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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； 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