marie antoinette and her son-第92章

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The　whole　day　Simon　was　busy　with　his　own　thoughts；　and　engaged　in
arranging　the　furniture；　with　his　mind　clearly　not　on　his　work。　In
the　afternoon　he　declared　that　he　must　go　to　the　Temple　again；
because　in　the　upper　corridor　he　had　left　a　chest　with　some　utensils
in　it　which　were　his。

〃It　seems　to　me；　husband；　you　are　homesick　for　the　Temple；〃　said
Jeanne　Marie　jestingly；　〃and　you　are　sad　because　you　are　no　longer
in　the　old；　black　walls。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　homesick　for　the　Temple；〃　replied　Simon；　〃and　that　is　why
I　go　there。〃

But　he　did　not　take　the　way　to　the　Temple；　but　to　the　city　hall；　and
rang　the　bell　so　violently　that　the　porter　dashed　to　the　door　to
open　it。

〃It　is　you；　citizen；〃　he　ejaculated。　〃I　thought　something　must　have
happened。〃

〃Something　has　happened；　and　I　have　come　to　inform　the　Committee　of
Safety；〃　answered　Simon；　impetuously。

〃Has　it　met？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　in　the　little　council…chamber。　You　will　find　an　officer
at　the　door；　and　can　let　him　announce　you。〃

Simon　strode　forward　and　found　the　sentinel　before　the　door；　who
asked　him　what　his　business　there　was。

〃Go　in；　citizen；　and　announce　that　Simon　is　here；　and　brings
important　news；　of　great　peril　to　the　state。〃

A　minute　later；　Simon　was　ushered　into　the　hall　in　which　the　Safety
Committee　were　assembled。　All　those　stern…faced　men　of　the　republic
knew　Simon　as　a　faithful　and　zealous　republican；　upon　whose　devotion
they　could　reckon；　and　whose　fidelity　was　immovable。

〃I　am　come；〃　said　Simon；　slowly；　〃I　am　come　to　bring　an　accusation
against　a　certain　person　as　a　conspirator　against　the　republic；　and
a　traitor　to　our　liberties。〃

〃Who　is　it；　and　what　has　he　done？〃　asked　the　chairman；　with　a　cold
smile。

〃What　has　he　done？　He　means　to　do　something；　and　I　mean　to　prevent
him。　He　means　to　release　the　wolf's　whelp　from　the　Temple。　Who　knows
but　he　may　have　done　so　already；　for　when　I　left　the　Temple　this
morning；　my　successor　had　not　come；　and　little　Capet　was　alone。　Who
is　it　that　is　able　to　release　the　boy　and　the　two　ladies？　It　is
Toulan；　the　traitor；　the　royalist　Toulan！〃

〃Toulan！〃　replied　Petion；　with　a　shrug。　〃We　know　very　well　that
Toulan　is　a　traitor；　and　that　the　republic　can　expect　only　the　worst
from　him　that　he　can　do。　He　was　accused　once；　but　escaped　merited
punishment　by　flight；　and　he　has　unquestionably　gone　to　Coblentz　to
join　the　tyrant's　brothers　there。　Our　police　are　watchful；　and　have
discovered　not　a　trace　of　him。〃

〃Then　allow　me　to　put　the　police　on　his　track；〃　said　Simon；
laughing。　〃Be　so　good　as　to　send　a　couple　of　officers　to　me
tomorrow；　and　I　will　deliver　Toulan；　the　traitor；　into　their　hands。〃




CHAPTER　XXVIII。

TOULAN'S　DEATH。


The　next　morning；　at　the　stroke　of　nine；　Toulan；　in　the　garb　of　a
commissioner；　entered　the　house　of　the　new　collector　at　the　Macon
gate。　Simon　received　him　at　the　door；　and　conducted　him　into　the
sitting…room。

〃You　see；〃　said　Toulan；　〃that　I　am　punctual；　and　I　must　tell　you
that　I　have　been　almost　too　impatient　to　wait。　I　hope　you　do　not
regret　your　promise；　and　that　you　mean　to　give　me　the　noble　present
that　you　promised　me。〃

〃Unfortunately　I　can　not；〃　answered　Simon；　with　a　shrug。　〃My　wife
insisted　on　giving　you　the　hair　with　her　own　hands；　and　she　has　just
gone　out。　You　will　have　to　wait　for　her；　if　you　really　are　anxious
to　possess　the　hair　of　little　Capet。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　anxious　to　own　it；〃　replied　Toulan。　〃The　hair　of　my　dear
young　king　will　be　my　most　cherished　possession；　and〃

〃Come；　come；〃　interrupted　Simon；　〃there　you　exaggerate。　The　gold
salt's…bottle；　which　the　Austrian　gave　you；　is　a　great　deal　dearer
to　you；　is　it　not？　You　still　have　that；　have　you　not？〃

〃Still　have　it？〃　cried　Toulan。　〃I　would　sooner　part　with　my　life
than　with　this　remembrancer　of　Marie　Antoinette！〃

〃Well；　then；　see　which　you　would　rather　keep；　your　life；　or　the
bottle　the　Austrian　gave　you；〃　said　Simon；　with　a　laugh；　as　he
sprang　toward　the　door　and　opened　it　Two　officials　of　the　Safety
Committee；　followed　by　armed　men；　entered。

〃Have　you　heard　every　thing？〃　asked　Simon；　triumphantly。

〃Yes；　we　have　heard　every　thing；　and　we　arrest　you；　Toulan；　as　a
traitor。　Take　him　to　the　Conciergerie。　The　authorities　will　decide
what　shall　be　done　with　him　further。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Toulan；　calmly；　〃the　authorities　will；　perhaps；　do　me
the　honor　of　letting　me　go　the　same　way　that　my　kingand　my　queen
have　taken；　and　I　shall　follow　the　example　of　the　noble　sufferers；
and　die　for　the　hallowed　cause　of　royalty。　Let　us　go；　that　I　may　not
longer　breathe　the　air　which　the　blasphemer　and　traitor　Simon　has
poisoned。　Woe　upon　you；　Simon！　In　your　dying　hour　think　of　me；　and
of　what　I　say　to　you　now：　You　are　sending　me　to　death；　that　you　may
live　in　peace。　But　you　will　find　no　peace　on　earth；　and　if　no　man
accuses　you；　your　conscience　will。　On　your　dying　bed　you　will　see　me
before　you；　and　on　the　day　of　judgment　you　will　hear　my　voice；
accusing　you　before　the　throne　of　God　as　a　betrayer　and　murderer。
May　my　blood　come　on　your　head；　Simon！〃

Simon　lived　to　enjoy　his　freedom　and　his　money　only　a　short　time。　At
the　expiration　of　a　year　he　fell　into　lunacy；　which　soon　made　him
attempt　his　own　life。　He　died　in　the　Asylum　of　Bicetre。　His　wife
lived　till　1821；　in　a　hospital　at　Paris；　and　in　her　dying　hour
asserted　that　little　Capet　was　released　in　the　way　above　related。

On　the　next　day；　there　was　a　great　excitement　within　the　Temple；　and
the　Safety　Committee　repaired　thither　in　a　body。　The　lamplighter；
who　made　his　rounds　on　the　evening　of　the　day　on　which　Simon　left
the　Temple；　had　asserted　that　the　child　that　lay　upon　the　mattress
was　not　the　little　Capet。　〃He　must　know　this；〃　he　said；　〃for　he　had
seen　the　child　daily　when　he　lighted　the　lamp　in　the　boy's　room。〃

The　new　keeper；　Augustus　Lasne；　was　very　much　excited　at　the
communication　of　the　lamplighter；　and　at　dawn　of　the　next　day
repaired　to　the　city　hall　to　report　the　statement。　The　Safety
Committee　resolved　on　an　immediate　investigation　of　the　Temple；
after　pledging　one　another　to　the　deepest　secrecy；　and　enjoining　the
same　on　all　the　servants　at　the　Temple。

The　officials　found　on　the　mattress　a　moaning；　feverish　boy；　in　the
garments　of　the　dauphin。　These　they　recognized　as　the　ones　which　the
republic　had　had　made　a　month　before　for　little　Capet；　but　no　one
could　say　whether　this　child；　with　a　body　covered　with　sores；　a
swollen　face；　and　sunken；　lustreless　eyes；　was　really　little　Capet
or　not；　no　one　knew　whether　sickness　had　so　changed　his　looks　that
this　stupid；　idiotic　boy　was　the　one　whom　they　had　all　known　when　he
was　well；　as　they　saw　him　joyously　flitting　around。　First　of　all
they　summoned　Doctor　Naudin；　the　director　of　Hotel　Dieu；　to　examine
the　boy。　He　appeared　without　delay；　and　declared　solemnly　and
decidedly　that　this　was　the　same　boy　whom　he　had　seen　there　some
days　before　when　he　visited　Simon's　wife；　only　the　English　sickness
which　afflicted　the　child　had　distorted　his　limbs；　while　the　cutting
off　of　his　hair　gave　him　a　changed　look；　and　it　was　no　wonder　that
the　lamplighter　failed　to　recognize　him。

Simon；　who　was　summoned　to　give　evidence；　asserted　the　same　thing；
and　affirmed　that　he　recognized　little　Capet　in　the　sick　boy；　and
that　his　wife　had　cut　off　his　hair　only　the　day　before。　He　brought
the　hair　as　a　complete　proof　of　the　identity；　and　it　was　seen　to
agree　perfectly　with　that　of　the　sick　child。

Yet　some　of　the　officials　still　doubted；　and　their　doubts　were
increased　when　on　the　same　day　the　servant　of　Count　Frotte　reported
to　the　Safety　Committee　that　his　master　had　made　a　sudden　and　secret
journey；　accompanied　by　a　boy；　whom　the　count　had　treated　with　great
deference。

This　boy　might　be　the　dauphin；　whom　Count　Frotte；　in　conjunction
with　Toulan；　might　have　spirited　out　of　the　Temple　in　some　secret
way；　and　who　must　be　followed　at　all　hazards。　At　the　same　time　the
government　were　informed　that　the　Count　de　St。　Prix　had　left　Paris
in　company　with　a　boy；　and　had　taken　the　road　to　Germany。

Chazel；　a　member　of　the　Convention；　was　sent　secretly　to　Puy　to
arrest　Frotte　and　the　boy　there；　and　Chauvaine；　another　member；　was
ordered　to　follow　the　road　to　Germany；　and；　if　possible；　to　bring
back　Count　St。　Prix。

After　a　while　both　of　them　returned；　with　nothing　accomplished。
Chazel　had；　indeed；　arrested　Count　Frotte　and　the　boy　in　Puy；　but
the　count　had　given　such　undeniable　proofs　that　the　boy　was　not　the
dauphinhe　had　summoned　so　many　unimpeachable　witnesses　from　Paris；
who　recognized　the　boy　as　the　son　of　M。　de　Gueriviere；　who　was　in
Coblentz　with　the　princes；　that　nothing　more　remained　but　to　release
the　count　and　his　comrade。

Chauvaine　had　not　been　able　to　arrest　the　Count　de　St。　Prix；　and　had
only　learned　that　in　company　with　a　boy　he　had　crossed　the　Rhine　and
entered　Germany。

It　was　of　no　use；　therefore；　to　undertake　farther　investigations；
and　the　conclusion　must　be　firmly　held　to　that　the　boy　in　the
Temple；　whose　sickness　increased　from　day　to　day；　was　the　real
Capet；　the　son　of　Louis　XVI。　The　suspicion　which　had　been　aroused
must　be　kept　a　deep　secret；　that　the　royalists　should　not　take
renewed　courage　from　the　possibility　that　the　King　of　France　had
been　rescued。　＇Footnote：　Later　investigations　in　the　archives　of
Paris　have　brought　to　light；　among　other　important　papers　relative
to　the　flight　of　the　prince；　a　decree　of　the　National　Convention；
dated　Prairial　26　（June　14）；　1704；　which　gave　all　the　authorities
orders　〃to　follow　the　young　Capet　in　all　directions。〃　The　boy　who
remained　a　prisoner　in　the　Temple；　died　there　June　8；　1798；　a
complete　idiot。＇

But　the　secret　investigations；　and　the　efforts　to　draw　something
from　Toulan；　caused　the　authorities　to　postpone　his　fate　from　week
to　week；　from　month　to　month。　On　the　20th　of　January　he　was　arrested
and　taken　to　the　Conciergerie；　and　not　till　the　month　of　May　did　the
Convention　sentence　him　to　death。　The　charge　was　this：　that　he　had
accepted　presents　from　the　Widow　Capet；　in　particular　the　gold
salt's…bottle；　and　had　made　frequent　plans　to　release　the　Capet
family　from　prison。

On　the　same　day　Madame　Elizabeth；　the　sister　of　Louis　XVI。；　was
sentenced　to　death；　on　the　charge　of　conducting　a　correspondence
with　her　brothers；　through　the　agency　of　Toulan；　having　for　its　end
the　release　of　the　royal　family。

When　the　sentence　was　read　to　Madame　Elizabeth；　she　smiled。　〃I　thank
my　judges　that　they　allow　me　to　go　to　those　I　love；　and　whom　I　shall
find　in　the　presence　of　God。〃

Toulan　received　his　sentence　with　perfect　composure。　〃The　one；
indivisible；　and　exalted　republic　is　just　as　magnanimous；　is　it　not；
as　the　monarchy　was　in　old　times；　and　it　will　grant　a　last　favor　to
one　who　has　been　condemned　to　death；　will　it　not？〃

〃Yes；　it　will　do　that；　provided　it　is　nothing　impossible。　It　will
gladly　grant　you　a　last　request。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Toulan；　〃then　I　ask　that　I　may　be　executed　the　same　day
and　the　same　hour　as　Madame　Elizabeth；　the　sister　of　the　king；　and
that　I　may　be　allowed　to　remain　by　her　side　at　her　execution。〃

〃Then　you　have　only　till　to…morrow　to　live；　Citizen　Toulan；〃　replied
the　presiding　offic