marie antoinette and her son-第100章

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touched　with　the　view　of　this　youth；　whose　countenance　was　the
evidence　of　his　lineage；　the　living　picture　of　the　unfortunate　Louis
XVI。；　whom　Fouche　had　brought　to　the　scaffold。　Perhaps　this　man　of
blood　and　the　guillotine　had　compunctions　of　conscience；　perhaps　he
wanted　to　atone　to　the　son　for　his　injuries　to　the　parents；　perhaps
he　was　planning　to　make　of　the　son　of　the　Bourbons　a　check　to　the
ambitious　consul　of　the　republic；　perhaps　to　humiliate　the　grasping
Count　de　Lille；　who　was　intriguing　at　all　the　European　courts　for
the　purpose　of　raising　armies　against　the　French　republic。　The　son
of　Louis　XVI。　could　be　employed　as　a　useful　foil　to　all　these
political　manoeuvres；　and　subsequently　he　could　either　be　publicly
acknowledged；　or　denounced　as　an　impostor；　as　circumstances　might
determine。

At　present　it　suited　the　plans　of　the　crafty　Fouche　to　acknowledge
him；　and　to　assume　the　attitude　of　a　protector。　He　put　on　a　very
respectful　and　sympathetic　air　to　the　poor　solitary　youth；　with
gentle；　tremulous　voice　he　called　him　your　Majesty；　he　begged　his
pardon　for　the　past；　he　spoke　with　such　deep　emotion　and　so　solemn　a
tone　of　the　good；　great；　and　gentle　Louis　XVI。；　that　the　heart　of
the　son　was　powerfully　touched。　And　when　Fouche；　with　flaming　words
of　enthusiasm；　began　to　speak　of　the　noble；　unhappy　Queen　Marie
Antoinette；　when　with　glowing　eloquence　he　celebrated　her　beauty　and
her　gentleness　in　time　of　good…fortune；　her　greatness　and
steadfastness　in　ill…fortune；　all　the　anger　of　the　young　man　melted
in　the　tears　of　love　which　he　poured　out　as　he　remembered　his
mother。

〃I　forgive　you；　Fouche；　yes；　I　forgive　you；〃　he　cried；　extending
both　his　hands。　〃I　see　plainly　the　power　of　political　faction
hurried　you　away；　but　your　heart　cannot　be　bad；　for　you　love　my
noble　mother。　I　forgive　you；　and　I　trust　you。〃

Fouche；　deeply　moved；　sank　upon　his　knee　before　the　dauphin；　and
called　himself　one　of　his　loyal　subjects；　and　promised　to　take　all
means　to　restore　the　young　king　to　the　throne　of　his　fathers。　He
conjured　Louis　to　trust　him；　and　to　enter　upon　no　plan　without
asking　his　counsel。

Louis　promised　this。　He　told　Fouche　that　he　was　the　only　man　who　had
talked　with　him　about　the　past　without　using　ambiguous　language；
that　he　was　surprised　at　this；　and　compelled　to　recognize　as　true
what　formerly　had　been　fettered　on　his　tongue。　He　told　him　that　he
had　promised　his　rescuer；　with　a　solemn　oath；　never　to　acknowledge
himself　as　the　son　of　Louis　XVI。；　and　King　of　France；　till　this
rescuer　and　benefactor　empowered　him　to　do　so；　and　released　him　from
his　vow　of　silence。　He　made　it；　therefore；　the　first　condition　of
his　confidence　that　Fouche　should　disclose　his　secret　to　no　one；　but
carry　it　faithfully　in　his　own　breast。

Fouche　promised　all；　and　took　a　sacred　oath　that　he　would　never
reveal　the　secret　confided　to　him　by　the　King　of　France。　But　he
confessed　at　the　same　time　that　the　First　Consul　knew　very　well　that
the　son　of　the　king　had　been　released　from　the　Temple；　and　that
among　the　posthumous　papers　of　Kleber　there　was　a　letter　directed　to
Bonaparte；　stating　that　he；　Kleber；　knew　very　well　that　the　little
Capet　was　still　living；　and　imploring　Bonaparte　to　restore　the
orphan　to　the　throne　of　the　Lilies。　The　consul　had；　therefore；
quietly；　made　investigations；　and　learned　that　Louis　had　taken　part
as　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix　in　the　battle　of　Marengo；　that　he
had　been　wounded　there；　and　remained　in　the　hospital　of　Alessandria
till　his　recovery。　Since　then　all　trace　of　the　young　man　had　been
lost；　and　he　had　commissioned　Fouche　to　discover　the　adjutant　of
Kleber　and　Desaix　and　bring　him　to　him。

〃You　will　not　do　that？〃　cried　Louis；　eagerly；　〃you　will　not　disclose
me？〃

〃Are　you　afraid　of　him？〃　asked　Fouche；　with　a　suspicious　smile。

The　young　man　blushed；　and　a　cloud　passed　over　his　clear　forehead。

〃Fear！〃　he　replied　with　a　shrug。　〃The　sons　of　my　ancestors　have　no
fear；　and　I　have　shown　on　the　battle…fields　of　Aboukir　and　Marongo；
and　in　the　pest…houses　of　Jaffa；　that　I　know　not　the　word。　But　when
one　meets　a　blood…thirsty　lion　in　his　path　he　turns　out　of　the　way；
and　when　a　tiger　extends　its　talons　at　one　he　flies；　that　is　the
duty　of　self…preservation；　and　not　the　flight　of　a　coward。〃

〃Do　you　believe；　then；　that　this　lion　thirsts　for　royal　blood？〃

〃I　believe　that　he　thirsts　for　royal　rank；　and　that　he　will　neglect
no　means　to　vanquish　all　hinderances　that　might　intervene　between
himself　and　the　throne。　Do　you　believe；　sir；　that　the　man　who；　after
the　battle　of　Aboukir；　sentenced　five　thousand　prisoners　to　death；
would　hesitate　a　moment　to　take　the　life　of　a　poor；　defenceless
young　man　such　as　I　am？　He　would　beat　me　into　the　dust　as　the　lion
does　the　flea　which　dares　to　play　with　his　mane。〃

〃It　appears　you　know　this　aon　very　well；〃　said　Fouche　with　a　smile；
〃and　I　really　believe　you　judge　him　rightly。　But　be　without　concern。
He　shall　not　know　from　me　that　I　am　aware　of　you　and　your　abiding…
place。　In　order　that　Bonaparte　shall　not　take　me　to　be　a　bad
detective；　I　shall　show　him　in　all　other　things　that　I　am　on　the
alert。　In　case　of　necessity；　it　may　be　that　I　shall　have　to　resort
to　deception；　and；　in　order　to　save　your　life；　inform　the　consul
that　you　are　dead。　There　were　a　great　many　young　officers　who　fell
at　Marengo；　or　afterward　died　as　the　result　of　their　wounds。　Why
should　not　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix　have　met　this　fate？　Yes；　I
believe　this　will　be　the　best。　I　will　give　you　out　as　dead；　in　order
to　save　your　life。　I　will　cause　a　paper　to　be　prepared　which　shall
testify　that　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix；　who　lay　there　in　the
hospital；　died　there　of　his　wounds　and　was　buried。〃

〃And　so　I　shall　disappear　from　life　a　second　time？〃　asked　Louis；
sadly。

〃Yes；　sire；　in　order　to　enter　anew　upon　it　with　greater　splendor；〃
replied　Fouche；　eagerly。

〃Who　knows　whether　this　shall　ever　be？〃　sighed　Louis。　〃How　shall　I
be　able　to　establish　my　identity　if　I　die　and　am　buried　twice？　Who
will　be　my　pledge　that　I　shall　be　able　to　convince　men　that　I　am　not
a　deceiver；　and　that　my　whole　existence　is　not　an　idle　tale？　There
are　only　a　few　who　know　and　believe　that　little　Capet　escaped　from
the　Temple；　and　went　to　Egypt　as　Kleber's　adjutant。　If；　now；　these
few　learn　that　the　adjutant　fell　in　battle；　if　the　paper　that
testifies　to　his　death　is　laid　before　them；　how　shall　I　subsequently
be　believed　if　I　announce　that　I　am　alive；　and　that　I　am　the　one　for
whom　I　give　myself　out？　The　seal　of　royalty　is　impressed　on　no　man's
brow；　and　we　know　from　history　that　there　have　been　false
pretenders。〃

〃You　shall　show　with　your　papers　that　you　are　none　such；〃　said
Fouche；　eagerly；　〃and　God　will　grant　that　I；　too；　shall　be　living
when　the　time　shall　be　in　which　you　may　come　forward　with　raised
voice　and　demand　your　inheritance　and　your　throne。　Hope　for　that
time；　and　meanwhile　preserve　your　papers　well。　Carry　them　always
with　you；　part　with　them　neither　day　nor　night；　for　in　these　papers
rest　your　future　and　your　c　rown。　No　other　man　besides　yourself　can
take　care　of　them　These　papers　are　worth　more　to　you　than　a　million
of　fras；　although　oven　that　should　not　be　scorned。　Here　are　the
documents　that　give　you　possession　of　your　wealth。　I　have　deposited
your　funds　in　the　Bank　of　France；　and　you　can　draw　out　money　at　any
time　by　presenting　these　checks　that　I　give　you；　simply　writing　your
name　upon　them。〃

〃By　simply　writing　my　name　upon　them！〃　cried　Louis；　bitterly。　〃But；
sir；　what　is　my　name？　How　shall　I　be　called？　I　was　formerly
designated　as　the　nephew　of　Kleber；　Colonel　Louis；　the　adjutant　of
Desaix。　But　Colonel　Louis　can　no　longer　acknowledge　that　he　is
alive；　and　you　propose　to　convince　the　First　Consul　that　the　nephew
of　Kleber　is　dead。　Who；　then；　am　I？　What　name　shall　I　subscribe　to
those　papers？　By　what　name　shall　the　nameless；　the　dead　and　buried；
the　resurrected；　the　again　dead　and　buried　oneby　what　name　shall
he　draw　money　from　the　bank？〃

〃Very　true；〃　said　Fouche。　〃A　name；　or　rather　the　mask　of　a　citizen's
or　nobleman's　name；　must　be　your　disguise；　and　it　is　imperatively
necessary　that　we　give　you　such；　and　provide　you　with　papers　that
cannot　be　forged；　which　shall　prove　your　existence；　and　secure　you
against　every　assault。〃

〃Very　good；　then　tell　me　how　I　shall　be　called；〃　said　Louis；　sadly。
〃Be　the　godfather　of　the　solitary　and　nameless。〃

〃Well；　I　will；〃　cried　Fouche。　〃In　the　glamour　of　political　passions
I　have　raised　my　voice　against　the　life　of　your　father；　full　of
regret　I　will　raise　my　voice　for　the　life　of　the　son；　and　assist　him
to　enter　afresh　upon　life　and　into　the　society　of　men。　Young　man；　I
will　give　you　a　name　and　rank；　till　the　French　nation　restore　to　you
your　true　name　and　rank。　You　shall　henceforth　be　called　the　Baron　de
Richemont。　Will　you　accept　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　will　accept　it；〃　said　Louis；　gently。　〃To　be　the　Baron　de
Richemont　is　better　than　to　be　a　dead　and　buried　person　without　any
name。〃

〃Very　good；　my　lord　baron；〃　cried　Fouche；　〃I　will　have　the　necessary
certificates　and　papers　made　out；　and　enter　your　property　in　the
Bank　of　France　under　the　name　of　the　Baron　de　Richemont。　If　you
please；　come　to…morrow　to　me；　and　I　will　deliver　to　you　the　papers
of　Monsieur　de　Richemont。〃

〃I　shall　come；　be　sure　of　that；〃　said　Louis；　giving　him　his　hand；
〃it　seems　to　me　my　fate　to　go　incognito　through　life；　and　God　alone
knows　whether　I　shall　ever　abandon　this　incognito。〃

He　saluted　Fouche　with　a　sad　smile；　and　went　out。　The　minister
listened　to　the　resounding　footstep；　and　then　broke　out　into　loud；
mocking　laughter。

〃Foolish　boy！〃　he　said；　raising　his　hand　threateningly；　〃foolish
boy！　You　suppose　that　only　God　knows　whether　you　will　ever　come　out
of　your　incognito。　You　mistakebesides　God；　Fouche　knows　it。　Yes；
Fouche　knows　that　this　incognito　extends　over　you　like　a　net；　from
which　you　never　will　escape。　No；　the　Baron　de　Richemont　shall　never
be　transformed　into　King　Louis　XVII。　But　he　shall　be　an　instrument
with　which　I　will　hold　in　check　this　ambitious　Consul　Bonaparte；　who
is　striving；　for　the　throne；　and　this　grasping　Count　de　Lille；　who
in　his　exile　calls　himself　King　Louis　XVIII。the　instrument　with
which　I　threaten　when　I　am　threatened。　Only；　my　little　Baron　de
Richemont；　I　do　not　know　what　I　can　make　out　of　you；　but　I　know　that
you　shall　make　out　of　me　a　rich；　dangerous；　and　dreaded　man。　Poor；
credulous　fool！　How　easily　you　fall　into　the　piti　The　Baron　de
Richemont　shall　never　escape　from　it。　I　vouch　for　itI；　Fouche！〃




CHAPTER　XXXI。

FOUCHE。


The　First　Consul　was　walking　with　hasty　steps　up　and　down　his
cabinet。　His　eyes　flashed；　and　his　face；　which　elsewhere　was
impenetrable；　like　that　of　the　brazen　statues　of　the　Roman　emperors；
disclosed　the　fiery　impatience　and　stormy　passions　which　raged
within　him。　His　lips；　which　were　pressed　closely　together；　opened
now　and　then　to　mutter　a　word　of　threatening　or　of　anger；　and　that
word　he　hurled　like　a　poisoned　arrow　directly　at　the　man　who；　in　a
respectful　attitude　and　with　pallid　cheeks；　stood　not　far　from　the
door；　near　the　table　covered　with　papers。This　man　was　Fouche；
f