marie antoinette and her son-第119部分

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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'Iflexiblewas　secured　to　the　interests　of　the　Duke　do
Normandie；　and　La　Vendee；　with　a　thousand　loyal　voices；　summoned
King　Louis　XVII。　to　herself。　There；　as　he　was　on　the　point　of
hastening　to　his　faithful　ones；　God　laid　his　hand　upon　him　and　held
him　back；　a　stroke　of　paralysis　crippled　his　limbs。　After　recovering
from　this　attack；　the　strength　of　his　mind　was　taken　away；　and　the
decided；　fiery；　indefatigable　pretender　became　a　gentle；　pious　monk；
who　fasted　and　prayed；　and　wandered　to　Rome　to　have　an　interview
with　Pope　Pius　IX。；　and　received　absolution　from　him　for　all　his
sins。

The　pope　met　the　Duke　de　Normandie　at　Gaeta　on　the　20th　of　February；
1849；　and　had　a　long　and　secret　conversation　with　him；　and；　when
Louis　Charles　withdrew；　it　was　as　a　quiet；　pious；　smiling　man；　who
never　denied　his　high　extraction；　but　who　had　no　longer　a　wish　to　be
restored　to　the　inheritance　of　his　fathers。　More　and　more　he
withdrew　from　the　world；　and　lived　only　in　the　circle　of　a　few
noble…born　legitimists；　who　never　addressed　him　excepting　as　〃sire。〃
He　accepted　the　title　as　one　that　was　his　due；　and　never　refused　it
even　when　approached　by　many　adherents　of　the　new　Napoleonic
dynasty。　At　that　time　he　wrote　to　his　friends：

〃You　ask　me　what　I　wish；　what　the　end　of　my　struggle　is；　which　has
now　lasted　more　than　a　half　century？　I　will　tell　you。　You　do　not
suppose；　I　trust；　that　I　am　still　determined　to　ascend　the　throne　of
France：　to　do　this　would　be　a　great　misfortune　for　me；　but　it　would
certainly　be　a　greater　one　for　France；　and　it　would　rightly　be　said
of　both　of　us　that　we　merit　our　misfortune；　still　less　do　I　hope　to
attain　to　wealth　and　high　station　by　being　recognized。　You　know　that
I　need　very　little　for　my　support；　and　that　this　little　is　amply
provided　for。　What　else　should　I　strive　for？　To　avenge　myself？　My
friend；　I　am　at　an　age　when　the　blood　flows　slower　through　the
veins；　and　when　one　finds　an　inexpressible　charm　in　forgiving。　What；
then；　do　I　wish？　What　could　I　have？　Why　do　I　incessant