marie antoinette and her son-第108章

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on　landing　on　the　Italian　coast；　he　was　arrested　in　1818；　at　the
instigation　of　the　Austrian　ambassador　at　Mantua；　and　confined　in
the　prison　of　Milan。

Seven　years　the　unhappy　prince　spent　in　the　Austrian　prison；　without
once　being　summoned　before　a　judgeseven　years　of　solitude；　of
darkness；　and　of　want。　But　the　son　of　Marie　Antoinette　had　learned
in　his　youth　to　bear　these　things；　and　his　prison…life　in　Milan　was
not　so　cruel　as　that　in　the　Temple　under　Simon。　Here　there　were　at
least　sympathizing　souls　who　pitied　him；　even　the　turnkeys　of　the
prison　were　courteous　and　kind　when　they　entered　the　cell　of　the
〃King　of　France；〃　and　one　day；　beyond　the　wall　of　his　apartment；　was
heard　a　voice　singing；　in　gentle；　melodious　tones；　a　romanza　which
Louis　had　composed；　and　written　on　the　wall　when　he　occupied　the
neighboring　cell。

This　voice；　which　sounded　like　a　greeting　from　the　world；　was　that
of　Silvio　Pellico。　The　celebrated　author　of　〃Le　Mie　Prigioni；〃
relates　in　touching　words　this　salutation　of　his　neighbor：

〃My　bed　was　carried；〃　he　said；　〃into　the　new　cell　that　was　prepared
for　me；　and　as　soon　as　the　inspectors　had　left　me　alone；　my　first
care　was　to　examine　the　walls。　There　were　to　be　seen　there　some
words；　recollections　of　the　past；　written　with　chalk；　with　pencil；
or　with　a　sharp　tool。　I　found　there　also　two　pretty　French　lines；
which　I　am　sorry　I　did　not　copy。　I　began　to　sing　them　to　my　melody
of　'The　Poor　Mugdalen；'　when　a　voice　near　me　responded　with　another
air。　When　the　singer　ended；　I　called　out；　'Bravo！'　He　replied　with　a
polite　salutation；　and　asked　me　if　I　was　French。

〃'No；　I　am　Italian；　and　am　called　Silvio　Pellico。'

〃'The　author　of　Francesca　da　Rimini？'

〃'Yes；　the　same。'

〃And　now　there　followed　a　courtly　compliment；　with　the　usual　regrets
for　my　imprisonment。　He　asked　in　what　part　of　Italy　I　was　born；　and
when　I　told　him　in　Saluzzo；　in　Piedmont；　he　awarded　the　Piedmontese
some　words　of　high　praise；　and　spoko　particularly　of　Bodoni　（a
celebrated　printer；　director　of　the　national　printing　establishment
at　Parma）。　His　compliments　were　brief　and　discriminating；　and
disclosed　a　finely　cultivated　mind。

〃'And　now；　sir；'　said　I；　'allow　me　to　ask　you　who　you　are。'

〃'You　were　just　singing　a　song　that　I　wrote。'

〃'These　pretty　verses　here　upon　the　wall；　are　they　yours？'

〃'Yes；　they　are。'

〃'You　are　therefore'

〃'The　Duke　de　Normandie。'

〃The　watchman　was　just　then　walking　past　my　window　and　so　I　was
still。　After　some　time　we　resumed　our　conversation。　When　I　asked
whether　he　was　Louis　XVII。；　he　responded　in　the　affirmative；　and
began　to　declaim　hotly　against　Louis　XVIII。　his　uncle；　the　usurper
of　his　rights。

〃I　implored　him　to　give　me　his　history　in　brief　outlines。　He　did　so；
and　related　to　me　all　the　details　connected　with　the　life　of　Louis
XVII。；　which　I　knew　only　in　part。　He　told　me　how　he　had　been
imprisoned　with　Simon　the　cobbler；　been　compelled　to　sign　a
calumniating　charge　against　his　mother；　etc。　He　then　related　to　me
the　story　of　his　escape　and　his　flight　to　America；　of　his　return　to
reclaim　the　throne　of　his　fathers；　and　his　arrest　in　Mantua。

〃He　portrayed　his　history　with　extraordinary　life。　All　the　incidents
of　the　French　Revolution　were　present　before　him；　he　spoke　with
natural　eloquence；　and　wove　in　piquant　anecdotes　very　apropos。　His
manner　of　expression　smacked　once　in　a　while　of　the　soldier；　but
there　was　no　lack　of　the　elegance　that　disclosed　his　intercourse
with　good　society。

〃'Will　you　allow　me；'　I　asked　him；　'to　treat　you　as　a　friend　and
leave　off　all　titles？'

〃'I　want　exactly　that；　'he　answered。　'Misfortune　has　taught　me　the
good　lesson　to　despise　all　the　vanities　of　earth。　Believe　me；　my
pride　does　not　lie　in　this；　that　I　am　a　king；　but　that　I　am　a　man。'

〃After　this　we　had　long　conversations　mornings　and　evenings；　and　I
recognized　in　him　a　noble；　beautiful　soul；　sensitive　to　all　that　is
good。　He　knew　how　to　win　hearts；　and　even　the　turnkeys　were　kind　to
him。　One　of　them　said　to　me　on　coming　from　the　cell　of　my　neighbor：
'I　have　strong　hopes　that　he　will　make　me　chief　porter　when　he　is
king；　I　have　had　the　boldness　to　ask　him　for　the　position；　and　he
has　promised　it。'

〃To　the　veneration　of　the　turnkeys　for　the　king　of　the　future　I　owe
it　that　one　day　when　I　was　led　to　trial；　and　had　to　pass　by　his
cell；　they　opened　the　doors　that　I　might　see　my　illustrious　friend。
He　was　of　medium　size；　from　forty　to　forty…five　years　of　age；
somewhat　embonpoint；　and　had　a　thoroughly　Bourbon　physiognomy。〃
＇Footnote：　Silvio　Pellico；　〃Le　Mie　Prigioni；〃　p。　51　et　seq。　An
examination　of　Silvio　Pellico's　work　will　convince　the　reader　that
Silvio　Pellico　was　by　no　means　a　believer　in　the　genuineness　of　his
companion's　claims。　Miss　Muhlbach　seems　to　have　been　scarcely　just
in　leaving　the　impression　conveyed　in　the　text。…TB。＇

After　seven　years　of　imprisonment；　the　gates　opened　at　last　for　the
Baron　de　Richemont；　and　he　who　had　been　placed　there　without　the
sentence　of　a　judge；　was　released　with　as　little　show　of　authority。
The　son　of　the　queen　was　free　again；　the　death　of　King　Louis　XVIII。
had　restored　him　to　the　walks　of　men。　But　another　King　of　France
assumed　his　place　at　once；　the　Count　d'Artois　ascended　the　throne
under　the　title　of　Charles　X。

The　poor　Baron　de　Richemont　bore　his　sorrows　and　his　humiliation
into　the　valleys　of　Switzerland。　But　when；　in　the　year　1830；　King
Charles　X。　abdicated　the　throne；　the　son　of　Marie　Antoinette　again
came　forth　from　his　solitude；　issued　a　proclamation　to　the　French
people；　and；　in　the　presence　of　all　Europe；　demanded　his
inheritance。

Yet；　amid　the　clash　of　weapons　and　the　roar　of　revolutions；　the
voice　of　the　unfortunate　prince　was　overborne。　He　had　no　soldiers；
no　cannon；　to　enforce　silence　and　make　himself　be　heard。　But　the
Duke　d'Orleans；　Louis　Philippe；　had　soldiers　and　cannon；　and　the
arms　of　his　dependants；　and　the　magic　of　his　wealth；　placed　him　upon
the　throne　in　July；　1830。　＇Footnote：　It　was　the　9th　of　August。Tr。＇

The　poor　Baron　de　Richemont；　the　son　of　kings；　the　last　of　the
Bourbons　in　France；　had　now　a　single　friend；　who；　perhaps；　would
receive　him。　This　friend　was　the　Duke　de　BourbonConde；　now　an　old
man　of　eighty　years。　One　day；　some　weeks　after　the　accession　of
Louis　Philippe；　the　Duke　de　Bourbon　received　at　his　palace　of　St。
Leu　a　gentleman　whom　nobody　knew；　who　announced　himself　as　the　Baron
de　Richemont。

The　duke　went　out　into　the　anteroom；　greeted　his　guest　with　the
greatest　deference；　and　led　him　into　his　cabinet。　There　the　two
gentlemen　carried　on　a　long　and　earnest　conversation；　and　the
secretary　of　the　duke；　who　was　at　work　in　the　library　hard　by；
distinctly　heard　his　master　say；　with　trembling　tones：　〃Sire；　I
implore　you；　forgive　me。　The　circumstances　were　stronger　than　my
will。　Sire；　go　not　into　judgment　with　meforgive　me。〃

To　this　an　angry　voice　replied：　〃No；　I　will　not　forgive　you；　for　you
have　dealt　perfidiously　with　the　son；　as　you　did　once　with　the
mother！　You　have　not　redeemed　the　oath　that　you　once　gave　me。　I
leave　you。　May　God　be　gracious　to　you；　and　pardon　you。　Take　care
that　He　does　not　punish　you　for　the　treachery　that　you　have　shown　to
me。　You　swore　that　you　would　acknowledge　no　other　king　but　me；　and
yet　you　have　taken　your　oath　to　the　third　king。　Farewell！　May　the
Almighty　protect　you！　We　shall　see　each　other；　perhaps；　in　a　better
world；　and　there　you　will　have　to　give　your　account　to　a　Judge　whom
nothing　can　mitigate。　Be　happy；　and　may　the　dead　sleep　in　peace！〃
＇Footnote：　The　very　words　of　Richemont。See　〃Memoires　du　Duc　de
Normandie；〃　p。　243。＇

The　secretary　then　heard　the　forcible　closing　of　a　door；　and　all
became　still。　After　an　hour　he　entered　the　duke's　cabinet；　because
the　silence　troubled　him。　The　old　duke　sat　in　his　arm…chair；　pale；
and　gazing　with　constant　looks　at　the　door　through　which　the
stranger　had　departed。　He　was　reticent　the　whole　day；　and　in　the
night　following　his　valet　heard　him　softly　praying　and　weeping。　On
the　next　morning；　August　27th；　1830；　on　entering　the　sleeping…room
of　his　master；　he　found　him　dead　and　already　rigid。　The　duke　had
hanged　himself　at　the　window　of　his　own　room。

The　last　dependant　of　the　unhappy　king；　who　still　bore　the　name　of
the　pretender；　was　dead；　as　were　all　his　relations；　including　his
sister；　the　Duchess　d'Angouleme。

But　from　the　dead　there　came　a　greeting。　She　had　ordered　a　large　sum
to　be　paid　yearly　to　the　Baron　de　Richemont；　and　the　report　was　that
she　had　wished　to　recognize　him　on　her　death…bed　as　her　brother。　But
her　confessor　had　counselled　her　that　such　a　recognition　would
introduce　new　contentions　among　the　Bourbons；　and　give　the　pretender
Henry　V。　equal　claims　with　Louis　XVII。

Yet　the　Duke　de　Normandie　was　not　silent；　he　spoke　so　loudly　of　his
rights　that　Louis　Philippe　at　last　held　it　advisable　to　arrest　him
and　bring　him　to　trial。　The　preliminary　investigation　continued
fifteen　months；　then　he　was　brought　before　the　court；　and　accused　of
conspiracy　against　the　safety　of　the　state。

The　Gazette　des　Tribunaux　of　the　3d；　4th；　and　5th　of　November；　1834；
gave　the　details　of　this　trial。　Spectators　poured　in　from　all　sides；
and　also；　in　an　unexpected　manner；　witnesses　who　declared　themselves
ready　to　prove　the　identity　of　the　Baron　de　Richemont　with　the　Duke
de　Normandie；　son　of　Louis　XVI。　The　accused　appeared　entirely　calm
and　dignified　before　the　bar；　and　when　the　counsel　for　the
government　accused　him　of　appropriating　a　name　that　did　not　belong
to　him；　he　asked　quietly；

〃Gentlemen；　if　I　am　not　Louis　XVII。；　will　you　tell　me　who　I　am？〃

No　one　knew　how　to　reply　to　this　question；　but　many　eminent
legitimists　had　come　to　solemnly　declare　that　the　accused　was　in
truth　their　king；　and　that　he　was　the　rescued　orphan　of　the　Temple。

Even　the　president　of　the　court　seemed　to　be　convinced　of　this；　and
his　closing　words　in　addressing　the　jury　were　these：　〃Gentlemen；　who
is　the　accused　who　stands　before　you　to…day？　What　is　his　name；　his
lineage；　his　family？　What　are　his　antecedents；　his　whole　history？　Is
he　an　instrument　of　the　enemies　of　France；　or　is　he；　much　more；　an
unfortunate　who　has　miraculously　escaped　the　horrors　of　a　bloody
revolution；　and；　laid　under　bans　by　his　birth；　has　now　no　name　and
no　refuge　for　his　head？〃

The　jury；　however；　were　not　called　upon　to　answer　this　question；
they　had　simply　to　reply　to　the　question　whether　the　accused　was
guilty　of　a　conspiracy　against　the　state。　This　they　answered　with　a
〃Guilty；〃　and　condemned　the　accused　to　an　imprisonment　of　twelve
years。

The　Duke　de　Normandie；　or　King　Louis　Charles；　as　we　may　choose　to
call　him；　was　taken　to　St。　Pelagic；　but　during　the　next　year；
through　the　assistance　of　powerful　friends；　which　his　trial　had
gained　over　to　him；　he　was　released　from　prison；　and　again　spent
some　quiet　years　in　Switzerland。

Then　came　the　year　1848；　the　year　of　revolutions；　whose　storm…waves
drove　Louis　Philippe　to　England；　never　to　ascend　again　the　throne　of
France。

Again　Louis　Charles　issued　from　his　solitude；　and　this　time　not
alone。　A　swarm　of　rich　and　powerful　legitimists　thronged　around　him；
a　journalL'Iflexiblewas　secu