TheboyfixedhisgreatblueeyeswithanexpressionofastonishmentonthegloomycountenanceofthePrincedeConde。
“Youarenolongergladtoseemehere？Isitdisagreeabletoyouformetocallyoumycousin？“
Theprincemadenoansweratonce，butwalkedupanddownwithgreatstrides，andthenstoodstillbeforetheboy，whohadcalmlyobservedhisimpatientmotions。
“Letussitdown，“saidthePrincedeConde——“letussitdownandtalk。“
Hegavehishandtotheboy，ledhimtothedivan，andtookhisownplaceuponaneasy-chair，directlyoppositetothechild。
“Letustalk，“herepeated。“Ishouldliketoknow，inthefirstplace，whetheryouhaveagoodmemory，forIhavebeentoldthatyourheadhassuffered，andthatyouhavenorecollectionofthepast。“
Agentle，sadsmileplayedaroundthelipsoftheboy。
“Ihavebeensilentaboutthepast，asIhavebeencommandedto，“hesaid，“butIhavenotforgottenit。“
“Doyourememberyourmother？“askedtheprince。
Theboytrembledconvulsively，aglowingredpassedoverhischeeks，andadeeppalenessfollowed。
“Monsieur，“heasked，withatremulousvoice，“woulditbepossibleformetoforgetmydearmammaqueen？——mymammaqueenwholovedherlittleLouisCharlessomuch？Ah，sir，youwouldnothaveaskedthatifyouhadknownhowmuchpainyougiveme。“
“Ibegyourpardon，“saidtheprince，embarrassed。“Iseeyouremember。Butletmetryyouoncemore。Willyoutellmewhathappenedtoyouafterbeingtakenawayfromyourcruelfoster-
parents？Whatwerethosepeople’snames，andwhatwerethey？“
“Myfoster-parents，ormytormentorsrather，werecalledMr。andMistressSimon。Themanhadbeenacobbler，butafterwardhewassuperintendentandturnkeyintheTemple，andwhenIwastakenawayfrommymamma，sister，andaunt，Ihadtolivewiththesedreadfulpeople。“
“Didyoufarebadlythere？“
“Verybadly，sir；Iwasscoldedandill-treated，andtheworstofallwasthattheywantedtocompelmetosingribaldsongsaboutmymammaqueen。“
“Butyoudidnotsingthesesongs？“askedthePrincedeConde。
Theeyesoftheboyflamed。“No，“hesaid，proudly，“Ididnotsingthem。Theymighthavebeatenmetodeath。Iwouldratherhavediedthanhavedoneit，“
Theprincenoddedapprovingly。“Andhowdidyouescapefromthesepeople？“heasked。
“Youknow，PrincedeConde，“answeredtheboy，smiling。“Itisyouwhohelpedmeescape。“
“Tellmeaboutthismatteralittle，“saidtheprince，“andhowyouhavefaredsincethen。Icontributed，asyousuppose，toyourrelease，butIwasnotpresentInperson。HowdidyouescapefromtheTemple？“
“Iwasputintoabasketwithsoiledclothes，whichMistressSimonwastakingawaywithherfromtheTemple。ThisbasketshegavetoawasherwomanwhowaswaitingforusattheMacongate。Shehadalittledonkey-cartinreadinessthere，thebasketwasputintoit，andwentontoavillage，thenameofwhichIdonotknow。Therewestopped；Iwastakenoutofthebasketandcarriedintoahouse，whereweremainedafewhourstorestandchangeourclothes。“
“We？Whomdoyoumeanbywe？“
“Meandthesupposedwasherwoman，“repliedtheboy。“Thiswomanwas，however，nootherthanM。deJarjayes，whomIknewlongago，andwho，withFidele——Ishouldsay，withToulan——hadthoughtoutandexecutedtheplanofmyescape。M。deJarjayeschangedhisclothes，asdidIalso，andafterremainingconcealedinthehouseallday，intheeveningwetookacarriageandrodeallnight。Onthenextdayweremainedconcealedinsomehouse，andinthenightwecontinuedourjourney。“
“Didhetellyouwhereyouweregoing？“
“JarjayestoldmethatthePrincedeCondewasmyprotectoranddeliverer，thatthemagnanimousprincehadfurnishedthenecessarymoney，andthatIshouldremainconcealedinoneofhispalacestillthetimeshouldarrivetoacknowledgemepublicly。Tillthen，saidM。deJarjayestome，Iwasnevertospeakofthepast，nordisclose——singlewordaboutanythingthatconcernedmyselformyfamily。HetoldmethatifIdidnotfollowhisinstructionsliterally，IshouldnotonlybebroughtbacktoSimon，butIshouldhavetobeartheblameofcausingthedeathofmysisterThereseandmyauntElizabeth。Youcanunderstand，myprince，thatafterthatI
wasdumb。“
“Yes。Iunderstand。WheredidM。deJarjayescarryyou？“
“TooneofthepalacesofthePrincedeCondeinloyalandbeautifulVendee。Ah，itwasverydelightfulthere，andtherewereverypleasantpeopleaboutme。ThestorywasthatIwasanephewoftheprince，andthatonaccountofimpairedhealth，Iwasobligedtogointothecountryandmustbetendedwithgreatcare。Ihadapreceptortherewhogavemeinstruction，andsometimesthebraveGeneralCharettecametothepalaceonavisit。Hewasalwaysverypolitetome，andshowedmeallkindsofattention。Onedayheaskedmetowalkwithhiminthepark。Ididso，ofcourse，andjustasweenteredadarkalleehefelluponhisknees，calledmemajesty，saidheknewverywellthatIwastheKingofFrance，andthatthenobleandloyalPrincedeCondehadrescuedmefromprison。“
“Thedevil!“mutteredtheprincetohimself，“ourdearfriendsarealwaysourworstenemies。“
TheboypaidnoattentiontothewordsofConde，andwenton：“ThegeneralconjuredmetoconfesstohimthatIwasthesonofKingLouis，andIshouldfollowhim，remainwithhislittlearmy，whichwouldacknowledgemeatonce，andproclaimmeKingofFrance。“
“Andwhatdidyouanswer？“askedConde，eagerly。
“Mylord，“repliedtheboy，withproud，gravemien，“Itoldyouthat，IgavemywordtoM。deJarjayestodivulgenothingtillyoushouldtellmethattherighttimehadarrived。IcouldthereforeconfessnothingtoCharette，andtoldhimthathehadfallenintoagreaterror，andthatIhaveandcanlayclaimtonootherhonorthanofbeingthenephewofthePrincedeConde。“
“Yousaidthat？“askedConde，inamazement。
Theboyraisedhisheadwithaquickmovement，andsomethingoftheproudandfierynatureofLouisXIV。flashedinhiseyes。
“Ididnotknowthen，“hereplied，“thatmyrelationshiptothePrincedeCondewasnotagreeabletohim。“
Theprincelookedtroubledandperplexed，anddroppedhiseyesbeforethepiercinggazeoftheboy。“Goon，ifImayventuretoaskyou，“hesaid，softly。“WhatdidGeneralCharettedowhenyourepelledhim？“
“Firstheimplored，andwept，andconjuredmetotrusthim，andtolayasidemyincognitobeforehim，thetruestandbestofroyalists。
ButasIcontinuedsteadfast，anddisclosednothing，hebecameangryatlength，pushedmeawayfromhim，threatenedmewithhisfist，sworehewouldhavehisrevengeonthosewhohaddeceivedhim，anddeclaredthatIwasnoBourbon，forthesonofmyfatherswouldnotbesoweakandcowardlyastoconcealhisnameandlineage。“
“Andyoukeptsilent，inspiteofthisdemand？“
“Yes，mylord，Ikeptsilent；and，notwithstandinghispainandgrief，Ilefthiminthebeliefthathehaddeceivedhimself，orrather，thathehadbeendeceived。“
“Oh!“criedConde，“itisplainthatyouhavebeensteeledintheschoolofsuffering，andthattheyearsofmisfortunelikeyoursmusteachbereckoneddouble，for，inspiteofyourtwelveyears，youhaveactedlikeaman!“
“Mylord，“repliedtheboy，proudly，“theBourbonsattaintheirmajorityatfifteen，andatthatagetheymay，accordingtothelawofFrance，becomeindependentsovereigns。Theyought，therefore，tobegintolearnyoung。ThatwastheopinionofQueenMarieAntoinette，whotaughtmetoreadinmyfifthyear。You，mylord，have，inyourmagnanimity，doneeverythingtomakemeabletoconformtothelawsofmyhouse，ifitshallpleaseGodthatthesonofmydearunfortunatefathershouldonedayascendthevacantthroneoftheBourbons。DaringthesetwoyearswhichIhavespentinconcealmentinyourpalaceinVendee，youhavelaidastrongandfirmfoundation，onwhichthesuperstructureofmylifemayrest。I
have，thankstotheexcellentteachersyouhavegivenme，hadanopportunitytolearnmuch，andtorecallmuchwhichIhadforgottenduringtheyearsbeforemyreleasefromimprisonment。“
“Yourteachersinformmethatyourindustrywasunceasing，andthatyoulearnedmoreinmonthsthansomedoinyears。Youarefamiliarwithseverallanguages，and，besides，havebeeninstructed，asI
desired，intheartofwarandinmathematics。“
“Inthestudiesofkingsandsoldiers，“repliedtheboy，withaproudsmile。
“Ifearthatyouwillprovenottohaveprosecutedthosestudieswithaviewtotheiruseamongsoldiers，“saidConde，withasigh。
“Yourprospectsareverydark——yes，darkereventhanwhenyoulefttheTemple。Thesetwoyearshavemadeyourconditionmoreperilous。
Itwasfortunatethatyoucouldspendtheminsolitudeandsecrecy，andbeabletofinishyoureducation，anditwouldbeagreatblessingtoyoutobeabletogoonwithyourquietstudiesforsomeyearslonger。Butyourenemieshadsoughtyouwithoutrest；theywereonyourtrack，andhadIleftyouthereanylonger，youwouldhavebeenfoundsomedaystabbedorshotinthepark。Thestewardinformedmethatallkindsofsuspiciouspeoplehadgatheredintheneighborhoodofthepalaceandthegarden，andIconjecturethattheyweretheemissariesofyourenemies。OnthisItookyouawayfromthatplace，andhavebroughtyouhereforyourgreatersafety。