“Ishalldoeverythingjustasyouwish，“saidJeanneMarie，whohadsuddenlybecomehumbleandbashful，apparentlyentirelyforgetfuloftherepublican“thou。““Itseemstome，nowthatIhavedisburdenedmyhearttoyou，thatIhavebecomewellandstrongagain，andcertainlyIshalloweittoyouifIdoliveandgetmyhealthoncemore。Butshallyoucomeagainto-morrow，doctor？“
“No，“hereplied，“Iwillsendamanto-morrowwhounderstandsbetterthanIdohowtocontinuethismatter，andtowhomyoucangiveunconditionalconfidence。Hewillannouncehimselftoyouasmyassistant，andyoucantalkoveratlengtheverythingthatwehavebeenspeakingof。Hush!IhearSimoncoming!Farewell!“
HenoddedtoJeanneMarie，andhastilylefttheroom。Outside，inthecorridor，hemetSimonandhissilentyoungward。
“Well，citizendoctor，“askedSimon，“howisitwithoursickone？
Shehasintrustedallhersecretstoyou，andtheymusthavemadealongstory，foryouhavebeenawholehourtogether。Itisfortunatethatyouareanoldman，orelseIshouldhavebeenjealousofyourlongtete-a-tetewithmywife。“
“Thenyouwouldbeagreatfool，andIhavealwaysheldyoutobeaprudentandgoodman。But，asconcernsyourwife，Imusttellyousomethingveryserious，andIbegyou，CitizenSimon，tomarkmywordswell。Itellyouthis：unlessyourwifeJeanneMarieisoutofthisTempleinlessthanaweek，andenjoysherfreedom，shewilleitherlosehersensesortakeherlife。Iwillsaytoyouthis，besides：ifCitizenSimondoesnot，assoonaspossible，leavethiscursedplaceandgiveuphishatefulbusiness，itwillbethesamewithhimaswithhiswife。Hewillnotbecomeinsane，buthewilllapseintomelancholy，andifhedoesnottakehisownlifeconsumptionwilltakeitforhim，theresultofhisidle，listlesslife，themanyvexationshere，andthewretchedatmosphereoftheTemple。“
“Consumption!“criedSimon，horrified。“DoyousupposeIamexposedtothat？“
“Youhaveitalready，“saidthedoctor，solemnly。“Thoseredspotsonyourcheeks，andthepainwhichyouhavesoofteninthebreast，announceitsapproach。ItellyouthatifyoudonottakemeasurestoleavetheTempleinaweek，inthreemonthsyouwillbeadeadman，withoutgivingtheguillotineachanceatyou。Good-by!
ConsiderwellwhatIsay，citizen，andthendoasyoulike!“
“Heisright，“mutteredSimon，ashelookedafterthedoctorwithahorrifiedlook，asNaudindescendedthestaircase；“yes，Isee，heisright。IfIhavetostayhereanylonger，Ishalldie。Thevexationsandtheloneliness，and——somethingstillmoredreadful，frightful，thatIcantellnooneof-havemademesick，andthestitchinmysidewillgrowworseandworseeveryday，and——Imustandwillgetawayfromhere，“hesaidaloud，andwithadecidedair。
“Iwillnotdieyet，neithershallJeanneMarie。To-morrowIwillhandinmyresignation，andthenbeaway!“
WhileSimonwaswalkingslowlyandthoughtfullytowardhiswife，DoctorNaudinleftthedarkbuilding，wentwithalightheartoutintothestreet，andreturnedwithaquicksteptotheHotelDieu。
Theporterwhoopenedthedoorforhim，reportedtohimthatduringhisabsencethesameoldgentlemanwhohadcomethedaybeforetoconsulthim，hadreturnedandwaswaitingforhimintheanteroom。
DoctorNaudinnodded，andthenwalked，quicklytowardhisownapartments。Beforethedoorhefoundhisservant。
“OldDoctorSaunierishereagain，“hesaid，takingoffhismaster’scloak。“Heinsistedonwaitingforyou。Hesaidthathemustconsultyouaboutapatient，andwouldnotceasebeggingtillyoushouldconsenttoaccompanyhimtothesickperson’shouse。For，ifacaseseemeddesperate，thegreatNaudinmightstillsaveit。“
“Youareanassforlettinghimtalksuchnonsense，andforbelievingityourself，CitizenJoly，“criedNaudinwithalaugh，andthenenteringtheanteroom。
Anoldgentleman，cladinthesameold-fashionedcostumewithDoctorNaudin，cameforward。CitizenJoly，asheclosedthedoorsomewhatslowly，heardhimsay：
“ThankGodthatyouhavecomeatlast，citizen!Ihavewaitedforyouimpatiently，andnowIconjureyoutoaccompanymeasquicklyaspossibletomypatient。“
Naudin，openingthedoorofhisstudy，saidinreply，“Comein，CitizenSaunier，andtellmefirsthowitiswithyoursickone。“
NothingmorecouldJoly，Naudin’sservant，understand，forthetwodoctorshadgoneintothestudy，andthedoorwasclosedbehindthem。Afterashorttime，however，itwasopened。Naudinorderedthevalettoorderatiacreatonce，andafewminuteslaterDirectorNaudinrodeawayatthesideofDoctorSaunier。
AtahouseintheRueMontmartrethecarriagestopped，andthetwophysiciansentered。Theporter，openingthelittle，dustywindowofhislodge，noddedconfidentiallytoSaunier。
“ThatisprobablythecelebratedDoctorNaudinoftheHotelDieu，whomyouhavewithyou？“heasked。
“Yes，itishe，“answeredSaunier，“andifanybodycanhelpourpatient，itishe。CitizenCrageisprobablyathome？“
“Certainlyheisathome，foryouknowheneverleaveshissickboy。
Youwillfindhimabove。Youknowtheway，citizendoctor!“
Thetwophysicianspassedon，ascendedthestaircase，andenteredthesuitofroomswhosedoorwasonlypartiallyclosed——leftajar，asitseemed，forthem。Nobodycametomeetthem，buttheycarefullyclosedthedoorbehindthem，drewthebolt，andthenwalkedsilentlyandquicklyacrosstheanteroomtotheoppositedoor。
DoctorSaunierknockedsoftlythreetimeswithaslightintervalbetween，andcriedthreetimeswithaloudvoice，“Thetwophysiciansarecometoseethepatient。“
Aboltwaswithdrawnontheinside，thedooropened，andatallman’sfigureappearedandmotionedtothegentlementocomein。
“Arewealone？“whisperedDoctorSaunier，astheyenteredtheinnerroom。
“Yes，entirelyalone，“answeredtheother。“Thereinthechamberliesmypoorsickboy，andyouknowwellthathecanbetraynoone，andthatheknowsnothingofwhatisgoingonaroundhim。“
“Yes，unfortunately，Iknowthat，“answeredDoctorSauniersadly。“I
promisedyouthatIwouldbringyouthemostcelebratedandskilfulphysicianinParis，andyouseeIkeepmyword，forIhavebroughtyouDoctorNaudin，thedirectoroftheHotelDieuand——thefriendanddevotedservantoftheroyalfamily，towhomwehavebothswornallegianceuntildeath。DoctorNaudin，IhavenotgivenyouthenameofthegentlemantowhomIwastakingyou。Itisasecretwhichonlythepossessorisabletodivulgetoyou。“
“Idivulgeit，“saidtheother，smiling，“DoctorNaudin，IamtheMarquisJarjayes。“
“Jarjayes，whomadetheplanfortheescapeoftheroyalfamilyintheTemple？“askedNaudineagerly。
“MarquisJarjayes，wholosthispropertyintheserviceofthequeen，riskedhislifeinherdeliverance，andperhapsescapedtheguillotinemerelybyemigratingandputtinghimselfbeyondthereachofRobespierre。Areyouthatloyal，courageousMarquisdeJarjayes？“
“IamJarjayes，andIthankyouforthepraisesyouhavegivenme，butIcannotaccepttheminthepresenceofhimwhomeritsthemallmuchmorethanIdo，andwhoismoreworthyofpraisethananyoneelse。No，IcanreceivenocommendationinthepresenceofToulan，themostloyal，thebravest，themostprudentofusall；forToulanisthesoulofeverything，andourmartyrqueenconfesseditingivinghimthehighestofalltitlesofhonor，incallinghimFidele，atitlewhichwillremainforcenturies。“
“Yes，youareright，“saidDr。Naudin，layinghishandontheshoulderofDr。Saunier。“Heisthenoblest，mostloyal，andbravestofusall。Onthataccount，whenhecametomeafewdaysagoandshowedmethegoldensalt*bottleofthequeeninconfirmationofhisstatementthathewasToulan，Iwasreadytodoeverythingthathemightdesireofmeandtoenterintoallhisplans，forToulan’smagnanimityandfidelityarecontagious，andexciteeveryonetoemulatehim。“
“Ibegyou，gentlemen，“saidToulansoftly，“donotpraisemenorthinkthattobeheroismwhichismerelynatural。IhavedevotedtoQueenMarieAntoinettemylife，mythought，myheart。IsworeuponherhandthatsolongasIlivedIwouldbetruetoherandherfamily，andtokeepmyvowissimpleenough。QueenMarieAntoinetteisnomore。Iwasnotabletosaveher，butperhapsshelooksdownfromtheheavenlyheightsuponus，andissatisfiedwithus，ifsheseesthatwearenowtryingtodoforhersonwhat，unfortunately，wewerenotabletoaccomplishforher。Thisismyhope，andthisspursrueontoattempteverything，inordertobringaboutthelastwishofmyqueen——thefreeingofherson。GodinHisgracehaswilledthatIshouldnotbealoneinthiseffort，andthatIshouldhavethecooperationofnoblemen。Hevisiblyblessesourplans，forisitnotamanifestsignofHisblessingthat，exactlyinthosedayswhenwearetryingtofindameansofapproachingtheunhappy，imprisonedsonofthequeen，accidentaffordsusthismeans？ExactlyatthehourwhenIwenttoDr。Naudinanddisclosedmyselftohim，theporteroftheTemplecameanddesiredinbehalfofSimon’swifethatDr。NaudinshouldgototheTemple。“
“Yes，indeed，itwasawonderfuloccurrence，“saidNaudin，thoughtfully。“Iamnotover-blessedwithsensibility，butwhenI
sawthesonofthequeeninhissorrowandhumiliation，Isankonmykneebeforethepoorlittleking，andinmyheartIsworethatToulanshouldfindinmeafaithfulcoadjutorinhisplan，andthatIwoulddoeverythingtosethimfree。“