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celebrated printer； director of the national printing establishment
at Parma）。 His compliments were brief and discriminating； and
disclosed a finely cultivated mind。
〃'And now； sir；' said I； 'allow me to ask you who you are。'
〃'You were just singing a song that I wrote。'
〃'These pretty verses here upon the wall； are they yours？'
〃'Yes； they are。'
〃'You are therefore'
〃'The Duke de Normandie。'
〃The watchman was just then walking past my window and so I was
still。 After some time we resumed our conversation。 When I asked
whether he was Louis XVII。； he responded in the affirmative； and
began to declaim hotly against Louis XVIII。 his uncle； the usurper
of his rights。
〃I implored him to give me his history in brief outlines。 He did so；
and related to me all the details connected with the life of Louis
XVII。； which I knew only in part。 He told me how he had been
imprisoned with Simon the cobbler； been compelled to sign a
calumniating charge against his mother； etc。 He then related to me
the story of his escape and his flight to America； of his return to
reclaim the throne of his fathers； and his arrest in Mantua。
〃He portrayed his history with extraordinary life。 All the incidents
of the French Revolution were present before him； he spoke with
natural eloquence； and wove in piquant anecdotes very apropos。 His
manner of expression smacked once in a while of the soldier； but
there was no lack of the elegance that disclosed his intercourse
with good society。
〃'Will you allow me；' I asked him； 'to treat you as a friend and
leave off all titles？'
〃'I want exactly that； 'he answered。 'Misfortune has taught me the
good lesson to despise all the vanities of earth。 Believe me； my
pride does not lie in this； that I am a king； but that I am a man。'
〃After this we had long conversations mornings and evenings； and I
recognized in him a noble； beautiful soul； sensitive to all that is
good。 He knew how to win hearts； and even the turnkeys were kind to
him。 One of them said to me on coming from the cell of my neighbor：
'I have strong hopes that he will make me chief porter when he is
king； I have had the boldness to ask him for the position； and he
has promised it。'
〃To the veneration of the turnkeys for the king of the future I owe
it that one day when I was led to trial； and had to pass by his
cell； they opened the doors that I might see my illustrious friend。
He was of medium size； from forty to forty…five years of age；
somewhat embonpoint； and had a thoroughly Bourbon physiognomy。〃
＇Footnote： Silvio Pellico； 〃Le Mie Prigioni；〃 p。 51 et seq。 An
examination of Silvio Pellico's work will convince the reader that
Silvio Pellico was by no means a believer in the genuineness of his
companion's claims。 Miss Muhlbach seems to have been scarcely just
in leaving the impression conveyed in the text。…TB。＇
After seven years of imprisonment； the gates opened at last for the
Baron de Richemont； and he who had been placed there without the
sentence of a judge； was released with as little show of authority。
The son of the queen was free again； the death of King Louis XVIII。
had restored him to the walks of men。 But another King of France
assumed his place at once； the Count d'Artois ascended the throne
under the title of Charles X。
The poor Baron de Richemont bore his sorrows and his humiliation
into the valleys of Switzerland。 But when； in the year 1830； King
Charles X。 abdicated the throne； the son of Marie Antoinette again
came forth from his solitude； issued a proclamation to the French
people； and； in the presence of all Europe； demanded his
inheritance。
Yet； amid the clash of weapons and the roar of revolutions； the
voice of the unfortunate prince was overborne。 He had no soldiers；
no cannon； to enforce silence and make himself be heard。 But the
Duke d'Orleans； Louis Philippe； had soldiers and cannon； and the
arms of his dependants； and the magic of his wealth； placed him upon
the throne in July； 1830。 ＇Footnote： It was the 9th of August。Tr。＇
The poor Baron de Richemont； the son of kings； the last of the
Bourbons in France； had now a single friend； who； perhaps； would
receive him。 This friend was the Duke de BourbonConde； now an old
man of eighty years。 One day； some weeks after the accession of
Louis Philippe； the Duke de Bourbon received at his palace of St。
Leu a gentleman whom nobody knew； who announced himself as the Baron
de Richemont。
The duke went out into the anteroom； greeted his guest with the
greatest deference； and led him into his cabinet。 There the two
gentlemen carried on a long and earnest conversation； and the
secretary of the duke； who was at work in the library hard by；
distinctly heard his master say； with trembling tones： 〃Sire； I
implore you； forgive me。 The circumstances were stronger than my
will。 Sire； go not into judgment with meforgive me。〃
To this an angry voice replied： 〃No； I will not forgive you； for you
have dealt perfidiously with the son； as you did once with the
mother！ You have not redeemed the oath that you once gave me。 I
leave you。 May God be gracious to you； and pardon you。 Take care
that He does not punish you for the treachery that you have shown to
me。 You swore that you would acknowledge no other king but me； and
yet you have taken your oath to the third king。 Farewell！ May the
Almighty protect you！ We shall see each other； perhaps； in a better
world； and there you will have to give your account to a Judge whom
nothing can mitigate。 Be happy； and may the dead sleep in peace！〃
＇Footnote： The very words of Richemont。See 〃Memoires du Duc de
Normandie；〃 p。 243。＇
The secretary then heard the forcible closing of a door； and all
became still。 After an hour he entered the duke's cabinet； because
the silence troubled him。 The old duke sat in his arm…chair； pale；
and gazing with constant looks at the door through which the
stranger had departed。 He was reticent the whole day； and in the
night following his valet heard him softly praying and weeping。 On
the next morning； August 27th； 1830； on entering the sleeping…room
of his master； he found him dead and already rigid。 The duke had
hanged himself at the window of his own room。
The last dependant of the unhappy king； who still bore the name of
the pretender； was dead； as were all his relations； including his
sister； the Duchess d'Angouleme。
But from the dead there came a greeting。 She had ordered a large sum
to be paid yearly to the Baron de Richemont； and the report was that
she had wished to recognize him on her death…bed as her brother。 But
her confessor had counselled her that such a recognition would
introduce new contentions among the Bourbons； and give the pretender
Henry V。 equal claims with Louis XVII。
Yet the Duke de Normandie was not silent； he spoke so loudly of his
rights that Louis Philippe at last held it advisable to arrest him
and bring him to trial。 The preliminary investigation continued
fifteen months； then he was brought before the court； and accused of
conspiracy against the safety of the state。
The Gazette des Tribunaux of the 3d； 4th； and 5th of November； 1834；
gave the details of this trial。 Spectators poured in from all sides；
and also； in an unexpected manner； witnesses who declared themselves
ready to prove the identity of the Baron de Richemont with the Duke
de Normandie； son of Louis XVI。 The accused appeared entirely calm
and dignified before the bar； and when the counsel for the
government accused him of appropriating a name that did not belong
to him； he asked quietly；
〃Gentlemen； if I am not Louis XVII。； will you tell me who I am？〃
No one knew how to reply to this question； but many eminent
legitimists had come to solemnly declare that the accused was in
truth their king； and that he was the rescued orphan of the Temple。
Even the president of the court seemed to be convinced of this； and
his closing words in addressing the jury were these： 〃Gentlemen； who
is the accused who stands before you to…day？ What is his name； his
lineage； his family？ What are his antecedents； his whole history？ Is
he an instrument of the enemies of France； or is he； much more； an
unfortunate who has miraculously escaped the horrors of a bloody
revolution； and； laid under bans by his birth； has now no name and
no refuge for his head？〃
The jury； however； were not called upon to answer this question；
they had simply to reply to the question whether the accused was
guilty of a conspiracy against the state。 This they answered with a
〃Guilty；〃 and condemned the accused to an imprisonment of twelve
years。
The Duke de Normandie； or King Louis Charles； as we may choose to
call him； was taken to St。 Pelagic； but during the next year；
through the assistance of powerful friends； which his trial had
gained over to him； he was released from prison； and again spent
some quiet years in Switzerland。
Then came the year 1848； the year of revolutions； whose storm…waves
drove Louis Philippe to England； never to ascend again the throne of
France。
Again Louis Charles issued from his solitude； and this time not
alone。 A swarm of rich and powerful legitimists thronged around him；
a journalL