marie antoinette and her son-第95章

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wants　to　be　his　successor；　when　I；　the　son　of　the　king；　am　alive　and
demand　my　inheritance　？〃

〃Your　demand　will　not　be　acknowledged：　they　will　declare　that　you
are　an　impostor　and　a　deceiver。　Ah；　the　Count　de　Provence　is　a
selfish　and　a　hard　character。　He　means　to　make　his　own　way；　and　if
you　put　hinderances　in　it；　he　will　put　you　out　of　his　path；　without
compassion　and　without　remorse；　trust　me　for　knowing　this；　who　for
three　years　have　been　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　the　prince。　I
was　afraid　to　impart　the　plan　of　your　escape　to　the　princes；　and；
after　you　were　released；　I　was　silent；　for　a　secret　is　only　safe
when　a　very　few　are　conscious　of　it。　But　after　the　news　came　last
year　from　Paris；　that　the　boy　who　had　been　placed　as　your　substitute
in　the　Temple　had　died；　after　a　long　sickness；　I　ventured　to　inform
the　Count　de　Lille　about　the　real　facts。　I　told　him　that　I　believed
that　information　I　had　received　might　be　relied　upon；　that　King
Louis　XVII。　had　been　released　from　the　Temple　by　true　and　devoted
servants；　and　was　then　in　a　place　of　safety。　Would　you　like　to　know
what　reply　the　count　made？〃

〃I　pray　you；　tell　me；〃　responded　Louis　Charles；　with　a　sigh。

〃He　answered　me；　'I　advise　you；　cousin；　not　to　put　any　confidence　in
such　idle　stories；　and　not　to　be　duped　by　any　sly　rogues。　My
unfortunate　little　nephew　died　in　the　Templethat　is　a　fact
acknowledged　by　the　republic；　universally　believed；　and　denied　by　no
one。　After　long　sufferings　the　son　has　fallen　as　a　new　victim　to　the
bloodthirsty　republicans；　and　we　are　still　wearing　mourning　for　our
deceased　nephew；　King　Louis　XVII。　And　should　any　wise…head　happen　on
the　thought　of　making　the　dead　boy　come　to　life　again；　I　will　be　the
first　to　disown　him　and　hold　him　as　an　impostor。'　Those　were　the
words　of　the　count；　and　you　will　now　confess　that　I　am　right　in
calling　him　your　enemy；　and　in　not　daring　to　communicate　to　him　the
secret　of　your　release？〃

〃I　grant　you；〃　replied　the　prince；　sadly；　〃I　would　rather　bury　the
secret　forever。〃

〃Now；　hear　me　further。　A　few　weeks　ago　the　prince　summoned　me；　and　I
saw　on　his　sinister　face　and　in　his　flashing　eyes　that　he　must　have
received　some　unwelcome　tidings。　He　did　not　make　me　wait　long　for
the　confirmation　of　my　conjectures。　With　a　sharp；　cutting　voice　he
asked　me　what　kind　of　a　nephew　of　mine　that　was　whom　I　was　educating
at　my　palace　in　Vendee。　General　de　Charette　had　given　him
information　through　one　of　his　emissaries　sending　him　word　that　the
report　was　current　in　Vendee　that　this　alleged　nephew　of　mine　was
the　rescued　King　Louis　XVII。；　whom　I　had　helped　release　from　the
Temple。　He；　General　Charette；　had　believed　it　at　first。　He　had
therefore　（so　the　prince　went　on　to　say）　visited　my　palace　recently；
for　the　purpose　of　discovering　the　supposed　young　king。　There　he
convinced　himself　that　the　boy　bore　no　resemblance　to　the　little
Louis　Charleswhom　he　had　once　seen　at　the　Tuileriesand　that　he
certainly　was　not　the　son　of　Louis　XVI。〃

〃He　told　me　only　too　truly　that　he　would　have　his　revenge；〃
whispered　the　young　prince。

〃He　has　kept　his　oath；　for　he　has　loudly　and　publicly　declared　his
belief　that　Louis　XVII。　died　in　the　Temple；　and　he　has　therefore
administered　to　his　army　an　oath　in　favor　of　King　Louis　XVIII。that
is；　the　Count　de　Provence。　The　count　himself　informed　me　of　this；
and　then　added；　threateningly；　'I　advise；　you；　cousin；　either　to
acknowledge　your　young　nephew；　and　treat　him　openly；　or　else　put　him
out　of　the　way。　I　advise　you　further；　not　to　let　yourself　be　imposed
upon　by　adventurers　and　impostors。　It　is　known　that　you　were　among
the　most　active　adherents　of　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　and　there　may
be　people　who　would　work　on　your　credulity　and　make　you　believe　that
the　poor　little　Louis　Charles　was　really　released　from　the　Temple。
Do　not　deny　that　you　parted　with　much　money　at　that　time；　and
believed　that　it　was　wanted　for　the　purpose　of　setting　the　young
King　of　France　free。　It　was　a　trap；　set　in　view　of　your　loyalty　and
devotion；　and　you　fell　into　it。　But　you　gave　your　money　to　no
effect；　the　poor；　pitiable　king　could　not　be　saved；　and　died　in　the
Temple　as　a　prisoner　of　the　republic。　Take　care　how　you　trust　any
idle　stories；　for；　I　tell　you；　you　would　never　bring　me　to　put
confidence　in　them。　I　am　now　the　rightful　King　of　FranceI　am　Louis
XVIII。and　I　am　resolved　not　only　to　declare　every　pretender　who
claims　to　be　Louis　XVII。　an　impostor；　but　to　bring　him　to　punishment
as　a　traitor。　Mark　this　well；　and　therefore　warn　this　mysterious
nephew　of　yours　not　to　venture　on　playing　out　his　comedy；　for　it
will　assuredly　change　into　tragedy；　and　end　with　his　death。'　These
were　the　words　of　the　Count　de　Lille；　and　now　you　understand　why　I
have　brought　you　so　suddenly；　and　so　secretly；　away　from　my　solitary
palace　and　have　you　here。〃

〃I　understand　every　thing；〃　said　Louis　Charles；　with　a　sigh；　〃I
understand；　that　it　would　have　been　better　if　you　had　never　released
me；　and　I　had　died　like　my　father　and　mother。〃

〃We　must　postpone　the　accomplishment　of　our　hopes；〃　said　Conde；
sadly；　〃for　I　confess　to　you；　there　is　little　to　expect　from　the
present；　and　there　is　no　place　where　you　are　safe　from　the
persecutions　and　the　daggers　of　your　enemies。　The　republicans　desire
your　death　as　much　as　the　royalists。　In　France；　two　parties　threaten
you；　and　would　I　now　risk　every　thing；　carry　you　to　some　European
court　and　acquaint　the　sovereign　of　your　arrival；　and　ask　for　his
assistance；　I　should　have　no　credence；　for；　not　the　French　republic
alone；　but　the　Count　de　Lille　would　protest　against　it；　and　disavow
you　before　all　Europe。　It　is；　therefore；　absolutely　necessary；　in
order　to　secure　you　against　your　enemies；　that　you　should　disappear
for　a　season；　and　that　we　patiently　await　the　time　which　shall
permit　us　to　bring　you　back　upon　the　scenes。〃

〃Do　you　believe　that　time　will　ever　come？〃　asked　the　little　prince；
with　a　shake　of　the　head。

〃I　believe　it；　and；　above　every　thing；　I　hope　it；〃　replied　Conde；
quickly。　〃The　greatest　difficulty　is　to　find　a　place　for　you　to
remain　where　you　may　not　be　suspected；　and　where　yon　may　be　safe
from　assault。　To　my　great　regret　I　cannot　entertain　you　here；　for　my
family　are　too　well　known　for　me　to　suddenly　acknowledge　a
legitimate　nephew　of　your　age；　and　the　Count　de　Lille　would　be　the
last　to　believe　it。　I　confess　that　it　has　cost　me　a　great　deal　of
disquiet　and　anxious　thought　to　find　a　secure　asylum　for　you。〃

〃And　do　you　think　you　have　found　one　at　last？〃　asked　Louis　Charles；
indifferently。

〃Yes；　I　believe　so；　or　rather；　I　know　that　I　have　found　one。　You
must　be　taken　to　a　place　which　no　one　can　suspect　as　that　where　you
would　be　likely　to　be。〃

〃And　what　place　is　this？〃

〃It　is　called　Mayence。〃

The　boy；　who　had　sat　with　downcast　eyes；　perhaps　in　order　not　to　let
some　tears　be　seen；　looked　quickly　up；　and　the　greatest　astonishment
was　depicted　in　his　expressive　features。

〃Mayence？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　not　that　a　fortress　on　the　Rhine　which　the
troops　of　the　French　republic　have　taken　possession　of？〃

〃Yes；　and　the　commandant　of　Mayence；　the　head　of　the　troops；　is
General　Kleber；　one　of　the　bravest　and　noblest　soldiers　of　the
French　republic。〃

〃And　you；　you　want　to　send　me　to　this　General　Kleber？　Ah；　my　prince；
that　would　be　thrusting　me；　for　the　purpose　of　rescuing　me　from
persecution；　into　the　very　crater　of　the　volcano。〃

〃It　is　not　so　bad　as　you　suppose；　my　young　friend。　General　Kleber　is
at　heart　a　good　and　true　royalist；　and　although　he　serves　the
republic；　he　does　so　because　he　is　first　of　all　a　soldier；　a　soldier
of　his　country；　and　because　his　country　now　has　pressing　need　of
soldiers　to　defend　the　honor　and　glory　of　France。　I　have　sent　a
trustworthy　man　to　General　Kleber　to　impart　this　secret　to　him；　and
to　ask　him　for　protection；　and　a　place　of　refuge　for　you。　General
Kleber　is　ready　to　grant　both；　and　he　has　sent　his　adjutant　to
Coblentz　to　escort　his　nephew　to　Mayence。　You　are　that　nephew；　and
if　you　give　your　consent；　you　will　set　out　at　once　and　go　to
Mayence。〃

〃And　if　I　do　not　give　my　consent？〃　asked　Louis　Charles；　with　a
proud；　flashing　look。

〃I　confess；〃　said　Conde；　with　a　shrug〃I　confess　that　I　am　not
prepared　for　that　contingency；　and　cannot　on　the　instant　grasp　all
the　unfortunate　results　which　would　ensue　on　your　refusal。〃

〃Be　calmed；　Conde；　I　do　not　refuse。　I　have　only　this　one　thing　to
care　for；　to　cause　no　danger；　and　bring　nothing　disagreeable　to　you；
for　I　see　that　they　are　in　store　for　you　if　I　do　not　disappear　again
from　view。　The　son　of　the　king　vanished　from　sight；　to　appear　as　the
nephew　of　Conde；　and　now　the　nephew　of　Conde　is　to　vanish；　to　emerge
as　the　nephew　of　General　Kleber。　Ah；who　knows　but　I　may　yet　be　the
nephew　of　Simon　the　cobbler；　preparatory　to　my　last　appearance　on
the　guillotine？〃

〃I　hope；　on　the　contrary；　that　on　the　day　when　France　shall　rise
again；　you　will　rise　too；　the　acknowledged　son　of　Louis　XVI。；　and
the　heir　of　the　throne　of　France。　At　present　the　republic　has　sway；
and　there　is　no　hope　of　an　immediate　change。　But　that　will　not　last
always；　and　in　the　decisive　hour；　when　the　monarchy　and　the　republic
come　to　their　last　great　battle　for　existenceat　that　hour　you　must
appear　upon　the　field；　must　lift　the　lilies　high　in　the　air；　and
summon　the　royalists　to　your　side　in　the　name　of　God；　and　of　the
king　your　father。〃

〃And　what　if　my　uncle；　the　Count　de　Provence；　then　declares　me　to　be
an　impostor？〃

〃Then　you　must　publicly　and　solemnly　appeal　to　France；　lay　the
proofs　of　your　lineage　before　the　nation；　summon　unimpeachable
witnesses；　and　demand　your　throne　of　the　French　nation。　And　believe
me；　if　the　heart　of　France　is　compelled　to　choose　between　you　and
the　Count　de　Provence；　it　will　not　choose　him；　for　the　count　has
never　possessed　the　heart　of　the　people；　and　God　is　just。〃

〃God　is　just；〃　replied　Louis　Charles；　sadly〃God　is　just；　and　yet
the　King　and　Queen　of　France　have　perished　on　the　guillotine；　and
their　brother　calls　himself　King　of　France；　while　the　son　of　Louis
XVI。　must　find　shelter　with　a　general　of　that　French　republic　which
was　the　enemy　of　my　parents。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Conde；　with　a　sigh；　〃it　is　very　difficult　at
times　to　see　the　justice　of　God；　but　we　must　always　hope　to　see　it；
and　at　length　it　will　reveal　itself　in　all　its　glory。　And　the　hour
of　judgment　will　come　for　you。　Await　it　steadfastly　and　with
patience；　and　when　it　is　come；　call　on　me；　and　I　will　not　neglect
your　summons；　but　will　support　you；　and　will　give　you　my
recognition。　I　have　all　the　documents　which　relate　to　your　flight；
all　the　testimony　given　by　those　who　were　engaged　in　assisting　you；
and　besides　this；　a　detailed　account　of　your　flight；　subscribed　with
my　name；　and　stamped　with　my　seal。　I　have　further　the　testimony　of
the　teachers　who　gave　yon　instruction　at　my　palace　of　Chambord；　and
the　keeper　of　the　palace　recorded　the　day　on　which　you　arrived。　I　am
ready　to　give　you　these　papers；　if　you　will　swear　to　me　that　you
will　not　misuse　them；　but　give　them　to　General　Kleber；　that　he　may
preserve　them　for　you。〃

〃I　swear　to　you　that　I　will　do　so；〃　said　the　prince；　so