Hewasnolongeralone，hewasnolongerjoyless!Hislittlefriendwasthereinthegreatcageamongthetwitteringcompanionswhowereindifferenttothelittleprince。Inordertoknowhimatfirstsight，andalwaystobeabletorecognizehim，Louistooktherose-
coloredribbonfromtheneckoftheautomaton，andtieditaroundtheneckofhisdarling。Thebirdsangmerrilyatthis，andseemedtobeaswellpleasedwiththedecorationasifithadbeenanorderwhichKingLouisofFrancewashangingaroundtheneckofafavoritecourtier。
ItwasafortunatethingfortheboythatSimonhimselfwasfondofbirds，elsetheobjectionsofhiswifewouldsoonhaverobbedthelittlefellowofhislastremainingcomfort。Itwasforthekeeperalittlesourceofamusement，aninterruptioninthedreadfulmonotonyofhislife。Thebirdswereallowedtostaytherefore，andtheirsingingandtwitteringanimatedalittlethedark，silentrooms，andremindedhimofthespring，thefreshair，thegreentrees!
Butverysoonthissourceofcomfortandcheerwastobebanishedfromthedismalplace!Onthe19thofDecember，1793，theinspectorsoftheTemplemadetheirrounds。JustatthemomentwhentheyenteredtheroomofthelittleLouisCapet，theautomatonbegantosingwithhisloud，penetratingvoice，“Oh!Richard，ohmyking!“
Theofficialscametoahaltuponthethreshold，asthoughpetrifiedatthisunheard-oflicense，andfixedtheircold，angrylooksnowuponthebird-，nowupontheboy，whowassittinguponhisrush-
chairbeforethecage，lookingatthebirdswithbeamingeyes。
Asecondtimetheautomatonbegantheunfortunateair，andtheexasperatedinspectorsstrodeuptothecage。“Whatdoesthismean？“
askedoneofthem。“Howdoesanyonedaretokeepup，inthegloriousrepublic，suchworthlessremindersofthecursedmonarchy。“
“Onlysee，“criedanother——“seetheorderthatoneofthebirdsiswearing。Itisplainthattheoldpassionofroyaltystilllurkshere，forevenhereribbonsaregivenawayassignsofdistinction。
Therepublicforbidssuchthings，andwewillnotsuffersuchinfamy。“
Theinspectorputhishandintothecage，seizedthelittlecanary-
birdwiththeredribbon，andsqueezedhimsocloselythatthepoorlittlecreaturegaveonefaintchirpanddied。Themandrewhimout，andhurledhimagainstthewalloftheroom。
Thelittleboysaidnotaword，heutterednotacomplaint；hegazedwithwidely-openedeyesathisdeadfavorite，andtwogreattearsslowlytrickleddownhispalecheeks。
Thenextdaytheinspectorsgaveareportofthisoccurrence，couchedintermsofworthyindignation，andallheartswerestirredwithrighteousangeratthestoryoftheautomatonthatsangtheroyalaria，andofthelivingbirdthatworethebadgeofanorderaboutitsneck。Theywereconvincedthatthesecretroyalistswereconnectedwiththisthing，anditwasregisteredinthecommunalactsas“theconspiracyofthecanary-bird。“
Thelittlewingedconspirators，theautomatonaswellasthelivingbirds，wereofcourseinstantlyremovedfromtheTemple；andSimonhadthedoublevexationofreceivingareprimandfromtheauthorities，andthenthelosinghislittlemerrycompanionsfromtheprison。Itwasallthefaultofthislittle，good-for-nothingboy，whoknewhowtomakelongfaces，andallowedhimselftowakenanddisturbhismasterinthenightbyhiscryingandsobbing。
“Theworthlessviperhasspoiledmysleepforme，“growledSimonthenextmorning。“Myheadisasheavyasabomb，andIshallhavetotakeafoot-bath，todrawthebloodawayfrommyears。“
JeanneMariesilentlycarriedherhusbandtheleadenfoot-bath，withthesteamingwater，andthendrewbackintothecorner，inwhosedismalshadowsheoftensatforhours，gazingidlyather“calendaroftherevolution，“thelongstocking，onwhichtracesofthebloodofthequeenwerestillvisible。
Meanwhile，Simontookhisfoot-bath，andwhilehedidso，hiswicked，maliciouseyesnowfelluponhiswife，whohadoncebeensocheerfulandresolute，andwhonowhadgrownsosadandbroken，nowupontheboy，who，sinceyesterday，whenhiscanarieshadbeentakenfromhim，hadspokennotaword，ormadeasound，andwhosatmotionlessupontherush-chair，foldinghishandsinhislap，andgazingattheplacewherehisdeadbirdlayyesterday。
“Thislifewouldmakeonecrazy，“growledSimon，withthetoneofahyena。“Capet，“hecriedaloud，“takethetowelandwarmitatthechimney-fire，soastowipemyfeet。“
Louisroseslowlyfromhischair，tookthetowelandcrepttothechimney-firetospreaditoutandwarmit；buttheglowofthecoalsburnedhislittlethinhandssobadly，thathelettheclothfallintothefire，andbeforethetrembling，frightenedchildhadtimetodrawitback，thetowelhadkindledandwasburningbrightly。
Simonutteredahowlofrage，and，aswithhisfeetinthewaterhewasnotabletoreachtheboy，heheapedcursesandabuseuponhim，andnotaloneonhim，butonhisfatherandmother，tillhisvoicewashoarse，andhewasexhaustedwiththisoutpouringofhiswrath。
Deceivedbythequietwhichfollowed，littleLouistookanothertowel，warmeditcarefullyatthechimney，andthencautiouslyapproachedhismaster，towipehisfeet。Simonextendedthemtotheboyandlethimselfheservedasifbyalittleslave；butjustassoonashisfeetweredryhekickedtheboy’sheadwithsuchforcethatwithoutacryLouisfelldown，strikinghisheadviolentlyonthefloor。Perhapsitwasthispitifulspectaclethatexasperatedthecobblerstillmore。Hebeattheunconsciousboy，rousedhimwithkicksandwiththenoiseofhiscurses，raisedhisclinchedfistsandsworethathewouldnowdashtheviperinpieces，whenhesuddenlyfelthishandsgraspedasinironclamps，andtohisboundlessastonishmentsawbeforehimthepale，grimfaceofhiswife，whohadcomeoutfromhercornerandfixedherblack，glisteningeyesuponhim，whilesheheldhishandsfirmly。
“Whatisit，JeanneMarie？“saidSimon，surprised!“whyareyouholdingmeso？“
“BecauseIdonotwantyoutobeathimtodeath，“shesaid，withahoarse，roughvoice。
Hebrokeoutintoloudlaughter。“Ireallybelievethattheknitteroftheguillotinehaspityonthesonoftheshe-wolf。“
Aconvulsivequiverpassedthroughherwholeframe。Asingular，gurglingsoundcamefromherchest；sheputbothherhandstoherneckandtorethelittlekerchiefoff，asifitweretiedtightenoughtostrangleher。
“No，“shesaid，inasuppressedtone，“nocompassiononthewolf’sbrood!Butifyoubeathimtodeath，theywillhavetobringyoutotheguillotine，thatitmaynotappearasiftheyhadorderedyoutokillthelittleCapet。“
“True，“saidSimon，“youareright，andIthankyou，JeanneMarie，thatyoumayremindmeofit。Itshowsthatyoulovemestill，althoughyouarealwayssoquiet。Yes，yes，Iwillbemorecareful；
Iwilltakecaretobeatthelittleserpentonlysomuchthatitmaynotbite，butcannotdie。“
JeanneMariemadenoreply，butsatdowninthecorneragain，andtookupherstocking，withouttouchingtheneedles，however，andgoingonwithherwork。
“Getup，youcursedsnake!“growledSimon，“getupandgooutofmysight，anddonotstirmeupagain。“
Thechildroseslowlyfromthefloor，crepttothewash-basinandwithhistrembling，bruisedhandswipedawaythebloodthatwasflowingoutofhisnoseandmouth。Aloud，gurglingsoundcamefromthecornerwhereJeanneMariesat。Itseemedhalflikeacry，halflikeasob。WhenSimonlookedaround，hiswifelaypaleandmotionlessonthefloor；shehadsunkfromherchairinaswoon。
Simongraspedherinhisstrongarmsandcarriedhertothebed，laidhergentlyandcarefullydown，andbusiedhimselfabouther，showingamanifestanxiety。
“Shemustnotdie，“hemurmured，rubbinghertempleswithsaltwater；“shemustnotleavemealoneinthishorribleprisonandwiththisdreadfulchild——JeanneMarie，wakeup，cometoyourself!“Sheopenedhereyes，andgazedatherhusbandwithwild，searchinglooks。
“Whatisthematter，JeanneMarie？“heasked。“Haveyoupain？Areyousick？“
“Yes，“shesaid，“Iamsick，Iaminpain。“
“Iwillgotobringyouaphysician，youshallnotdie!No，no，youshallnotdie，youshallhaveaphysician。TheHotelDieuisverynear，theywillcertainlyallowmetogoasfarasthere，andbringadoctorformydearJeanne。“
Hewasonthepointofhasteningaway，butJeanneMarieheldhimfast。“Remainhere，“shemurmured，“donotletmebealonewithhim——
Iamafraidofhim!“
“Ofwhom？“askedSimon，astonished；andashefollowedthelooksofhiswife，theyrestedontheboy，whowasstillbusyincheckingthebloodthatwasflowingfreelyfromhisswollennose。
“Ofhim!“askedSimon，inamazement。
JeanneMarienodded。“Yes，“shewhispered，“Iamafraidofhim，andIdonotwanttoremainalonewithhim，forhewouldkillme。“Simonburstintoaloud，hoarselaugh。“NowIseethatyouarereallysick，andthedoctorshallcomeatonce。Buttheycertainlywillnotletmeleavethisplace，forthisdespicablebrathasmadeusbothprisoners，themiserable，good-for-nothingthing!“
“Sendhimaway；lethimgointohisownroom，“whisperedJeanneMarie。“Icannotbeartoseehim；hepoisonsmyblood。Sendhimaway，forIshallbecrazyifIhavetolookathimlonger。“
“Awaywithyou，youviper!“roaredSimon；andtheboy，whoknewthathewasmeant——thatthetermviperwasappliedonlytohim——hastilydriedhistears，andslippedthroughtheopendoorintohislittledarkapartment。