“Cannot!whatforbidsyou？“
“ThevowthatIgavetoMarieAntoinette，torescueherchildrenfromtheTempleortodie。“
“Well，butto-morrowyouhopetofulfilyourvow，andthenyoucango。“
“Ishallfulfilto-morrowbutthehalfofmyvow。Ishall，ifyouhelpme，andmyplansucceeds，releasethesonofthequeen，butthedaughterwillremainbehindinprison。Yousee，therefore，thatI
cannotleaveParis，forthedaughterandsister-in-lawofthequeenarestillprisoners，andImustreleasethem。“
“ButIshouldratherthatyouwouldgoawaywiththeboy，andnevercomebacktoParis，“saidSimon，thoughtfully。
“Howso？Doyounottrustme？“
“Itrustnoone，“repliedSimon，gloomily。“Youmightsomeday，whenitmightsuityourhumor，orinordertosaveyourself，betrayme，andreportmetotheCommitteeofSafety。“
“What，I!AndoughtInottofeartoo？Couldnotyoubetraymeaswell？“
“YouknowverywellthatIshalltakecarenottodiscloseawordofthiswholehistory，fortodiscloseitwouldbetowritemyowndeath-warrant。Buthush，now；hush!thereistheTemple，anditseemstomeasiftheverywallslookedatmemaliciously，asiftheywantedtosay，’Therecomesatraitor!’Ah，Toulan，itisabadthingtohaveanaccusingconscience!“
“Helpmefaithfullytosavetheprince，Simon，andyouwillhaveagoodconsciencealltherestofyourlife，foryouwillhavedoneagrandandnobledeed。“
“Inyoureyes，“whisperedSimon，“butnotinthoseoftheConvention，andwhentheylearnaboutit——buthereweare，andourtalkandreconsiderationaretoolate。“
Hestruckthreetimeswithhisfistagainsttheclosedgateoftheoutercourt。Theporteropened，andletthetwomenin，onlysayingthattheguardhadgivenhisspecialconsenttothebringinginofthehobhy-horse。
“Butaboutthecommissionerwhomyoubringwithyou，“saidtheporter，reflectively，“hedidnotmakeanymention，andIcanonlyallowhimtotakeyourplaythingintothesecondcourt。HemustnotgointotheTemple。“
“Itisnoparticularwishofminetogointoaprison，“answeredthecommissioner，carelessly。“Itisagooddealeasiertogetinthantogetoutagain。Well，takehold，CitizenSimon；forward!“
Theywalkedontothesecondcourt。“Now，then，“whisperedToulan，“forcautionandthoughtfulness!Tomorrowatteno’clockIwillbestandingbeforethedoor，andyouwillcallmeintohelpyouinyourmoving。“
“Iwishitwereallover，“groanedSimon。“Itseemstomeasifmyheadwereshakingonmyshoulders，andmyheartbeatsasifIwereayounggirl。“
“Courage，Simon，onlycourage!Rememberthattomorrowyouaretobeafreeandarichman。Then，assoonasyougiveyourbaskettothewasherwomanattheMacongate，Iwillpayyouthepromisedtwentythousandfrancs。And——“
“Halt!“criedthesentinelattheentrancetotheTemple。“Noonecangoinherewithoutapass。“
“Youdonotwantapassformyrocking-horse，brothercitizen，doyou？“askedSimon，withalaugh。
“Nonsense!Iamspeakingaboutthecommissioner。“
“Heisgoingofhimself，anddoesnotwanttogoin。Butlookhimsquareintheface，forhewillcometo-morrowmorningagain。Ihavesecuredhiminadvance，tohelpmeinmovingout。Bringawagonalong，commissioner，forthethingswillbetooheavytocarrywithoutone。Andnowhelpputthehorseonmyshoulders。So!Well，then，to-morrowmorningatten，commissioner。“
“To-morrowmorningatten，“repliedToulan，noddingtoSimon，andslowlysaunteringthroughthecourt。Hestoppedattheoutergate，toldtheporterthathewasgoingtoassistSimoninhismovingonthemorrow，andthenaskedinanindifferenttonewhetherSimon’ssuccessorattheTemplewasappointed。
“Why，wouldyouliketheplace？“askedtheporter，gruffly。
“No，indeed，notI!Ihavenotasteforsuchwork。Itmustbeanawfulairintheprison。“
“Itisthat，“repliedtheporter。“AndsoafterSimonhasmovedout，theyaregoingtocleansetheplacealittle，andgiveitanairing，andthesuccessorwillmoveinaboutnoon。“
“Well，Idon’tenvythemanwhomovesin，“saidToulan，withalaugh。“Good-by，citizen，weshallseeeachotherto-morrow。“
Hewentoutintothestreet，andslowlysaunteredalong。Attheendofithestoppedandgaveatrifletoabeggarwho，supportedbyacrutch，wasleaningagainstahouse。
“Isitallrightthusfar？“
“Yes，marquis，thankGod，thusfareverythinghasgoneonwell。ThehorseisintheTemple，andnothingisdiscovered。“
“MaythegraceofGodstandbyusto-morrow!“whisperedthebeggar。
“Youaresurethatallthearrangementsarecarefullyattendedto？“
“Entirelysure，M。deJarjayes。WhileyouareleavingParisinthegarbofawasherwoman，ourtwoallieswillbothbedrivingoutoftwoothergates，withtheboy，instylishcarriages。“
“Anditwillbeyou，Toulan，whowillhavesavedtheKingofFrance，“whisperedthebeggar。“Oh!besurethatallFrancewillthankyouforitsomeday，andgiveyouthetitleofsaviorofyourcountry!“
“Baron，“saidToulan，shakinghishead，“formethereisbutonetitleofhonor，thatwhichtheQueenofFrancegaveme。IamcalledFidele，andIwantnoothername。ButthisoneIwillmaintainsolongasIlive。Good-bytillwemeetto-morrowatthePorteMacon!“
LittlePrinceLouisCharlesreceivedthehobby-horse，whichSimoncarriedintothechamber，withalittlemoreinterestthaninthecaseoftheotherplaythings。Heevenraisedhimselfupalittleonhismattress，anddirectedalong，searchinggazeatthetall，handsomewoodencreature。
“Well，“askedtheofficial，whohadgonewithSimonintothedungeon，andhadwatchedtheeffectofthetoy，“well，howdoesyourhorsepleaseyou，littleCapet？“
Theboynoddedslowly，butmadenoreply；heonlyreachedouthislong，thin，righthand，andmadeamotionasifhewantedtorise。
“To-morrow，littleCapet，“criedJeanneMarie，holdinghimback。
“To-dayyoumustkeepentirelystill，sothedoctorsaid，andIwillcutyourhairoffdirectly，asthedoctorordered。ButIshouldliketohaveyouhere，citizen，andoverseetheoperation。Theboywilllookmuchchanged，whenhislong，yellowhairiscutoff，andafterwarditmightbesupposed——“
“Yes，certainly，“interruptedSimon，withalaugh，“afterwarditmightbesupposedthatitisnotthestupidyoungsterwhohastroubledussolong，thatoutofpuretendernessandlovewehadtakenhimalongwithus。“
“NoonewouldconsidertherepublicanSimoncapableofsuchathing，“repliedtheofficial，“andbesides，theboywillstayhere，andnosubstituteforhimcanfalloutoftheclouds。Befreefromcare，Simon。Imyselfshallrecognizetheboyto-morrow，andifheshouldlookchangedinappearance，Ishallknowhowitcomes。“
“Yes，hewillknowhowitcomes，“saidSimon，withagrin，ashewatchedtheretreatingformoftheofficial，nowleavingtheprison。
“Lockthedoor，Simon，“whisperedJeanneMarie。“Wemustlettheboyoutofthisifheisnottobestifled!“
“No，no，“saidSimon，motioninghiswifetoretreatfromthehobby-
horsewhichshewasapproaching。“Hewillnotbestifled，forbeneaththesaddle-cloththerearenothingbutair-holes，andhecanendureitagoodwhile。Wemustaboveallthingsbecautiousandpreparedforeverything。Itwouldbeafinething，woulditnot，iftheofficialswhoareonguardintheTempleshouldconceivetheideaofmakingtheroundsasecondtimeforthepurposeofinspection。HecannotbecarriedoutbeforeitstrikestenfromNotreDame。Wewill，however，givehimalittlemoreair。“
Heremovedthesaddlewithcare，whichwasletintothebackofthewoodenhorse，andlistenedattheopening。
“Hebreathesverypeacefullyandevenly，“hethensaid，softly。“Heseemstobeasleep。JeanneMarie，holdthesaddleinyourhand，andattheleastapproachfititagaininitsplace。Iwillnowtakeholdandpackourthings。“
Whenthenightcame，andthelastroundshadbeenmadepastthecloseddoorsofSimon’srooms，andtheofficialshadwithdrawnintothegreathall，wheretheystayedduringthenight-watch，therewasanunusualstirwithinSimon’sapartments。JeanneMarie，whohadthrownherselfinherclothesuponthebed，slippedoutfrombeneaththecoverlet。Simon，whowasstandingnearthedoorlistening，advancedtothelittleprince，andbadehiminawhispertogetup。
Thechild，whichnowseemedtohaverecoveredfromitsindifferenceandstupidity，roseatonce，andatSimon’sfurthercommandmadeanefforttoremovehisclothes，andtoputonintheirplacethecoarsewoollensuitandthelinentrouserswhichSimondrewoutofhisbedandhandedtohim。
Thetoiletwassooncompleted，andthelittleprincelookedwithatimid，inquiringglanceatSimon，whowasregardinghimwithasearchingeye。
“Andthestockings，master？“heasked。“DonotIhaveanystockings？“
“No，“growledSimon——“no，thesonofawasherwomanwantsnostockings。Therearesomewoodenshoeswhichwillbelaidforyouinthebasket，andyouputthemonafterward，ifwearefortunateingettingaway。Butyoumustcuthishair，JeanneMarie。Withlonghairhewillnotlooklikeaboyfromthepeople。“