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〃To one of the palaces of the Prince de Conde in loyal and beautiful
Vendee。 Ah； it was very delightful there； and there were very
pleasant people about me。 The story was that I was a nephew of the
prince； and that on account of impaired health； I was obliged to go
into the country and must be tended with great care。 I had a
preceptor there who gave me instruction； and sometimes the brave
General Charette came to the palace on a visit。 He was always very
polite to me； and showed me all kinds of attention。 One day he asked
me to walk with him in the park。 I did so； of course； and just as we
entered a dark allee he fell upon his knees； called me majesty； said
he knew very well that I was the King of France； and that the noble
and loyal Prince de Conde had rescued me from prison。〃
〃The devil！〃 muttered the prince to himself； 〃our dear friends are
always our worst enemies。〃
The boy paid no attention to the words of Conde； and went on： 〃The
general conjured me to confess to him that I was the son of King
Louis； and I should follow him； remain with his little army； which
would acknowledge me at once； and proclaim me King of France。〃
〃And what did you answer？〃 asked Conde； eagerly。
〃My lord；〃 replied the boy； with proud； grave mien； 〃I told you
that； I gave my word to M。 de Jarjayes to divulge nothing till you
should tell me that the right time had arrived。 I could therefore
confess nothing to Charette； and told him that he had fallen into a
great error； and that I have and can lay claim to no other honor
than of being the nephew of the Prince de Conde。〃
〃You said that？〃 asked Conde； in amazement。
The boy raised his head with a quick movement； and something of the
proud and fiery nature of Louis XIV。 flashed in his eyes。
〃I did not know then；〃 he replied； 〃that my relationship to the
Prince de Conde was not agreeable to him。〃
The prince looked troubled and perplexed； and dropped his eyes
before the piercing gaze of the boy。 〃Go on； if I may venture to ask
you；〃 he said； softly。 〃What did General Charette do when you
repelled him？〃
〃First he implored； and wept； and conjured me to trust him； and to
lay aside my incognito before him； the truest and best of royalists。
But as I continued steadfast； and disclosed nothing； he became angry
at length； pushed me away from him； threatened me with his fist；
swore he would have his revenge on those who had deceived him； and
declared that I was no Bourbon； for the son of my fathers would not
be so weak and cowardly as to conceal his name and lineage。〃
〃And you kept silent； in spite of this demand？〃
〃Yes； my lord； I kept silent； and； notwithstanding his pain and
grief； I left him in the belief that he had deceived himself； or
rather； that he had been deceived。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Conde； 〃it is plain that you have been steeled in the
school of suffering； and that the years of misfortune like yours
must each be reckoned double； for； in spite of your twelve years；
you have acted like a man！〃
〃My lord；〃 replied the boy； proudly； 〃the Bourbons attain their
majority at fifteen； and at that age they may； according to the law
of France； become independent sovereigns。 They ought； therefore； to
begin to learn young。 That was the opinion of Queen Marie
Antoinette； who taught me to read in my fifth year。 You； my lord；
have； in your magnanimity； done every thing to make me able to
conform to the laws of my house； if it shall please God that the son
of my dear unfortunate father should one day ascend the vacant
throne of the Bourbons。 Daring these two years which I have spent in
concealment in your palace in Vendee； you have laid a strong and
firm foundation； on which the superstructure of my life may rest。 I
have； thanks to the excellent teachers you have given me； had an
opportunity to learn much； and to recall much which I had forgotten
during the years before my release from imprisonment。〃
〃Your teachers inform me that your industry was unceasing； and that
you learned more in months than some do in years。 You are familiar
with several languages； and； besides； have been instructed； as I
desired； in the art of war and in mathematics。〃
〃In the studies of kings and soldiers；〃 replied the boy； with a
proud smile。
〃I fear that you will prove not to have prosecuted those studies
with a view to their use among soldiers；〃 said Conde； with a sigh。
〃Your prospects are very darkyes； darker even than when you left
the Temple。 These two years have made your condition more perilous。
It was fortunate that you could spend them in solitude and secrecy；
and be able to finish your education； and it would be a great
blessing to you to be able to go on with your quiet studies for some
years longer。 But your enemies had sought you without rest； they
were on your track； and had I left you there any longer； you would
have been found some day stabbed or shot in the park。 The steward
informed me that all kinds of suspicious people had gathered in the
neighborhood of the palace and the garden； and I conjecture that
they were the emissaries of your enemies。 On this I took you away
from that place； and have brought you here for your greater safety。
Now allow me one question。 Do you know who your enemies are？〃
〃I think I know them；〃 replied Louis Charles； with a sad smile。 〃My
enemies are the self…same men who brought my father and my mother to
the scaffold； destroyed the throne； and in its place gave Prance a
red cap。 My enemies are the republicans； who now rule in this land；
and whose great object must； of course； be to put me out of the way；
for my life is their death！ France will one day be tired of the red
cap； and will restore the throne to him to whom it belongs； so soon
as it is certain that he who is entitled to the crown； is living to
wear it。〃
〃And who do you suppose is justified in wearing the crown of
France？〃
〃You ask as if you did not know that I am the only son and heir of
the murdered King of France。〃
〃The only son； but not the only heir。 Your inheritance will be
contested； and even if France should transform herself from a
republic to a monarchy； every attempt possible will be made to drive
you； the son of Louis XVI。； from the throne； and put the crown on
the head of another。〃
〃Sir； if monarchy is uppermost again； the crown belongs to me。 Who；
in that case； would venture to contend with me for it？〃
〃Your enemies！ Not those whom you have just named； but the other
half of your enemies； of whose existence you have no suspicion； it
seems…your enemies； the royalists。〃
〃How so？〃 cried Louis Charles； in amazement。 〃Do you call the
royalists my enemies？〃
〃Yes； and they are so； your powerful； defiant； and untiring enemies。
Do you not see that even here in this room I do not dare to give you
the title that is your due； for fear that the walls may have ears
and increase the danger which threatens you？ I will now name to you
the greatest of your enemiesthe Count de Provence。〃
〃How！ my uncle； the brother of my father； he my enemy？〃
〃He is your enemy； as he was the enemy of your mother。 Believe me；
young man； it is not the people who have made the revolution in
France； it is the princes who have done it。 The Count de Provence；
the Count d'Artois； and the Duke d'Orleansthey are the chief
revolutionists； they it is who have put fire to the throne； they it
is who have sown the libels and lampoons broadcast over France； and
made the name of Marie Antoinette odious。 They did it out of hate；
out of revenge； and out of ambition。 Queen Marie Antoinette had won
her husband over to the policy of Austria； and in this way had set
herself in opposition to the Count de Provence； and the whole royal
family。 The count never forgave her for this； and he will never
forgive you for being the son of your mother。 The Count de Provence；
as he now styles himself； is your sworn enemy； and will do all he
can to bring you to ruin； he is ambitious； and his goal is； to be
the King of France！〃
〃King of France？ The Count de Provence； the brother of the king；
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 m