marie antoinette and her son-第96章

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preserve　them　for　you。〃

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

Conde　handed　to　him　a　small　and　closely…rolled　package　of　papers。
〃This　contains　your　future；〃　he　said；　〃and　out　of　these　papers　I
hope　a　crown　will　grow　for　you。　Till　then　let　the　republic　preserve
them　for　you。　General　Kleber　is　expecting　you；　and　his　adjutant　is
waiting　for　you　in　the　next　room。　Permit　me　to　give　you　one　more
piece　of　advice：　remain　steadfast；　resist　all　tempters　who　would
beguile　you　with　pleasant　words　to　acknowledge　yourself　King　of
France。　For　be　persuaded　these　tempters　are　the　emissaries　of　your
enemies；　and　if　you　should　acknowledge　to　them　that　you　are　King
Louis　XVII。；　you　would　be　writing　your　own　death…warrant。　The　balls
which　I　trust　will　spare　the　nephew　of　General　Kleber　would
certainly　pierce　the　heart　of　the　nephew　of　Count　de　Lille。　Continue
to　deny　it　as　you　denied　it　to　General　Charette。　Swear　to　me　that
you　will　faithfully　keep　the　secret　of　your　lineage　till　I　release
you　from　the　oath　by　which　I　now　close　your　lips；　and　tell　you　that
the　hour　of　action　and　of　disclosures　is　come；　swear　it　to　me；　in
view　of　the　fidelity　which　I　have　shown　to　you；　and　which　I　shall
always　be　ready　to　show。〃

〃You　have　saved　my　life；〃　said　Louis　Charles；　solemnly。　〃My　life；
therefore；　belongs　to　you；　and　I　give　it　into　your　hands　in
swearing；　by　the　memory　of　my　dear　parents；　and　especially　my　noble
and　proud…spirited　mother；　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　that　I　will
faithfully　and　truly　keep　the　secret　of　my　parentage；　and　not　feel
myself　justified　in　revealing　it　to　the　world；　till　you；　the　Prince
de　Conde；　shall　have　given　me　permission；　and　empowered　me　to　do
so。〃

〃I　thank　you；〃　said　Conde；　〃for　I　am　now　unconcerned　about　your
immediate　future。　General　Kleber　and　the　French　republic　will
protect　you；　for　the　present；　from　the　dangerous　pretender；　Count
Lille；　and；　in　God's　providence；　I　trust　there　will　come　a　day　when
France　will　be　prepared　to　raise　the　son　of　its　kings　to　the　throne
which　belongs　to　him。　Let　us　hope　for　this　day；　and　be　persuaded
that　I　shall　neglect　nothing　which　will　help　bring　it　about。　And
now；　as　we　part；　I　bow　my　knee　to　you；　my　young　king；　I　now
acknowledge　you　solemnly　as　the　son　of　my　well…beloved　cousin；　King
Louis　XVI。；　and　the　rightful　heir　of　the　throne　of　the　lilies。　May
the　spirits　of　the　murdered　royal　couple；　may　God　and　the　ear　of　my
king　take　note　of　the　oath　which　I　now　pronounce。　I　swear　that　I
will　never　acknowledge　any　other　prince　as　King　of　France；　so　long
as　you；　King　Louis　XVII。；　are　among　the　living。　I　swear　that　if　I
ever　break　this　vow；　and　acknowledge　another　King　of　France；　you；
Louis　XVII。；　may　accuse　me　of　high…treason；　and　condemn　me　to　the
death　which　a　traitor　deserves。　I　swear　that　I　will　subject　myself
to　this　death…penalty　without　opposition　and　complaint。　And　this　I
swear　by　Almighty　God；　and　by　the　memory　of　your　royal　parents；
whose　spirits　are　with　us　at　this　hour。〃

〃And　I；　Prince　de　Conde；　I　accept　your　oath；〃　said　Louis　Charles；
gravely。　〃I　go　away　now　into　exile；　but　I　carry　your　oath　with　me　as
my　hope　for　the　future；　and　may　God　grant　that　I　shall　never　be
compelled　to　remind　you　of　it；　but　that　you　will　faithfully　and
truly　keep　it。　Fare　you　well！　My　crown　rests　in　your　heart。〃

〃And　in　these　papers；　sire。　Deliver　them　to　the　brave　General
Kleber；　and　he　will　preserve　them　as　his　most　sacred　and　cherished
possession。〃

He　kissed　the　hand　of　the　prince；　which　was　reached　out　for　the
papers；　and　then　hastened　to　summon　the　officer；　who　was　waiting　in
the　adjoining　room　for　the　nephew　of　General　Kleber；　having　no
suspicion　what　an　important　mission　was　intrusted　to　him。

But　General　Kleber　knew　the　secret　better；　and　although　not　a　word
and　not　an　action　disclosed　it；　yet　the　gentle　friendliness；　the
mild　look；　the　subdued　smile　with　which　the　general　received　his
young　nephew　in　Mayence；　testified　that　he　was　familiar　with　the
secret；　and　knew　how　to　guard　it。

In　Mayence；　under　the　care　of　General　Kleber；　his　nephew；　Louis；　as
he　called　him；　remained　during　the　subsequent　time；　and　very　soon
gained　the　heart　of　his　uncle；　and　was　his　inseparable　friend　by　day
and　by　night。　They　slept　in　one　room；　they　ate　at　one　table。　The
nephew　accompanied　his　uncle　at　all　parades　and　military　exercises；
and；　in　order　to　make　his　favorite　a　skilful　soldier；　the　general
undertook　the　duties　of　teacher；　gave　him　instruction　in　the　art　of
war；　and　taught　him　the　more　familiar　duties　of　a　soldier's　life。
The　nephew　comprehended　readily；　and　pursued　zealously　the　studies
which　his　uncle　assigned　him。　The　pains　and　sorrows　of　the　past　were
forgotten；　and　only　the　recollections　of　his　happy　child…hood　rested
silently　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart　like　pearls　at　the　bottom　of　the
sea。

〃When　shall　I　arise　from　this　estate？　When　will　the　crown　of　the
future　be　linked　with　these　pleasant　recollections　of　the　past？〃
These　were　the　questions　which　the　growing　boy　repeated　to　himself
every　morning　and　every　evening。　But　his　lips　never　uttered　them；　he
never　gave　the　slightest　indication　that　he　was　any　thing　else　than
the　nephew　of　General　Kleber。　The　French　garrison　of　Mayence
considered　him　to　be　so　and　no　one　thought　of　asking　whether　he　bore
any　other　name。　It　sufficed　that　he　was　the　nephew　of　the　noble；
valiant；　and　heroic　General　Kleber。　That　was　the　name　and　rank　of
the　little　prince。




CHAPTER　XXX。

THE　BARON　DE　EICHEMONT。


Thus　passed　weeks；　months；　and　even　years；　and　on　the　gloomy　horizon
of　France　arose　a　new　constellation；　and　from　the　blood…spotted；
corpse…strewn　soil　of　the　French　republic　sprang　an　armed　warriora
solitary　one！but　one　to　whom　millions　were　soon　to　bow；　and　who；
like　the　divinity　of　battles；　was　to　control　the　destinies　of
nations　and　of　princes。　This　one　solitary　man　was　General　Bonaparte；
the　same　young　man　who　in　the　first　bloody　days　of　the　French
Revolution　beheld　the　storm　at　the　Tuileries；　and　expressed　his
regret　to　his　companionthe　actor　Talmathat　the　king　did　not
command　his　soldiers　to　mow　down　the　canaille　with　grape…shot。　The
young　lieutenant　of　that　day；　who　had　been　the　friend　of　the　actor；
dividing　his　loaf　and　his　dinner　with　him；　had　now　become　General
Bonaparte。　And　this　general　was　serving　the　same　people　which　as　a
lieutenant　he　had　wanted　to　mow　down　with　grape…shot。　At　the　siege
of　Toulon；　in　the　close　contests　with　the　allies　against　the
republic　and　in　the　Italian　campaign　of　1794；　Bonaparte　has　so
distinguished　himself　that　the　eyes　of　the　French　government　were
already　directed　to　him；　and　no　one　could　be　surprised　at　the　action
of　General　Beauharnais'　widow；　the　fair　Josephine；　in　giving　her
hand　to　the　young　and　extraordinary　man。　This　marriage　had　not　only
brought　happiness　to　Bonaparte；　but　it　satisfied　his　ambition。
Josephine　was　the　friend　of　Barras　and　Tallien；　the　chief
magistrates　of　the　republic　at　that　time；　and　through　her　influence
the　young　Bonaparte　was　sent　to　Italy　to　assume　the　chief　command　of
the　French　army　there。　A　general　of　twenty…six　years　to　have　the
direction　of　an　army；　whose　four　corps　were　commanded　by　Generals
Massena；　Augereau；　Serrurier；　and　La　Harpe！　The　father　of　Junot；　the
late　Duke　de　Abrantes；　wrote　at　that　time　to　his　son；　who　was　with
the　French　army　in　Italy：　〃Who　is　this　General　Bonaparte？　Where　has
he　served？　Does　anybody　know　any　thing　about　him？〃　And　Junot；　who
was　then　the　faithful　friend　and　the　admirer　of　Bonaparte；　replied
to　his　father：　〃You　ask　me　who　General　Bonaparte　is。　I　might　answer；
in　order　to　know　who　he　is；　you　must　be　he。　I　can　only　say　to　you
that；　so　far　as　I　am　able　to　judge　him；　he　is　one　of　those　men　with
whom　Nature　groans；　and　only　brings　forth　in　a　century。〃

Had　Junot　not　replied　to　his　father；　the　deeds　of　the　young　general
would　soon　have　done　so。　Presently；　in　all　France；　in　all　Italy；
yes；　in　all　Europe；　there　was　not　a　man　who　could　ask；　〃Who　is
General　Bonaparte？〃　His　name　was　in　every　mouth；　and　the　soldiers
adored　the　man　who　had　stood　victoriously　at　their　head　at　Lodi　and
Milan；　and　borne　the　banner　forward　amid　the　murderous　shower　of
balls　at　the　bridge　of　Arcoli。　Diplomatists　and　statesmen　wondered
at　him　who　had　taken　Venice；　and　compelled　proud　and　hated　Austria
to　make　peace　with　the　French　republic；　which　had　brought　Marie
Antoinette　to　the　scaffold。　The　republicans　and　the　Directory　of　the
republic　feared　Bonaparte；　because　they　recognized　an　enemy　of　the
republic　in　him；　and　dreaded　his　growing　power　and　increasing
renown。

On　this　account　General　Bonaparte　was　recalled　from　the　Italian　army
after　peace　had　been　made　with　Austria；　and　he　returned　to　Paris。
Still　he　was　so　feared　that　the　Directory　of　the　republic；　in　order
to　remove　him；　and　at　the　same　time　to　give　occupation　to　his　active
spirit　and　his　splendid　abilities；　proposed　to　Bonaparte　to　go　with
an　army　to　Egypt；　and　extend　the　glory　of　France　to　the　distant
East。

Bonaparte　entered　with　all　his　fiery　nature　into　this　idea　which
Barras　and　Talleyrand　had　sought　to　inveigle　him　into；　and　all　his
time；　his　thoughts；　and　his　energies　were　directed　to　the　one
purpose；　to　fit　himself　out　with　every　thing　that　should　be　needful
to　bring　to　a　victorious　end　a　long　and　stubborn　war　in　a　foreign
land。　A　strong　fleet　was　collected；　and　Bonaparte；　as　the　commander
of　the　many　thousands　who　were　to　go　to　Egypt　under　him；　called　to
his　aid　the　most　skilful；　valiant；　and　renowned　generals　of　the
French　army。

It　could　not　fail　that　one　of　the　first　and　most　eminent　of　these
was　General　Kleber；　and；　of　course；　his　young　adjutant　and　nephew
Louis　accompanied　him。

On　the　19th　of　April；　1798；　the　French　fleet　left　the　harbor　of
Toulon；　and　sailed　toward　the　East；　for；　as　Bonaparte　said；　〃Only　in
the　Orient　are　great　realms　and　great　deedsin　the　Orient；　where
six　hundred　millions　of　men　live。〃

But　these　six　hundred　millions　have　no　army　such　as　the　French　is；
no　commander　like　Bonaparte；　no　generals　like　Murat；　Junot；　Desaix；
and；　above　all；　Kleber。

Kleber　was　the　second　in　command。　He　shared　his　perils；　he　shared
his　victories；　and　with　him　was　united　his　nephew　Louis；　a　youth　of
fourteen　years；　who；　from　his　tall；　slim　figure；　his　gravity；　and
his　ready　understanding；　would　have　passed　at　least　for　a　youth　of
eighteen；　and　who；　trained　in　the　school　of　misfortune；　belonged　to
those　early…matured　natures　which　destiny　has　steeled；　that　they　may
courageously　contend　with　and　gain　the　victory　over　destruction。

It　was　on　the　morning　of　the　3d　of　July。　The　French　army　had
disembarked；　and　stood　not　far　from　Alexandria；　on　the　ancient
sacred　soil　of　Egypt。　Whatever　was　done　must　be　done　quickly；　for
Nelson　was　approaching　with　a　fleet；　prepared　to　contend　with　the
French　for　the　possession　of　Alexandria。　Should　the　city　not　be
taken　before　the　arrival　of　the　English　fleet；　the　victory　would　be
doubtful。　Bonaparte　knew　this　well。　〃Fortune　gives　us　three　days'
time　at　the　most；〃　cried　he；　〃and　if　we　do　not　use　them　we　are
lost！〃

But　he　did　use　them！　With　fearful　rapidity　the　disembarkation　of　the
troops　was