marie antoinette and her son-第99章

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for　in　this　very　hour　you　will　go　to　your　ship　with　Desaix。　It　may
be　that　the　ships　will　sail　this　very　night；　and　if　so；　well！　A
quick　and　unlooked…for　separation　mitigates　the　pains　of　parting。
You　will　soon　have　overcome　them；　and　when　you　reach　Paris；　the　past
will　sink　behind　you　into　the　sea。〃

〃Never；　oh；　never！〃　cried　Louis；　with　emotion。　〃I　shall　never　forget
my　benefactor；　my　second　father！〃

〃My　son；　one　easily　forgets　in　Paris；　and　especially　when　he　goes
thither　for　the　purpose　of　creating　a　new　future　out　of　the　ruins　of
the　past！　But　I　shall　never　forget　you；　and　if　my　presentiment
should　not　deceive　me；　and　I　should　soon　die；　you　will　learn　after
my　death　that　I　have　loved　you　as　a　son。　Now　go；　and　I　say　to　you；
as　another　loved　voice　once　said　to　you；　and　as　the　sick　and　the
dying　once　repeated　it　to　you；　'God　bless　you！　All　saints　and　angels
protect　you！'〃

They　remained　locked　in　their　tender　embrace；　and　then　partednever
to　meet　again！

That　very　night；　before　the　morning　began　to　dawn；　General　Desaix
started；　accompanied　by　his　adjutant　Louis；　and　a　few　servants。
Their　first　goal　was　Alexandria；　whither　the　command　of　General
Bonaparte　summoned　them　and　a　few　others。

The　proposed　journey　of　the　commanding　general　was　still　a　carefully
concealed　secret；　and　the　divan　in　Cairo　had　merely　been　informed
that　Bonaparte　was　planning　to　undertake　a　short　journey　in　the
Delta。

On　the　22d　of　August；　1799；　an　hour　after　midnight；　two　French
frigates　left　the　harbor　of　Alexandria。　On　board　of　one　of　them　was
Bonaparte；　the　emperor　of　the　future；on　the　other　was　Louis
Charles；　the　king　of　the　past。　Nameless　and　unknown；　the　descendant
of　the　monarchs　of　France；　with　his　sixteen　years；　returned　to
France　to　France；　that　seemed　no　longer　to　remember　its　past；　its
kings；　and　to　have　no　thoughts；　no　love；　no　admiration　for　aught
excepting　that　new；　brilliant　constellation　which　had　arisen　over
France…Bonaparte。

He　had　returned　from　Egypt　to　regain　Italy；　but　he　found　other　work
awaiting　him　in　Paris。　This　he　brought　to　completion　with　the　energy
and　boldness　which　characterized　all　his　dealings。　By　a　prompt
stroke　he　put　an　end　to　the　constitution　which　had　prevailed　till
then；　abrogated　the　Convention　and　the　Council　of　Five　Hundred；　and
gave　the　French　republic　a　new　constitution；　putting　at　the　head　of
the　government　three　consuls；　Sieyes；　Roger　Ducos；　and　himself。　But
these　three　consuls　were　intended　to　be　a　mere　transition；　a　mere
step　forward　in　the　victorious　march　of　Bonaparte。　After　a　few　weeks
they　were　superseded；　and　Bonaparte　became　the　First　Consul　and　the
head　of　France。

On　the　25th　of　December；　1799；　France　hailed　General　Bonaparte　as
the　First　Consul　of　the　French　republic。　A　new　century　was　dawning；
and　with　the　beginning　of　this　new　century　the　gates　of　the
Tuileries；　the　deserted　palace　of　kings；　opened　to　a　new　possessor。
Bonaparte；　the　First　Consul；　took　up　his　residence　there；　and　in　the
first　spring　of　the　new　century　the　consul；　accompanied　by
Josephine；　removed　to　St。　Cloud　for　summer　quarters。　The　park　of
Queen　Marie　Antoinette　was　given　by　the　French　nation　to　the　First
Consul；　and　in　the　apartments　where　the　queen　with　her　son　Louis
Charles　and　her　daughter　Theresa　once　dwelt；　Josephine；　with　her　son
Eugene　and　her　daughter　Hortense；　now　abode。

〃I　would　I　had　remained　in　Egypt；〃　sighed　the　dauphin　often；　when　in
the　silence　and　solitude　of　his　apartment　he　surrendered　himself　to
his　recollections　and　dreams。　〃It　had　been　better　to　die　young　in　a
foreign　land；　while　all　the　stars　of　hope　were　beaming　above　me；
than　to　protract　a　miserable；　obscure　life　here；　and　see　all　the
stars　fade　out　one　by　one！〃

Yes；　the　stars　of　hope　were　paling　one　by　one　for　the　son　of　King
Louis。　No　one　thought　of　him；　no　one　believed　in　him。　He　had　died　in
the　Temple；　that　was　all　that　any　one　wanted　to　know。　The　dead　was
lamented　by　all；　the　living　would　have　been　unwelcome　to　any。　He　had
died　and　been　buried；　little　King　Louis　XVII。；　and　no　one　spoke　of
him　more。

The　only　subject　of　men's　talk　was　the　glory　and　greatness　of　the
First　Consul。　The　beauty　and　grace　of　Josephine　were　celebrated　in
the　same　halls　which　had　once　resounded　with　the　praises　of　fair
Queen　Marie　Antoinette。　The　half　million　lovers　who　had　once　bowed
to　Marie　were　now　devoted　to　Josephine；　and　paid　their　homage　to　her
with　the　same　enthusiasm　with　which　they　had　before　worshipped　the
queen。　The　son　of　the　general　who　once　had　given　the　oath　of
fidelity　to　King　Louis　XVI。；　the　son　of　General　Beauharnais；　is　now
the　adopted　son　of　the　ruler　of　France；　while　the　son　of　the　king
must　secrete　himself　and　remain　without　name；　rank；　and　title。　It　is
his　good　fortune　that　Desaix　is　there　to　pity　the　forsaken　one；　and
to　give　him　a　place　in　his　home　and　his　heart。　No　one　else　knows
him；　he　is　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix；　that　is　his　only　rank　and
title。

But　he　still　remained　the　nephew　of　General　Kleber；　who　had　been
left　in　Egypt；　and　who；　at　the　end　of　the　century；　gained　a　decisive
victory　at　Heliopolis　over　the　Turks　and　Mamelukes。　He　remained　the
nephew　of　General　Kleber；　and　at　the　end　of　the　year　1800　the
frigate　l'Aigle；　on　its　return　from　Egypt；　brought　a　great　packet
for　General　Desaix。　It　contained　many　papers　of　value；　many　rolls　of
gold…pieces；　besides　gems　and　pearls。　But；　it　also　contained　a
sealed　black　document　directed　to　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix。
This　document　contained　the　will　of　Kleber；　commander…in…chief　of
the　French　army　in　Egypt。　He　had　given　it　to　General　Menou；　together
with　his　papers　and　valuables；　with　the　intimation　that　directly
after　his　death　they　should　all　be　sent　to　General　Desaix　in　France。
General　Menou　followed　this　instruction；　for　Kleber　was　dead。　The
murderous　bullet　of　a　Mameluke　killed　him　on　the　14th　of　June；　1800。
His　will　was　the　last　evidence　of　his　love　for　his　nephew　Louis；
whom　he　designated　as　his　only　heir；　and　Kleber　was　rich　through
inherited　wealth　as　well　as　the　spoils　of　war。

But　Louis　Charles　took　no　satisfaction；　and　it　made　no　impression　on
him；　when　Desaix　informed　him　that　he　was　the　possessor　of　a
million。　〃A　million！　What　shall　I　do　with　it？〃　answered　Louis；
sadly。　〃Were　it　a　million　soldiers；　and　I　might　put　myself　at　their
head　and　with　them　storm　the　Tuileries　and　make　my　entrance　into　St。
Cloud；　I　should　consider　myself　fortunate。　But　what　advantage　to　me
are　a　million　of　francs？　I　can　begin　nothing　with　them；　I　should
have　to　establish　a　store　and　perhaps　have　the　custom　of　the　First
Consul　of　the　republic！〃

〃Hush！　young　man；　hush！〃　replied　Desaix；　〃you　are　bitter　and　sad；
and　I　understand　it；　for　the　horizon　is　dark　for　you；　and　offers　you
no　cheerful　prospect；　but　a　million　francs　is　a　good　thing
notwithstanding；　and　one　day　you　will　know　how　to　prize　it。　This
million　of　francs　makes　you　a　rich　man；　and　a　rich　man　is　a　free　and
independent　man。　If　you　do　not　wish　to　live　longer　as　a　soldier；　you
have　the　power　to　give　up　your　commission　and　live　without　care；　and
that　is　something。　My　next　business　will　be　to　assure　you　your
fortune　against　all　the　uncertainties　of　the　future；　which　are　the
more　to　be　guarded　against；　as　we　are　soon　to　advance　into　Italy
again　for　the　next　campaign。　I　can；　therefore；　not　put　your　property
and　your　papers　into　your　hands；　for　they　constitute　your　future；
and　we　must　deposit　them　with　some　one　with　whom　they　shall　be　safe；
and　that　must　be　with　a　man　of　peace。　Do　you　know　who　this　man　is？〃

〃I　know　no　one；　general；　excepting　yourself；〃　replied　Louis；　with　a
shrug；　〃whom　I　should　dare　to　trust。〃

〃But；　fortunately；　I　know　an　entirely　reliable　man；　shall　I　tell　you
who　he　is？〃

〃Do　so；　I　beg　you；　general。〃

〃His　name　is　Fouche。〃

Louis　started；　and　a　deathly　paleness　covered　his　cheeks。

〃Fouche；　the　chief　of　police！　Fouche；　the　traitor；　who　gave　his
voice　in　the　Convention　for　the　death　of　King　Louisto　him；　the　red
republican；　a　man　of　blood　and　treachery；　do　you　want　to　convey　my
papers　and　my　property？〃

〃Yes；　Louis；　for　with　him　alone　are　they　secure。　Fouche　will　protect
you；　and　will　stand　by　you　with　just　as　much　zeal　as　he　once
displayed　in　the　persecution　of　the　royal　family。　I　know　him　well；
and　I　vouch　for　him。　Men　must　not　always　be　judged　by　their　external
appearance。　He　who　shows　himself　our　enemy　to…day；　lends　us　to…
morrow；　it　may　be；　a　helpful　arm；　and　becomes　our　friend；　sometimes
because　his　heart　has　been　changed；　and　sometimes　because　his
character　is　feeble。　I　cannot　with　certainty　say　which　of　these
reasons　has　determined　Fouche；　but　I　am　firmly　convinced　that　he
will　be　a　protector　and　a　friend　to　you；　and　that　in　no　hands　will
your　property　and　your　papers　be　safer　than　in　his。〃　＇Footnote：
Desaix's　own　wordsSee　〃Memoires　du　Due　de　Nonuandie；〃　p。　61。＇

Louis　made　no　reply；　he　dropped　his　head　with　a　sigh；　and　submitted。

On；　in　the　new　century；　rolled　the　victorious　car　of　Bonaparte；　down
the　Alps；　into　the　fertile　plains　of　Italy。　The　conqueror　of　Lodi
and　Arcole　meant　to　take　revenge　on　the　enemies　who　had　snatched
back　the　bootyrevenge　on　Austria；　who　had　broken　the　peace　of
Campo　Formio。　And　he　did　take　this　revenge　at　Marengo；　where；　on　the
14th　of　June；　he　gained　a　brilliant　victory　over　Austria；　and　won
all　Italy　as　the　prize　of　the　battle。

But　the　day　was　purchased　at　a　sacrifice。　General　Desaix　paid　with
his　death　for　his　impetuous　onset。　In　the　very　thick　of　the　fight；
mortally　wounded　by　a　ball；　he　fell　into　the　arms　of　his　adjutant
Louis；　and　only　with　extreme　peril　could　the　latter；　himself
wounded；　bear　the　general　away　from　the　melee；　and　not。　be　trampled
to　death　by　the　horses　of　his　own　soldiers。

Poor　Louis　Charles！　He　now　stood　entirely　alonethe　last　friend　had
left　him。　Death　had　taken　away　every　thing；　parents；　crown；　home；
name；　friends。　He　was　alone；　all　alone　in　the　worldno　man　to　take
any　interest　in　him；　no　one　to　know　who　he　was。

Sunk　in　sadness；　he　remained　in　Alessandria　after　the　battle　of
Marengo；　and　allowed　his　external　wound　to　heal；　while　the　internal
one　continued　to　bleed。　He　cursed　death；　because　it　had　not　taken
him；　while　removing　his　last　friend。

And　when　the　wound　was　healed；　what　should　he　do？under　what　name
and　title　should　he　be　enrolled　in　the　army？　His　only　protector　was
dead；　and　the　adjutant　was　reported　to　have　died　with　him。　He　put
off　the　uniform　which　he　had　worn　as　the　soldier　of　the　republic
which　had　destroyed　his　throne　and　his　inheritance；　and；　in　simple；
unpretending　garments；　he　returned　to　Paris；　an　unknown　young　man。

Desaix　was　right；　it　was；　indeed；　something　to　possess　a　million　of
francs。　Poor　as　he　was　in　love　and　happiness；　this　million　of　francs
made　him　at　least　a　free　and　independent　man；　and　therefore　he　would
demand　his　inheritance　of　him　whom　he　formerly　shunned　because　he
was　one　of　the　murderers　of　his　father。

Fouche　received　the　young　man　exactly　as　Desaix　had　expected。　He
showed　himself　in　the　light　of　a　sympathizing　protector；　he　was
touched　with　the　view　of　this　youth；　whose　countenance　was　the
evidence　of　his　lineage；　the　living　picture