not be grateful were I to
pardon you?”—“I would notwithstanding seize the first opportunity of
taking your life.”
Napoleon was confounded. He ordered the prisoner to be led away; and
then entered into conversation with us, and said a great deal on
the subject of the _illuminati_. In the evening he sent for me, and
said: “The circumstance that occurred to-day is very extraordinary.
The plots of Berlin and Weimar are at the bottom of this affair.”—I
repelled these suspicions. “Women are capable of any thing,”
resumed Napoleon.—“Neither man nor woman connected with those two
courts,” I replied, “would ever conceive the idea of so atrocious a
crime.”—“Recollect the affair of Schill.”—“It bears no resemblance
to a crime like this.”—“You may say what you please, General, but I
know I am no favourite either at Berlin or Weimar.”—“That's very true:
you cannot reasonably expect to be a favourite at either of those
courts. But because they dislike you, does it follow that they would
assassinate you?” He communicated the same suspicions to * * * * *.
Napoleon ordered me to write to General Lauer, directing him to
interrogate St. * * *, with the view of obtaining some confession
from him. But he made none. He persisted in asserting that he had
acted entirely from the impulse of his own mind, and not from the
instigation of any one.
The departure from Schoenbrunn was fixed for the 27th of October.
Napoleon rose at five in the morning and sent for me. We walked out to
the great road to see the Imperial Guard pass along on its departure
for France. We were alone. Napoleon again spoke to me of St. * * *.
“That a young man of his age,” said he, “a German, a protestant, and
well educated, should attempt the commission of such a crime, is a
thing unparalleled. Enquire how he died.”