“Itseemstome，husband，youarehomesickfortheTemple，“saidJeanneMariejestingly，“andyouaresadbecauseyouarenolongerintheold，blackwalls。“
“Yes，IamhomesickfortheTemple，“repliedSimon，“andthatiswhyIgothere。“
ButhedidnottakethewaytotheTemple，buttothecityhall，andrangthebellsoviolentlythattheporterdashedtothedoortoopenit。
“Itisyou，citizen，“heejaculated。“Ithoughtsomethingmusthavehappened。“
“Somethinghashappened，andIhavecometoinformtheCommitteeofSafety，“answeredSimon，impetuously。
“Yes，itisinthelittlecouncil-chamber。Youwillfindanofficeratthedoor，andcanlethimannounceyou。“
Simonstrodeforwardandfoundthesentinelbeforethedoor，whoaskedhimwhathisbusinesstherewas。
“Goin，citizen，andannouncethatSimonishere，andbringsimportantnews，ofgreatperiltothestate。“
Aminutelater，SimonwasusheredintothehallinwhichtheSafetyCommitteewereassembled。Allthosestern-facedmenoftherepublicknewSimonasafaithfulandzealousrepublican，uponwhosedevotiontheycouldreckon，andwhosefidelitywasimmovable。
“Iamcome，“saidSimon，slowly，“Iamcometobringanaccusationagainstacertainpersonasaconspiratoragainsttherepublic，andatraitortoourliberties。“
“Whoisit，andwhathashedone？“askedthechairman，withacoldsmile。
“Whathashedone？Hemeanstodosomething，andImeantopreventhim。Hemeanstoreleasethewolf’swhelpfromtheTemple。Whoknowsbuthemayhavedonesoalready，forwhenIlefttheTemplethismorning，mysuccessorhadnotcome，andlittleCapetwasalone。Whoisitthatisabletoreleasetheboyandthetwoladies？ItisToulan，thetraitor，theroyalistToulan!“
“Toulan!“repliedPetion，withashrug。“WeknowverywellthatToulanisatraitor，andthattherepubliccanexpectonlytheworstfromhimthathecando。Hewasaccusedonce，butescapedmeritedpunishmentbyflight，andhehasunquestionablygonetoCoblentztojointhetyrant’sbrothersthere。Ourpolicearewatchful，andhavediscoverednotatraceofhim。“
“Thenallowmetoputthepoliceonhistrack，“saidSimon，laughing。“Besogoodastosendacoupleofofficerstometomorrow，andIwilldeliverToulan，thetraitor，intotheirhands。“
Thenextmorning，atthestrokeofnine，Toulan，inthegarbofacommissioner，enteredthehouseofthenewcollectorattheMacongate。Simonreceivedhimatthedoor，andconductedhimintothesitting-room。
“Yousee，“saidToulan，“thatIampunctual，andImusttellyouthatIhavebeenalmosttooimpatienttowait。Ihopeyoudonotregretyourpromise，andthatyoumeantogivemethenoblepresentthatyoupromisedme。“
“UnfortunatelyIcannot，“answeredSimon，withashrug。“Mywifeinsistedongivingyouthehairwithherownhands，andshehasjustgoneout。Youwillhavetowaitforher，ifyoureallyareanxioustopossessthehairoflittleCapet。“
“Yes，Iamanxioustoownit，“repliedToulan。“Thehairofmydearyoungkingwillbemymostcherishedpossession，and——“
“Come，come，“interruptedSimon，“thereyouexaggerate。Thegoldsalt’s-bottle，whichtheAustriangaveyou，isagreatdealdearertoyou，isitnot？Youstillhavethat，haveyounot？“
“Stillhaveit？“criedToulan。“IwouldsoonerpartwithmylifethanwiththisremembrancerofMarieAntoinette!“
“Well，then，seewhichyouwouldratherkeep，yourlife，orthebottletheAustriangaveyou，“saidSimon，withalaugh，ashesprangtowardthedoorandopeneditTwoofficialsoftheSafetyCommittee，followedbyarmedmen，entered。
“Haveyouheardeverything？“askedSimon，triumphantly。
“Yes，wehaveheardeverything，andwearrestyou，Toulan，asatraitor。TakehimtotheConciergerie。Theauthoritieswilldecidewhatshallbedonewithhimfurther。“
“Well，“saidToulan，calmly，“theauthoritieswill，perhaps，domethehonoroflettingmegothesamewaythatmyking——andmyqueenhavetaken，andIshallfollowtheexampleofthenoblesufferers，anddieforthehallowedcauseofroyalty。Letusgo，thatImaynotlongerbreathetheairwhichtheblasphemerandtraitorSimonhaspoisoned。Woeuponyou，Simon!Inyourdyinghourthinkofme，andofwhatIsaytoyounow：Youaresendingmetodeath，thatyoumayliveinpeace。Butyouwillfindnopeaceonearth，andifnomanaccusesyou，yourconsciencewill。Onyourdyingbedyouwillseemebeforeyou，andonthedayofjudgmentyouwillhearmyvoice，accusingyoubeforethethroneofGodasabetrayerandmurderer。
Maymybloodcomeonyourhead，Simon!“
Simonlivedtoenjoyhisfreedomandhismoneyonlyashorttime。Attheexpirationofayearhefellintolunacy，whichsoonmadehimattempthisownlife。HediedintheAsylumofBicetre。Hiswifelivedtill1821，inahospitalatParis，andinherdyinghourassertedthatlittleCapetwasreleasedinthewayaboverelated。
Onthenextday，therewasagreatexcitementwithintheTemple，andtheSafetyCommitteerepairedthitherinabody。Thelamplighter，whomadehisroundsontheeveningofthedayonwhichSimonlefttheTemple，hadassertedthatthechildthatlayuponthemattresswasnotthelittleCapet。“Hemustknowthis，“hesaid，“forhehadseenthechilddailywhenhelightedthelampintheboy’sroom。“
Thenewkeeper，AugustusLasne，wasverymuchexcitedatthecommunicationofthelamplighter，andatdawnofthenextdayrepairedtothecityhalltoreportthestatement。TheSafetyCommitteeresolvedonanimmediateinvestigationoftheTemple，afterpledgingoneanothertothedeepestsecrecy，andenjoiningthesameonalltheservantsattheTemple。
Theofficialsfoundonthemattressamoaning，feverishboy，inthegarmentsofthedauphin。ThesetheyrecognizedastheoneswhichtherepublichadhadmadeamonthbeforeforlittleCapet，butnoonecouldsaywhetherthischild，withabodycoveredwithsores，aswollenface，andsunken，lustrelesseyes，wasreallylittleCapetornot；nooneknewwhethersicknesshadsochangedhislooksthatthisstupid，idioticboywastheonewhomtheyhadallknownwhenhewaswell，astheysawhimjoyouslyflittingaround。FirstofalltheysummonedDoctorNaudin，thedirectorofHotelDieu，toexaminetheboy。Heappearedwithoutdelay，anddeclaredsolemnlyanddecidedlythatthiswasthesameboywhomhehadseentheresomedaysbeforewhenhevisitedSimon’swife，onlytheEnglishsicknesswhichafflictedthechildhaddistortedhislimbs，whilethecuttingoffofhishairgavehimachangedlook，anditwasnowonderthatthelamplighterfailedtorecognizehim。
Simon，whowassummonedtogiveevidence，assertedthesamething，andaffirmedthatherecognizedlittleCapetinthesickboy，andthathiswifehadcutoffhishaironlythedaybefore。Hebroughtthehairasacompleteproofoftheidentity，anditwasseentoagreeperfectlywiththatofthesickchild。
Yetsomeoftheofficialsstilldoubted，andtheirdoubtswereincreasedwhenonthesamedaytheservantofCountFrottereportedtotheSafetyCommitteethathismasterhadmadeasuddenandsecretjourney，accompaniedbyaboy，whomthecounthadtreatedwithgreatdeference。
Thisboymightbethedauphin，whomCountFrotte，inconjunctionwithToulan，mighthavespiritedoutoftheTempleinsomesecretway，andwhomustbefollowedatallhazards。AtthesametimethegovernmentwereinformedthattheCountdeSt。PrixhadleftParisincompanywithaboy，andhadtakentheroadtoGermany。
Chazel，amemberoftheConvention，wassentsecretlytoPuytoarrestFrotteandtheboythere；andChauvaine，anothermember，wasorderedtofollowtheroadtoGermany，and，ifpossible，tobringbackCountSt。Prix。
Afterawhilebothofthemreturned，withnothingaccomplished。
Chazelhad，indeed，arrestedCountFrotteandtheboyinPuy，butthecounthadgivensuchundeniableproofsthattheboywasnotthedauphin——hehadsummonedsomanyunimpeachablewitnessesfromParis，whorecognizedtheboyasthesonofM。deGueriviere，whowasinCoblentzwiththeprinces，thatnothingmoreremainedbuttoreleasethecountandhiscomrade。
ChauvainehadnotbeenabletoarresttheCountdeSt。Prix，andhadonlylearnedthatincompanywithaboyhehadcrossedtheRhineandenteredGermany。
Itwasofnouse，therefore，toundertakefartherinvestigations，andtheconclusionmustbefirmlyheldtothattheboyintheTemple，whosesicknessincreasedfromdaytoday，wastherealCapet，thesonofLouisXVI。Thesuspicionwhichhadbeenarousedmustbekeptadeepsecret，thattheroyalistsshouldnottakerenewedcouragefromthepossibilitythattheKingofFrancehadbeenrescued。[Footnote：LaterinvestigationsinthearchivesofParishavebroughttolight，amongotherimportantpapersrelativetotheflightoftheprince，adecreeoftheNationalConvention，datedPrairial26June14，1704，whichgavealltheauthoritiesorders“tofollowtheyoungCapetinalldirections。“TheboywhoremainedaprisonerintheTemple，diedthereJune8，1798，acompleteidiot。]
Butthesecretinvestigations，andtheeffortstodrawsomethingfromToulan，causedtheauthoritiestopostponehisfatefromweektoweek，frommonthtomonth。Onthe20thofJanuaryhewasarrestedandtakentotheConciergerie，andnottillthemonthofMaydidtheConventionsentencehimtodeath。Thechargewasthis：thathehadacceptedpresentsfromtheWidowCapet，inparticularthegoldsalt’s-bottle，andhadmadefrequentplanstoreleasetheCapetfamilyfromprison。
OnthesamedayMadameElizabeth，thesisterofLouisXVI。，wassentencedtodeath，onthechargeofconductingacorrespondencewithherbrothers，throughtheagencyofToulan，havingforitsendthereleaseoftheroyalfamily。
WhenthesentencewasreadtoMadameElizabeth，shesmiled。“IthankmyjudgesthattheyallowmetogotothoseIlove，andwhomIshallfindinthepresenceofGod。“
Toulanreceivedhissentencewithperfectcomposure。“Theone，indivisible，andexaltedrepublicisjustasmagnanimous，isitnot，asthemonarchywasinoldtimes，anditwillgrantalastfavortoonewhohasbeencondemnedtodeath，willitnot？“
“Yes，itwilldothat，provideditisnothingimpossible。Itwillgladlygrantyoualastrequest。“
“Well，“saidToulan，“thenIaskthatImaybeexecutedthesamedayandthesamehourasMadameElizabeth，thesisteroftheking，andthatImaybeallowedtoremainbyhersideatherexecution。“