——[AtthetimeofthisattemptIwasnotwithNapoleon;buthedirectedmetoseethemadmenwhohadformedthedesignofassassinatinghim.ItwillbeseeninthecoarseoftheseMemoirswhatwerehasplans，andwhatwastheresultofthem——Bourrienne]——
ThefollowingisacorrectstatementofthefactsrelativetoCeracchi’sconspiracy.Theplotitselfwasamereshadow;butitwasdeemedadvisabletogiveitsubstance，toexaggerate，atleastinappearance，thedangertowhichtheFirstConsulhadbeenexposed：——
TherewasatthattimeinParisanidlefellowcalledHarrel;hehadbeena’chefdebattalion’，buthehadbeendismissedtheservice，andwasconsequentlydissatisfied.HebecameconnectedwithCerracchi，Arena，Topino—Lebrun，andDemerville.FromdifferentmotivesalltheseindividualswereviolentlyhostiletotheFirstConsul，whoonhispart，wasnofriendtoCerracchiandArena，butscarcelyknewthetwoothers.
Thesefourindividualsformed，inconjunctionwithHarrel，thedesignofassassinatingtheFirstConsul，andthetimefixedfortheperpetrationofthedeedwasoneeveningwhenBonaparteintendedtovisittheopera.
Onthe20thofSeptember1804HarrelcametomeattheTuileries.Herevealedtometheplotinwhichhewasengaged，andpromisedthathisaccomplicesshouldbeapprehendedintheveryactifIwouldsupplyhimwithmoneytobringtheplottomaturity.Iknewnothowtoactuponthisdisclosure，whichI，however，couldnotrejectwithoutincurringtoogreataresponsibility.IimmediatelycommunicatedthebusinesstotheFirstConsul，whoorderedmetosupplyHarrelwithmoney;butnottomentiontheaffairtoFouche，towhomhewishedtoprovethatheknewbetterhowtomanagethepolicethanhedid.