marie antoinette and her son-第105部分

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remain　where　you　may　not　be　suspected；　and　where　yon　may　be　safe
from　assault。　To　my　great　regret　I　cannot　entertain　you　here；　for　my
family　are　too　well　known　for　me　to　suddenly　acknowledge　a
legitimate　nephew　of　your　age；　and　the　Count　de　Lille　would　be　the
last　to　believe　it。　I　confess　that　it　has　cost　me　a　great　deal　of
disquiet　and　anxious　thought　to　find　a　secure　asylum　for　you。〃

〃And　do　you　think　you　have　found　one　at　last？〃　asked　Louis　Charles；
indifferently。

〃Yes；　I　believe　so；　or　rather；　I　know　that　I　have　found　one。　You
must　be　taken　to　a　place　which　no　one　can　suspect　as　that　where　you
would　be　likely　to　be。〃

〃And　what　place　is　this？〃

〃It　is　called　Mayence。〃

The　boy；　who　had　sat　with　downcast　eyes；　perhaps　in　order　not　to　let
some　tears　be　seen；　looked　quickly　up；　and　the　greatest　astonishment
was　depicted　in　his　expressive　features。

〃Mayence？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　not　that　a　fortress　on　the　Rhine　which　the
troops　of　the　French　republic　have　taken　possession　of？〃

〃Yes；　and　the　commandant　of　Mayence；　the　head　of　the　troops；　is
General　Kleber；　one　of　the　bravest　and　noblest　soldiers　of　the
French　republic。〃

〃And　you；　you　want　to　send　me　to　this　General　Kleber？　Ah；　my　prince；
that　would　be　thrusting　me；　for　the　purpose　of　rescuing　me　from
persecution；　into　the　very　crater　of　the　volcano。〃

〃It　is　not　so　bad　as　you　suppose；　my　young　friend。　General　Kleber　is
at　heart　a　good　and　true　royalist；　and　although　he　serves　the
republic；　he　does　so　because　he　is　first　of　all　a　soldier；　a　soldier
of　his　country；　and　because　his　country　now　has　pressing　need　of
soldiers　to　defend　the　honor　and　glory　of　France。　I　have　sent　a
trustworthy　man　to　General　Kleber　to　impart　this　secret　to　him；　and
to　ask　him　for　protection；　and　a　place　of　refuge　for　you。　General
Kleber　is　ready　to　grant　both；　and　he　has　sent　his　adjutant　to
Coblentz　to　escort　his　nephew　to　Mayence。　You　are　that　nephew；　and
if　you　give　your　consent；　you　will　set　out　at　once　and　go　to
Mayence。〃

〃And　if　I　do　not　give　my　consent？〃　asked　Louis　Charles；　with　a
proud；　flashing　look。

〃I　confess；〃　said　Conde；　with　a　shrug〃I　confess　that　I　am　not
prepared　for　that　contingency；　and　cannot　on　the　instant　grasp　all
the　unfortunate　results　which　would　ensue　on　your　refusal。〃

〃Be　calmed；　Conde；　I　do　not　refuse。　I　have　only　this　one　thing　to
care　for；　to　cause　no　danger；　and　bring　nothing　disagreeable　to　you；
for　I　see　that　they　are　in　store　for　you　if　I　do　not　disappear　again
from　view。　The　son　of　the　king　vanished　from　sight；　to　appear　as　the
nephew　of　Conde；　and　now　the　nephew　of　Conde　is　to　vanish；　to　emerge
as　the　nephew　of　General　Kleber。　Ah；who　knows　but　I　may　yet　be　the
nephew　of　Simon　the　cobbler；　preparatory　to　my　last　appearance　on
the　guillotine？〃

〃I　hope；　on　the　contrary；　that　on　the　day　when　France　shall　rise
again；　you　will　rise　too；　the　acknowledged　son　of　Louis　XVI。；　and
the　heir　of　the　throne　of　France。　At　present　the　republic　has　sway；
and　there　is　no　hope　of　an　immediate　change。　But　that　will　not　last
always；　and　in　the　decisive　hour；　when　the　monarchy　and　the　republic
come　to　their　last　great　battle　for　existenceat　that　hour　you　must
appear　upon　the　field；　must　lift　the　lilies　high　in　the　air；　and
summon　the　royalists　to　your　side　in　the　name　of　God；　and　of　the
king　your　father。〃

〃And　what　if　my　uncle；　the　Count　de　Provence；　then　declares　me　to　be
an　impostor？〃

〃Then　you　must　publicly　and　solemnly　appeal　to　France；　lay　the
proofs　of　your　lineage　before　the　nation；　summon　unimpeachable
witnesses；　and　demand　your　throne　of　the　French　nation。　And　believe
me；　if　the　heart　of　France　is　compelled　to　choose　between　you　and
the　Count　de　Provence；　it　will　not　choose　him；　for　the　count　has
never　possessed　the　heart　of　the　people；　and　God　is　just。〃

〃God　is　just；〃　replied　Louis　Charles；　sadly〃God　is　just；　and　yet
the　King　and　Queen　of　France　have　perished　on　the　guillotine；　and
their　brother　calls　himself　King　of　France；　while　the　son　of　Louis
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