marie antoinette and her son-第129章

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〃You　know；　Prince　de　Conde；〃　answered　the　boy；　smiling。　〃It　is　you
who　helped　me　escape。〃

〃Tell　me　about　this　matter　a　little；〃　said　the　prince；　〃and　how　you
have　fared　since　then。　I　contributed；　as　you　suppose；　to　your
release；　but　I　was　not　present　In　person。　How　did　you　escape　from
the　Temple？〃

〃I　was　put　into　a　basket　with　soiled　clothes；　which　Mistress　Simon
was　taking　away　with　her　from　the　Temple。　This　basket　she　gave　to　a
washerwoman　who　was　waiting　for　us　at　the　Macon　gate。　She　had　a
little　donkey…cart　in　readiness　there；　the　basket　was　put　into　it；
and　went　on　to　a　village；　the　name　of　which　I　do　not　know。　There　we
stopped；　I　was　taken　out　of　the　basket　and　carried　into　a　house；
where　we　remained　a　few　hours　to　rest　and　change　our　clothes。〃

〃We？　Whom　do　you　mean　by　we？〃

〃Me　and　the　supposed　washerwoman；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃This　woman　was；
however；　no　other　than　M。　de　Jarjayes；　whom　I　knew　long　ago；　and
who；　with　FideleI　should　say；　with　Toulanhad　thought　out　and
executed　the　plan　of　my　escape。　M。　de　Jarjayes　changed　his　clothes；
as　did　I　also；　and　after　remaining　concealed　in　the　house　all　day；
in　the　evening　we　took　a　carriage　and　rode　all　night。　On　the　next
day　we　remained　concealed　in　some　house；　and　in　the　night　we
continued　our　journey。〃

〃Did　he　tell　you　where　you　were　going？〃

〃Jarjayes　told　me　that　the　Prince　de　Conde　was　my　protector　and
deliverer；　that　the　magnanimous　prince　had　furnished　the　necessary
money；　and　that　I　should　remain　concealed　in　one　of　his　palaces　till
the　time　should　arrive　to　acknowledge　me　publicly。　Till　then；　said
M。　de　Jarjayes　to　me；　I　was　never　to　speak　of　the　past；　nor
disclosesingle　word　about　any　thing　that　concerned　myself　or　my
family。　He　told　me　that　if　I　did　not　follow　his　instructions
literally；　I　should　not　only　be　brought　back　to　Simon；　but　I　should
have　to　bear　the　blame　of　causing　the　death　of　my　sister　Therese　and
my　aunt　Elizabeth。　You　can　understand；　my　prince；　that　after　that　I
was　dumb。〃

〃Yes。　I　understand。　Where　did　M。　de　Jarjayes　carry　you？〃

〃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；　eve