marie antoinette and her son-第104部分

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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　me；〃　responded　Louis　Charles；　with　a　sigh。

〃He　answered　me；　'I　advise　you；　cousin；　not　to　put　any　confidence　in
such　idle　stories；　and　not　to　be　duped　by　any　sly　rogues。　My
unfortunate　little　nephew　died　in　the　Templethat　is　a　fact
acknowledged　by　the　republic；　universally　believed；　and　denied　by　no
one。　After　long　sufferings　the　son　has　fallen　as　a　new　victim　to　the
bloodthirsty　republicans；　and　we　are　still　wearing　mourning　for　our
deceased　nephew；　King　Louis　XVII。　And　should　any　wise…head　happen　on
the　thought　of　making　the　dead　boy　come　to　life　again；　I　will　be　the
first　to　disown　him　and　hold　him　as　an　impostor。'　Those　were　the
words　of　the　count；　and　you　will　now　confess　that　I　am　right　in
calling　him　your　enemy；　and　in　not　daring　to　communicate　to　him　the
secret　of　your　release？〃

〃I　grant　you；〃　replied　the　prince；　sadly；　〃I　would　rather　bury　the
secret　forever。〃

〃Now；　hear　me　further。　A　few　weeks　ago　the　prince　summoned　me；　and　I
saw　on　his　sinister　face　and　in　his　flashing　eyes　that　he　must　have
received　some　unwelcome　tidings。　He　did　not　make　me　wait　long　for
the　confirmation　of　my　conjectures。　With　a　sharp；　cutting　voice　he
asked　me　what　kind　of　a　nephew　of　mine　that　was　whom　I　was　educating
at　my　palace　in　Vendee。　General　de　Charette　had　given　him
information　through　one　of　his　emissaries　sending　him　word　that　the
report　was　current　in　Vendee　that　this　alleged　nephew　of　mine　was
the　rescued　King　Louis　XVII。；　whom　I　had　helped　release　from　the
Temple。　He；　General　Charette；　had　believed　it　at　first。　He　had
therefore　（so　the　prince　went　on　to　say）　visited　my　palace　recently；
for　the　purpose　of　discovering　the　supposed　young　king。　There　he
convinced　himself　that　the　boy　bore　no　resemblance　to　the　little
Louis　Charleswhom　he　had　once　seen　at　the　Tuileriesand　that　he
certainly　was　not　the　son　of　Louis　XVI。〃

〃He　told　me　only　too　truly　that　he　would　have　his　revenge；〃
whispered　the　young　prince。

〃He　has　kept　his　oath；　for　he　has　loudly　and　publicly　declared　his
belief　that　Louis　XVII。　died　in　the　Temple；　and　he　has　therefore
administered　to　his　army　an　oath　in　favor　of　King　Louis　XVIII。that
is；　the　Count　de　Provence。　The　count　himself　informed　me　of　this；
and　then　added；　threateningly；　'I　advise；　you；　cousin；　either　to
acknowledge　your　young　nephew；　and　treat　him　openly；　or　else　put　him
out　of　the　way。　I　advise　you　further；　not　to　let　yourself　be　imposed
upon　by　adventurers　and　impostors。　It　is　known　that　you　were　among
the　most　active　adherents　of　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　and　there　may
be　people　who　would　work　on　your　credulity　and　make　you　believe　that
the　poor　little　Louis　Charles　was　really　released　from　the　Temple。
Do　not　deny　that　you　parted　with　much　money　at　that　time；　and
believed　that　it　was　wanted　for　the　purpose　of　setting　the　young
King　of　France　free。　It　was　a　trap；　set　in　view　of　your　loyalty　and
devotion；　and　you　fell　into　it。　But　you　gave　your　money　to　no
effect；　the　poor；　pitiable　king　could　not　be　saved；　and　died　in　the
Temple　as　a　prisoner　of　the　republic。　Take　care　how　you　trust　any
idle　stories；　for；　I　tell　you；　you　would　never　bring　me　to　put
confidence　in　them。　I　am　now　the　rightful　King　of　FranceI　am　Louis
XVIII。and　I　am　resolved　not　only　to　declare　every　pretender　who
claims　to　be　Louis　XVII。　an　impostor；　but　to　bring　him　to　punishment
as　a　traitor。　Mark　this　well；　and　therefore　warn　this　mysterious
nephew　of　yours　not　to　venture　on　playing　out　his　comedy；　for　it
will　assuredly　change　into　tragedy；　and　end　with　his　death。'　These
were　the　words　of　the　Count　de　Lille；　and　now　you　understand　why　I
have　brought　you　so　suddenly；　and　so　secretly；　away　from　my　solitary
palace　and　have　you　here。〃

〃I　understand　every　thing；〃　said　Louis　Charles；　with　a　sigh；　〃I
understand；　that　it　would　have　been　better　if　you　had　never　released
me；　and　I　had　died　like　my　father　and　mother。〃

〃We　must　postpone　the　accomplishment　of　our　hopes；〃　said　Conde；
sadly；　〃for　I　confess　to　you；　there　is　little　to　expect　from　the
present；　and　there　is　no　place　where　you　are　safe　from　the
persecutions　and　the　daggers　of　your　enemies。　The　republicans　desire
your　death　as　much　as　the　royalists。　In　France；　two　parties　threaten
you；　and　would　I　now　risk　every　thing；　carry　you　to　some　European
court　and　acquaint　the　sovereign　of　your　arrival；　and　ask　for　his
assistance；　I　should　have　no　credence；　for；　not　the　French　republic
alone；　but　the　Count　de　Lille　would　protest　against　it；　and　disavow
you　before　all　Europe。　It　is；　therefore；　absolutely　necessary；　in
order　to　secure　you　against　your　enemies；　that　you　should　disappear
for　a　season；　and　that　we　patiently　await　the　time　which　shall
permit　us　to　bring　you　back　upon　the　scenes。〃

〃Do　you　believe　that　time　will　ever　come？〃　asked　the　little　prince；
with　a　shake　of　the　head。

〃I　believe　it；　and；　above　every　thing；　I　hope　it；〃　replied　Conde；
quickly。　〃The　greatest　difficulty　is　to　find　a　place　for　you　to
remain　where　you　may　not　be　suspected；　and　where　yon　may　be　safe
from　assault。　To　my　great　regret　I　canno