OnthenextmorningtherereignedinthelowerstoriesoftheTempleabusy，stirringlife。MasterSimonwaspreparingtomove，andallhishouseholdgoodsweresetoutinthecourt，inordertobetransferredtothewagonthatCommissionerToulanhadordered。ClosetothewagonstoodoneoftheofficialsofthePublicSafety，andexaminedeveryarticleoffurniturethatwasputintoit，openingeventhebandboxesandpillowstolookintothem。Not，ashesaid，theWelfareCommitteedoubtedthehonestyofthefaithfulandzealousservantoftherepublic，butonlytosatisfytheforms，andtocomplywiththelaws，whichdemandedthattheauthoritiesshouldhaveawatchfuleyeoneverythingthatwasatallconnectedwiththefamilyofthetyrants。
“Andyouwilldomeagreatpleasureifyouwillexamineeverythingwiththeutmostcare。Intherepublicweareallalike，andIdonotseewhyIshouldnotbeservedto-dayasanotherwouldbeonthemorrow。Youknow，probably，thatIhavebeenappointedcollectoratPorteMacon，andafterto-morrowIshallhavetoinspectthegoodsofotherpeople。ItisallfairthatIshouldhavemyturnto-day。
Besides，youwillnothavemuchmoretoexamine，wearealmostthrough；Ibelievethereisonlyabasketwiththesoiledclothesyettocome。Thatisthesacredpossessionofmywife，andshewasgoingtobringitoutherself，withthecommissioner’shelp。Yes，theretheycome。“
Atthatmoment，JeanneMarieappearedinthecourt，followedbyToulan。Theybroughtalong，bytworopeswhichservedashandles，alargeandlongishbasket，whosehalf-openedcoverbroughttoviewallkindsofwomen’sclothes。
“Roomthere，“criedSimon，withalaugh，“roomfortheCitoyenneSimonandhercostlydowry!“
“Come，nojoking，Simon，“saidhiswife，threateninghimwithherfistandlaughing。“Ifmydowryisnotcostlyenough，Iwillonlyaskyoutoprovidemewithbetterthings。“
“Yourdowryismagnificent，“saidSimon，“andthereisnotasinglearticlelackingtomakeitcomplete。Come，Iwillhelpthecommissionerputthebasketinthewagon，foritistooheavyforyou，myfairestone!“
Hetookholdofthebasketwithhisstrongarm，andhelpedthecommissionerswingitintothewagon。
“Butletmelookfirstintothebasket，asmydutydemands，“saidtheofficial。“Youaretooquick!Youknow，citizen，thatImustexamineallyourgoods。Thelawcompelsmeto。“
“ThenIbegyoutoclimbupintothewagonandopenthebasket，“
saidSimon，calmly。“Youcannotwantustotaketheheavythingdownagainforyoutoexamineit。“
“Idonotaskthat，citizen，butImustexaminethebasket。“
Theofficialsprangintothewagon，butJeanneMariewasquickerthanhe，andstoodclosebythebasket，whosecoverwaspartlyopened。
“Lookin，citizen，“shesaid，withdignity。“Convinceyourselfthatonlytheclothingofawomanisinit，andthentelltherepublicthatyoufounditnecessarytoexaminethebasketofthefamousknitteroftheguillotine，asifJeanneMariewasadisguisedduchess，whowantedtoflyfromthehandofjustice。“
“Ibegyourpardon，“saidtheofficial，“everyoneknowsandhonorstheknitteroftheguillotine，but——“
“Butyouarecurious，andwanttoseesomeofmyclothes。Well，lookatthem!“Sheraisedthosewhichlayatthetop，andheldthemuptotheofficialwithalaugh。
“Anddownbelow？Whatisfartherdowninthebasket？“
“Fartherdown，“repliedJeanneMarie，withanexpressionofthegreatestindignationandthemostoutragedmodesty，“fartherdownaremydirtyclothes，andIhopetherepublicwillnotconsideritnecessarytoexaminethesetoo。Iwouldatleastopposeit，andcalleveryfemalefriendIhavetomyhelp。“[Footnote：MadameSimon’sownwords，reportedfromherownaccount，whichshegaveintheyear1810totheSistersofMercywhocaredforherinherlastsickness。
ThesisterhoodofthefemalehospitalintherueSevrespubliclyrepeated，intheyear1851，thisstatementofJeanneMarieSimon，whodiedtherein1819。ItwasinthecivilprocessbroughtagainsttheDukedeNormandy，whowasaccusedofgivinghimselfoutfalselyasKingLouisXVII。，andwhocouldnotbeprovednottobehe。]
“Oh!youwillnothavetodothat，“repliedtheofficial，withafriendlynodofthehead。“Itwouldbepresumptuoustogofartherwiththeexaminationofyourgoods，andtherepublicregardswithrespectthemysteriesofanhonorablewife。“
Hejumpeddownfromthewagon，whileJeanneMarie，stillwearinganangrylook，laidtheclothesbackintothebasket，andshutthecoverdown。
“Canwegonow？“sheasked，takingherseatonalowstoolwhichhappenedtobenearthegreatbasket。
“Yes，iftheofficialhasnothingagainstit，wecango，“answeredSimon。“Ourgoodsareallloaded。“
“Thengoon，Ihavenothingagainstit，andIwishyouandyourwifemuchhappinessandjoyinyournewcareer。“
Theofficialwavedthemalastgraciousadieuwiththehand，andthewagonstarted。Alongsideofthegreat，hard-mouthedandlong-hairedhorsethatdrewthecart，walkedthecommissioner，inorder，onceinawhile，whentheyhadtoturnacorner，toseizethebridleandgiveitapowerfuljerk。AtthesideofthewagonstrodeSimon，keepingawatchfuleyeuponhispossessions，andcarefullysettingeverythingarightwhichwasindangerofbeingshakenoffuponthepavement。AboveinthecarriagenearthegreatbasketsatJeanneMarie，theformerknitteroftheguillotine。Hernakedbrownarmresteduponthebasket，onwhosebottom，coveredwithdirtylinenandMistressSimon’sclothes，wasthesonofMarieAntoinette，KingLouisXVII。，makinghisentranceintotheworldwhichshouldhaveforhimonlysufferingsandillusions，shatteredhopesanddethronedideals。
Thishappenedonthe19thofJanuary，1794，andontheverydayinwhichtheunhappyKingLouisXVII。wasleavingtheTemple，hissisterTheresa，whowasstilllivingwithherAuntElizabethintheupperrooms，wroteinherdiaryknownsubsequentlybythetitle“RecitdesevenementsarrivesauTemple，parMadameRoyale“thefollowingwords：“Onthe19thofJanuarymyauntandIheardbeneathus，intheroomofmybrother，agreatnoisewhichmadeussuspectthatmybrotherwasleavingtheTemple。
Wewereconvincedofitwhen，lookingthroughthekeyholeofthedoor，wesawgoodscarriedaway。Onthefollowingdayweheardthedooroftheroom，inwhichmybrotherhadbeen，opened，andrecognizedthestepsofmenwalkingaround，whichconfirmedusinthebeliefthathehadbeencarriedaway。“
Thepitifulwagon，whichgaveitshospitalitytotheknitteroftherevolution，aswellastoaking，droveslowlyandcarefullythroughthestreets，unnoticedbythepeoplewhohastilypassedby。NowandthentheyencounteredacommissionerwhocameuptoToulan，greetedhimasanacquaintance，andaskedafterhiswelfare。Toulannoddedtothemconfidentiallyandansweredthemloudlythathewasverywell，andthathewashelpingSimonmoveoutoftheTempleandgoingwithhimtoPorteMacon。
Thecommissionersthenwishedhimapleasantjourney，andwenttheirway；butthefarthertheywerefromthewagon，thequickerweretheirsteps，andhereandtheretheymetothercommissioners，towhomtheyrepeatedToulan’swords，andwhothenwentfromthereandagaintoldthemovertotheirfriendsinthestreets，inquiet，hiddenchambers，andinbrilliantpalaces。Inonesuchpalacethetidingscausedasingularcommotion。CountFrotte，wholivedthere，andwhomthepublicpermittedtoliveinParis，orderedhistravellingcarriagetobebroughtoutatonce。Thepostilion，withfourswifthorses，hadalreadystoodinthecourtbelowhalfanhour，waitingforthisorder。Thehorseswerequicklyharnessedtothecarriage，whichwaswellfilledwithtrunks；andscarcelyhaditreachedthefrontdoor，whenthecounthurrieddownthegrandstaircase，thicklywrappedinhisriding-furs。Athisrightsatalittleboyofscarcelytenyears，avelvetcap，trimmedwithfur，uponhisshort，fairhair；theslender，gracefulformconcealedwithalongvelvetcloak，thatfelldownasfarastheshoeswithgolden，jewelledbuckles。
CountFrotteseemedtobestowspecialcareandattentionuponthisboy，forhenotonlyhadhimsitonhisright，butremainedstandingnearthedoor，togiveprecedencetotheboy，andthenhastenedtofollowhim。Hepressedtheservantsbackwhostoodneartheopendoor，bowedrespectfully，andgavehishandtotheladtoassisthiminascending。Theyouthreceivedthesetokensofrespectquietly，andseemedtotakeitasamatterofcoursethatCountFrotteshouldcarefullyputfursaroundhisfeetandbody，inordertoprotecthimfromeverydraft。Assoonasthiswasdone，thecountenteredthecarriage，andtookhisplaceattheleftoftheboy。Theservantclosedthecarriage-doorwithaloudslam，andthestewardadvancedwithrespectfulmien，andaskedwhitherthecountwouldordertogo。
“TheroadtoPuy，“saidthecount，withaloudvoice，andthestewardrepeatedtothepostilionjustasloudlyandclearly，“TheroadtoPuy。“
Thecarriagedrovethunderinglyoutofthecourt-door，andtheservantlookedafterittillitdisappeared，andthenfollowedthehouse-steward，whomotionedhimtocomeintothecabinet。
“Ihavesomethingtotellyou，citizen，“saidthesteward，withaweightyair，“butfirstImustbegyoutomakemeasolemnpromisethatyouwillcontinueafaithfulandobedientservantofthecount，andproveinnowayfalsetoyouroathandyourduty。“
Theservantpledgedhimselfsolemnly，andthestewardcontinued：
“Thecounthasundertakenajourneywhichisnottobespokenof，andistoremain，ifpossible，asecret。Idemandofyou，therefore，thatifanyoneaskswherethecounthasgone，youanswerthatyoudonotknow。Butaboveallthings，youarenottosaythatthecountisnottravellingalone，butincompanywiththeyoung-gentleman，whosenameandrankIknowjustaslittleaboutasyou。Willyoupromisetofaithfullyheedmywords？“
Theservantasserteditwithsolemnoathsandanexpressionofdeepreverence。Thestewardbeckonedtohimtogo，andthenlookedathimforalongtime，andwithasingularexpressionashewithdrew。
“HeisaspyoftheSafetyCommittee，“hewhisperedtohimself。“I