Thewindnowbroughtthesustainednotesofthedrumstohim；thenhesawthestreetbelowsuddenlyfilledwithadarkmass，asiftheribbonwereturningintocrapethatwasfillingallParis。
“Thepeopleareinmotionbythousands，“criedSimon，delightedly，“andallrushingtothePlacedelaRevolution。Ishallwinmybet。“
Andagainhelistenedtothesoundthatcameuptohim，nowresemblingthebeatofdrums，andnowaloudcryofexultation。
“NowIthinkSamsonmustbestrikingtheheadoffthewolf!“growledSimontohimself，“andthepeopleareshoutingwithpleasure，andJeanneMarieismakingamarkinherstocking，andI，poorfellow，cannotbetheretoseethefineshow!Andthismiserablebratistoblameforit，“hecriedaloud，turningsuddenlyroundtothechildwhowasplayingbehindhimwithhisball，andgivinghimasavageblowwithhisfist。
“Youarethecause，stupid，thatIcannotbetheretoday!“
“Master，“saidthechild，beseechingly，liftinghisgreatblueeyes，inwhichthetearswerestanding，uptohistormentor——“master，I
begyourforgivenessifIhavetroubledyou。“
“Yes，youhavetroubledme，“growledSimon，“andyoushallgetyourthanksforitinawayyouwillnotlike。Quick，awaywithyourtears，goonwithyourplayifyoudonotwantyourbacktomakeacquaintancewithmystraps。Merry，Isay，littleCapet，merry!“
Theboyhastilydriedhistears，laughedaloudasaproofofhismerriment，andbegantojumpaboutagainandtoplaywithhisball。
Simonlistenedagain，andlookeddownlonginglyintothestreets，whichwerenowblackwiththesurgingmassesofmen。Stepswerenowhearduponthestairway，andJeanneMariepresentlyappearedontheplatform。Withagrave，solemnairshewalkeduptoherhusband，andgavehimherstocking，onwhichthreegreatdropsofbloodwerevisible。
“Thatisherblood，“shesaid，calmly。“ThankGod，Ihavelostthebet!“
“Whatsortofabetwasit？“askedtheboy，withasmile，andgivinghisballamerrytoss。
“Thebetisnothingtoyou，“answeredJeanneMarie，“butifyouaregoodyouwillgetsomethingbyandby，andhaveashareinthepaymentofthebet!“
ThateveningtherewasalittlefeastpreparedinthegloomyroomsoftheSimons。Thewifepaidthewager，fortheQueenofFrancehadreallybeenexecuted，andshehadlost。Sheprovidedtwobottlesofbrandyandaplumcake，andthesonofthemurderedqueenhadashareintheentertainment。Heateapieceoftheplumcake，and，underthefearofbeingbeatenifherefused，hedranksomeofthebrandythatwassooffensivetohim。
Fromthistimetheunhappyboyremainedunderthehandsofthecobblerandhiscruelwife。Invainhisauntandhissisterimploredtheirkeeperstobeallowedtoseeandtotalkwiththeprince。Theywereputoffwithabusivewords，andonlynowandthencouldtheyseehimamomentthroughacrackinthedoor，ashepassedbywithSimon，onhiswaytothewindingstaircase。Attimestherecameupthroughtheflooroftheirroom——forSimon，whowasnolongerporter，hadtheroomsdirectlybeneaththeseoccupiedbytheprincesses——thecryingandmoaningofthelittleprince，fillingtheirheartswithpainandbitterness，fortheyknewthatthehorriblekeeperofthedauphinwasgivinghispitiablewardalesson，i。e。，hewasbeatingandmaltreatinghim。“Why？Forwhatreason？Oneday，perhaps，becauseherefusedtodrinkbrandy，thenextbecausehelookedsad，orbecauseheaskedtobetakentohismotherortheprincesses，orbecauseherefusedtosingtheribaldsongswhichSimontriedtoteachhimaboutMadameVetoortheAustrianshe-wolf。
Inthisonethingtheboyremainedimmovable；neitherthreats，abuse，norblowswouldforcehimtosingscurriloussongsabouthismother。Outoffearhedideverythingelsethathistormentorbadehim。HesungtheMarseillaise，andtheCaira，hedancedtheCarmagnole，utteredhisloudhurrahsasSimondrankaglassofbrandytothewealoftheoneandindivisiblerepublic；butwhenhewasorderedtosingmockingsongsaboutMadameVeto，hekeptastubbornsilence，andnothingwasabletoovercomewhatSimoncalledthe“obstinacyofthelittleviper。“
Nothing，neitherblowsnorkicks，neitherthreatsnorpromises!Thechildnolongerventuredtoaskafteritsmother，ortobegtobetakentohisauntandsister，butonceinawhilewhenheheardanoiseintheroomabove，hewouldfixhiseyesupontheceilingforalongtime，andwithanexpressionoflonging，andwhenhedroppedthem，againthecleartearsranoverhischeeksliketransparentpearls。
Hedidnotspeakabouthismother，buthethoughtofher，andonceinthenightheseemedtobedreamingofher，forheraisedhimselfupinbed，kneeleddownuponthemiserable，dirtymattress，foldedhishandsandbegantorepeatinaloudvoicetheprayerwhichhismotherhadtaughthim。
ThenoiseawakenedSimon，whorousedhiswife，toletherlistentothe“superstitiouslittlemonkey，“whomhewouldcureforeverofhisfolly。
Hesprangoutofbed，tookapitcherofcoldwater，thatwasstandingonthetable，andpoureditupontheheadofthekneelingboy。LouisCharlesawokewithashriek，andcroucheddowninalarm。
Butthewholebedwaswet，onlythepillowhadbeenspared。Theboyrosecarefully，tookthepillow，carrieditintoacorneroftheroom，andsatdownuponit。Buthisteethchatteredwiththecoldinspiteofhimself。ThisawakenedSimonasecondtime，justashewasdroppingasleep。Withawildcursehejumpedoutofbedanddressedhimself。
“Thatisright!“criedJeanneMarie，“bringthebrattohissenses。
MakelittleCapetknowthatheistobehaverespectfully。“
AndSimondidmakethepoorboyunderstandit，sittingonthepillow，shiveringinhiswetshirt。Heseizedhimbyhisshoulders，shookhimangrilyfromonesidetoanother，andshouted：“IwillteachyoutosayyourPaterNoster，andgetupinthenightlikeaTrappist!“
Theboyremainingsilent，Simon’srage，whichknewnoboundswhenhethoughthewasdefiedormetwithstubbornness，entirelytookpossessionofhim。Hecaughtuphisboot，whosesolewassecuredwithlargeironnails，andwasonthepointofhurlingitattheheadoftheunoffendingboy，whenthelatterseizedhisarmwithconvulsiveenergy。
“WhathaveIdonetoyou，master，thatyoushouldkillme？“criedthelittleLouis。
“Killyou，youwolf-brat!“roaredSimon。“AsifIwantedto，oreverhadwantedto!Oh，themiserableviper!SoyoudonotknowthatifI
onlytookfairlyholdofyourneck，youneverwouldscreamagain!“
Andwithhispowerfularmheseizedtheboyandhurledhimuponthewater-soakedbed。Louislaydownwithoutaword，withoutacomplaint，andremainedthereshiveringandwithchatteringteethuntilmorning。[Footnote：Beauchesne，“LouisXVII。，“vol。ii。，p。
185。]
Fromthisperiodtherewasachangeintheboy。Untilthistimehismoisteyeshadfixedthemselveswithasupplicatinglookuponhistormentorswhentheythreatenedhim，butafterthistheywerecastdown。Untilnowhehadalwayssoughttofulfilhismaster’scommandswithgreatalacrity；afterwardhewasindifferent，andmadenoefforttodoso，forhehadlearnedthatitwasalltonopurpose，andthathemustacceptafateofslaveryandaffliction。Thefaceofthechild，oncesorosyandsmiling，nowtookonasad，melancholyexpression，hischeekswerepaleandsunken。Theattractivefeaturesofhisfaceweredisfigured，hislimbsgrewtoalengthdisproportionatetohisage；hisbackbentintoabow，asifhefelttheburdenofthehumiliationswhichwerethrownuponhim。
Whenthechildhadlearnedthateverythingthathesaidwastwisted，turnedintoridicule，andmadethecauseofchastisement，hewasentirelysilent，andonlywiththegreatestpainscouldawordbedrawnfromhim。
ThissilenceexasperatedSimon，andmadehimfuriouslycommandtheboytosing，laugh，andbemerry。AtothertimeshewouldorderLouistobesilentandmotionlessforhours，andtohavenothingtodowiththebird-cage，whichwasonthetable，andwhichwastheonlythingleftthatthelittlefellowcouldenjoy。
Thiscageheldanumberofbirds，andapieceofmechanism，anautomatonintheformofabird，whichatelikealivingcreature，drank，hoppedfromonebartoanother，openedhisbill，andsangtheairwhichwassopopularbeforetherevolution，“Oh，Richard!oh，myking!“
Thisarticlehadbeenfoundamongtheroyalapparel，andacompassionateofficialguardhadtoldSimonaboutit，andinducedhimtoapplytotheauthoritiesinchargeoftheTempleandaskforitforthelittleCapet。
Simon，who，aswellashiswife，couldnomoreleavethebuildingthantheirprisonercould，tookthissolitary，confinedlifeveryseriously，andlongedforsomewaytomitigatethetedium。Hethereforeavailedhimselfgladlyoftheofficial’sproposition，andaskedfortheautomaton，whichwasgrantedbytheauthorities。Theboywasdelightedwiththetoyatfirst，andapleasedsmileflittedoverhisface。Buthesoonbecametiredofplayingwiththethingandpaidnoattentiontoit。
“Doesnotyourbirdpleaseyouanylonger？“askedMiller，theofficial，ashecameonedaytoinspecttheTemple。“Doyouhavenomoresportwithyourcanary？“
Theboyshookhishead，andasSimonwasinthenextroomandsocouldnotstrikehim，heventuredtospeak。
“Itisnobird，“heansweredsoftlyandquickly。“ButIshouldliketohaveabird。“
Thegoodinspectornoddedtotheboy，andthenwentouttohavealongtalkwithSimon，andsotoavertanysuspicionofbeingtoofamiliarwith，ortoofondof，theprince。ButafterleavingtheTemplehewenttohisfriendsandacquaintances，andtoldthem，withtearsinhiseyes，aboutthelittleprisonerintheTemple，the“dauphin，“astheroyalistsusedalwaystocallhimbeneaththeirbreath，andhowhewantedalivingbird。Everyonewasgladtohaveanopportunityofgratifyingthewishofthedauphin，andonthenextdayMillerbroughttheprinceacage，inwhichwerefourteenrealcanaries。
“Ah!thosearerealbirds，“criedthechild，ashetookthemoneaftertheotherandkissedthem。Theplayingofthebirds，whichalllivedinonegreatcage，togetherwiththeautomaton，wasnowtheonlypleasureoftheboy。Hebegantotamethem，andamongthelittlefeatheredflockhefoundonetowhichhewasespeciallydrawn，becausehewasmorequietthantheothers，alloweditselftobeeasilycaught，satstillonthefingeroftheprince，and，turninghislittleblackeyestotheboy，warbledalittle，sweetmelody。Atsuchmomentsthecountenanceoftheboybeamedasithaddoneinthedaysofhishappiness；hischeeksflushedwithcolor，andoutofhislargeblueeyes，whichrestedwithinexpressibletendernessuponthebird，thereissuedtheraysofintelligenceandsensibility。Hehadnowsomethingtolove，somethingtowhichallhisgentlesympathiescouldflowout，whichhithertohadallbeensuppressedbeneaththeharshtreatmentofhiskeepers。