“Didyouhear，citizen？“askedthedoctor。“Theofficialsarewaitingformebelow。“
“Yes，Iheard，doctor，“whisperedSimon。“Wehavenotmuchtime。
Come!“
Hemotionedtothephysiciantopassalongthecorridorandtoentertheroom，whileheboltedandlockedtheouterdoor。Asthedoctorentered，MistressSimonlayuponherbedandlookedatthenew-comerwithcurious，glowingeyes。
“Whoareyou？“sheasked，risingquicklyfromherbed。“YouarenotDoctorNaudinwhomIexpected，andIdonotknowyou!“
Meantimethedoctorwalkedinsilencetoherbed，andstoopedoverJeanneMarie，whosankbackuponthepillow。
“IamtheonewhoistohelpyouescapefromtheTemple，“hewhispered。“DoctorNaudinhassentme，toworkinunionwithhimandyouineffectingyourreleaseandthatoftheunfortunateCapet。“
“Husband，“criedJeanneMarietothecobbler，whowasjustcomingin，“thisisthemanwhoisgoingtodeliverusfromthishell!“
“Thatistosay，“saidthedoctor，withafirm，penetratingvoice，“Iwillfreeyouifyouwillhelpmefreethedauphin。“
“Speaksoftly，forGod’ssake，speaksoftly，“saidSimonanxiously。
“Ifanyoneshouldhearyou，wearealllost!Wewilldoeverythingthatyoudemandofus，providedthatwecaninthatwayescapefromthismiserable，good-for-nothingplace。Theairhereislikepoison，andtohavetostayhereislikebeingburiedalive。“
“Andthenthedreams，thefrightfuldreams，“mutteredJeanneMarie，withashudder。“Icannotsleepanymoreinthisdreadfulprison，forthatpale，fearfulwoman，withgreat，fixedeyes，goeswalkingaboutthroughtheTempleeverynight，andlistensatthedoorstoseewhetherherchildrenarealiveyet，andwhetherwearenotkillingthem。Lately，shehasnotonlylistenedatthedoors，butshehascomeintomyroom，andpassedmybed，andgoneintothechamberoflittleCapet。Simonwasasleep，anddidnotseeher。I
sprangup，however，andstolesoftlytothedoor；forIthoughtsomebodyhadcreptinhereindisguise，possiblyCitizenToulan，whohadalreadytwicemadetheattempttoreleasetheAustrianandherchildren，andwhomIthendenouncedatheadquarters。ThereIsaw——
althoughitwasentirelydarkinthehall——thereIsawlittleCapetlyingasleeponhismattress，hishandsfoldedoverhisbreast，andwithanexpressionofcountenancemorehappy，altogethermorehappy，thaniteveriswhenheisawake。Nearthemattresskneeledthefigureinwhite，anditseemedasifaradiancestreamedoutfromitthatfilledthewholeroom。Itsfacewaspaleandwhite，justlikealily，anditseemedasifthefragranceofalilywasintheapartment。Hertwoarmswereraised，asifshewouldutterabenediction，overhersleepingboy；aroundherhalf-openedlipsplayedasweetsmile，andhergreateyes，whichhadtheaspectofstars，lookeduptowardheaven。ButwhileIwasthereinamaze，andwatchedthefigureina，transportofdelight，thereoccurred，allatonce，somethingwonderful，somethingdreadful。Thefigurerosefromitsknees，droppeditsarms，turneditselfaround，andadvancedstraighttowardme。Theeyes，whichhadbeenturnedsopurelyheavenwardbefore，weredirectedtome，withalookwhichpiercedmybreastlikethethrustofaknife。Irecognizedthatlook-thatsad，reproachfulglance。ItwasthesamethatMarieAntoinettegaveme，whenshestoodonthescaffold。Iwassittinginthefrontrowoftheknitters，andIwasjustgoingtomakethedoublestitchforherinmystocking，whenthatlookmetme；thosegreat，sadeyeswereturnedtowardme，andIfeltthatshehadrecognizedme，andhereyesboredintomybreast，andfollowedmeevenaftertheaxehadtakenoffherhead。Theeyesdidnotfallintothebasket，theywerenotburied，battheyremaininmybreast；theyhavebeenpiercingmeeversince，andburningmelikeglowingcoals。ButthatnightIsawthemagain，asinlife——thosedreadfuleyes；andasthefigureadvancedtowardme，itraiseditshandandthreatenedme，anditseyesspoketome，anditseemedasifacurseofGodweregoingthroughmybrain，forthoseeyessaidtome——’Murder!’——spokeitsoloudly，sohorribly，thatitappearedasifmyheadwouldburst，andIcouldnotcry，andcouldnotmove，andhadtolookatit，till，atlast，Ibecameunconscious。“
“There，seethere，doctor，“criedSimon，inalarm，ashiswifefellbackuponthepillowwithaloudcry，andquiveredinallherlimbs；
“nowshehasconvulsionsagain，andthenshewillbe，foradayortwo，outofhermind，andwilltalkstrangelyaboutthepalewomanwithdreadfuleyes；andwhenshegoesonso，shemakesevenmesad，andanxious，andtimid，andIgrowafraidofthewhiteghostthatshesaysisalwayswithus。Ah!doctor，helpus!See，now，howthepoorwomansuffersandtwists!“
Thedoctordrewabottlefromhisbreast-pocket，andrubbedafewdropsuponthetemplesofthesickwoman。
“Thoseareprobablythefamoussoothing-dropsofDoctorNaudin？“
askedSimon，inastonishment，whenhesawhowquiethiswifebecame，andthatherspasmsandgroansceased。
“Yes，“answeredthedoctor，“andtheeminentphysiciansendsthemasapresenttoyourwife。Theyareverycostly，andrichpeoplehavetopayalouis-d’orforeverydrop。ButDoctorNaudin。givesthemtoyou，forhewishesJeanneMarielongtoenjoygoodhealth。Howisitwithyounow？“
“Ifeelwell，completelywell，“shesaid，asthedoctorrubbedsomedropsasecondtimeonhertemple。“IfeeleasierthanIhavefeltforalongtime。“
“Givemeyourhand，“saidthedoctor。“Riseup，foryouarewell。
Letusgointothechamberofthepoorboy，forIhavetospeakwithyouthere。“
Hewalkedtowardthechamber-door，leadingJeanneMariebythehand，whileSimonfollowedthem。Softlyandsilentlytheyenteredthedarkroom，andwenttothemattressonwhichthechildlay。
Theboystaredatthemwithgreat，wide-openedeyes，buttheywerewithoutexpressionandlife，andonlythebreath，asitcameslowlyandheavilyfromthehalf-openedlips，showedthattherewasvitalitystillinthispoor，little，shrunkenform。
Thedoctorkneeleddownbesidethebed，and，bendingoverit，pressedalong，ferventkissonthedelicate，hothandofthechild。
ButCharlesLouisremainedmotionless；hemerelyslowlydroppedhislidsandclosedhiseyes。
“Yousee，doctor，heneitherhearsnorsees，“saidSimon，inalow，growlingvoice。“Hecaresfornothing，anddoesnotknowanythingaboutwhatisgoingonaroundhim。Itisaweeksincehespokeaword。“
“Notsincethedaywhenyouwantedtocompelthechildtosingthesongthatmakessportofhismother。“
“Hedidnotsingit？“askedthedoctor，withatremulousvoice。
“Heisamulishlittletoad，“criedSimon，angrily。“Ibeggedhimatfirst，thenIthreatened，andwhenprayersandthreatswereofnouseIpunishedhim，asanaughtyboydeserveswhenhewillnotdowhathisfoster-fatherbidshimdo。Butevenblowsdidnotbringhimtoit；theobstinateyoungsterwouldnotsingthemerrysongwithme，andsincethenhehasnotspokenaword。[Footnote：Historical——
SeeBeauehesne’a“HistoiredeLouisXVII。，“vol。ii。]Heseemsasifhehadgrowndeafanddumbasapunishmentfornotobeyinghisgoodfoster-father。“
“Heisneitherdeafnordumb，“saidthedoctor，solemnly。“Heissimplyagoodson，whowouldnotsingthesongwhichmadesportofhisnobleandunfortunatemother。SeewhetherIamnotright：seethesetearswhichrunfromhisclosedeyes。Hehasheardus，hehasunderstoodus，andheanswersuswithhistears!Oh，sire，“hecontinuedpassionately，“bythesacredremembranceofyourfatherandyourmother，Isweardevotiontoyouuntildeath；IswearthatI
havecometosetyoufree，todieforyou。Lookup，mykingandmydarlingone!Iintrusttoyouandtoboththesewitnessesmywholesecret；Iletthemaskfalltoshowmyselftoyouinmytrueform，thatyoumayconfideinme，andknowthatthemostdevotedofyourservantsiskneelingbeforeyou，andthathededicateshislifetoyou。Openyoureyes，LouisofFrance，andseewhetheryouknowme!“
Hesprangup，threwoffthegreatperuke，andthelongblackcloak，andstoodbeforethemintheuniformofanofficialguard。
“Thunderandguns!“criedSimon，withaloudlaugh。“itis——“
“Hush!“interruptedtheother——“hush!HealoneshalldeclarewhoI
am!Oh，lookatme，myking；convincetheseunbelievingonesherethatyourmindisclearandstrong，andthatyouareconsciousofwhatisgoingonaroundyou。Lookatme，andifyouknowme，speakmyname!“
Andwithfoldedhands，inunspeakableemotion，heleanedoverthebedofthechild，thatstilllaywithclosedeyes。
“Iknewthathecouldhearnothing，andthathewasdeaf，“growledSimon，whilehiswifefoldedhertremblinghands，andwithtearfuleyeswhisperedaprayer。
Adeepsilenceensued，andwithanxiousexpectationeachlookedattheboy。Atlengthheslowlyraisedtheheavy，reddenedeyelids，andlookedwithatimid，anxiousglancearoundhimself。Thenhisgazefixeditselfupontheeloquent，speakingfaceofthemanwhosetearswerefallinglikewarmdew-dropsuponhispale，sunkenfeatures。
Aquiverpassedoverthecoutenanceoftheboy，abeamofjoylighteduphiseyes，andsomethinglikeasmileplayedaroundhistremblinglips。
“Doyouknowme？Doyouknowmyname？“
Thechildraisedhishandinsalutation，andsaid，inaclear，distinctvoice：“Toulan!Fidele!“
Toulanfellonhiskneesagainandcoveredthelittlethinhandoftheboywithhistearsandhiskisses。
“Yes，Fidele，“hesobbed。“Thatisthetitleofhonorwhichyourroyalmothergaveme——thatisthenamethatshewroteonthebitofpaperwhichsheputintothegoldsmelling-bottlethatshegaveme。