Nowallowmeonequestion。Doyouknowwhoyourenemiesare？“
“IthinkIknowthem，“repliedLouisCharles，withasadsmile。“Myenemiesaretheself-samemenwhobroughtmyfatherandmymothertothescaffold，destroyedthethrone，andinitsplacegavePrancearedcap。Myenemiesaretherepublicans，whonowruleinthisland，andwhosegreatobjectmust，ofcourse，betoputmeoutoftheway，formylifeistheirdeath!Francewillonedaybetiredoftheredcap，andwillrestorethethronetohimtowhomitbelongs，sosoonasitiscertainthathewhoisentitledtothecrown，islivingtowearit。“
“AndwhodoyousupposeisjustifiedinwearingthecrownofFrance？“
“YouaskasifyoudidnotknowthatIamtheonlysonandheirofthemurderedKingofFrance。“
“Theonlyson，butnottheonlyheir。Yourinheritancewillbecontested；andevenifFranceshouldtransformherselffromarepublictoamonarchy，everyattemptpossiblewillbemadetodriveyou，thesonofLouisXVI。，fromthethrone，andputthecrownontheheadofanother。“
“Sir，ifmonarchyisuppermostagain，thecrownbelongstome。Who，inthatcase，wouldventuretocontendwithmeforit？“
“Yourenemies!Notthosewhomyouhavejustnamed，buttheotherhalfofyourenemies，ofwhoseexistenceyouhavenosuspicion，itseems-yourenemies，theroyalists。“
“Howso？“criedLouisCharles，inamazement。“Doyoucalltheroyalistsmyenemies？“
“Yes，andtheyareso，yourpowerful，defiant，anduntiringenemies。
DoyounotseethatevenhereinthisroomIdonotdaretogiveyouthetitlethatisyourdue，forfearthatthewallsmayhaveearsandincreasethedangerwhichthreatensyou？Iwillnownametoyouthegreatestofyourenemies——theCountdeProvence。“
“How!myuncle，thebrotherofmyfather，hemyenemy？“
“Heisyourenemy，ashewastheenemyofyourmother。Believeme，youngman，itisnotthepeoplewhohavemadetherevolutioninFrance；itistheprinceswhohavedoneit。TheCountdeProvence，theCountd’Artois，andtheDuked’Orleans——theyarethechiefrevolutionists；theyitiswhohaveputfiretothethrone；theyitiswhohavesownthelibelsandlampoonsbroadcastoverFrance，andmadethenameofMarieAntoinetteodious。Theydiditoutofhate，outofrevenge，andoutofambition。QueenMarieAntoinettehadwonherhusbandovertothepolicyofAustria，andinthiswayhadsetherselfinoppositiontotheCountdeProvence，andthewholeroyalfamily。Thecountneverforgaveherforthis，andhewillneverforgiveyouforbeingthesonofyourmother。TheCountdeProvence，ashenowstyleshimself，isyourswornenemy，andwilldoallhecantobringyoutoruin；heisambitious，andhisgoalis，tobetheKingofFrance!“
“KingofFrance？TheCountdeProvence，thebrotheroftheking，wantstobehissuccessor，whenI，thesonoftheking，amaliveanddemandmyinheritance？“
“Yourdemandwillnotbeacknowledged：theywilldeclarethatyouareanimpostorandadeceiver。Ah，theCountdeProvenceisaselfishandahardcharacter。Hemeanstomakehisownway，andifyouputhinderancesinit，hewillputyououtofhispath，withoutcompassionandwithoutremorse；trustmeforknowingthis，whoforthreeyearshavebeenintheimmediateneighborhoodoftheprince。I
wasafraidtoimparttheplanofyourescapetotheprinces，and，afteryouwerereleased，Iwassilent，forasecretisonlysafewhenaveryfewareconsciousofit。ButafterthenewscamelastyearfromParis，thattheboywhohadbeenplacedasyoursubstituteintheTemplehaddied，afteralongsickness，IventuredtoinformtheCountdeLilleabouttherealfacts。ItoldhimthatIbelievedthatinformationIhadreceivedmightbereliedupon，thatKingLouisXVII。hadbeenreleasedfromtheTemplebytrueanddevotedservants，andwastheninaplaceofsafety。Wouldyouliketoknowwhatreplythecountmade？“
“Iprayyou，tellme，“respondedLouisCharles，withasigh。
“Heansweredme，’Iadviseyou，cousin，nottoputanyconfidenceinsuchidlestories，andnottobedupedbyanyslyrogues。MyunfortunatelittlenephewdiedintheTemple——thatisafactacknowledgedbytherepublic，universallybelieved，anddeniedbynoone。Afterlongsufferingsthesonhasfallenasanewvictimtothebloodthirstyrepublicans，andwearestillwearingmourningforourdeceasednephew，KingLouisXVII。Andshouldanywise-headhappenonthethoughtofmakingthedeadboycometolifeagain，Iwillbethefirsttodisownhimandholdhimasanimpostor。’Thosewerethewordsofthecount，andyouwillnowconfessthatIamrightincallinghimyourenemy，andinnotdaringtocommunicatetohimthesecretofyourrelease？“
“Igrantyou，“repliedtheprince，sadly，“Iwouldratherburythesecretforever。“
“Now，hearmefurther。Afewweeksagotheprincesummonedme，andI
sawonhissinisterfaceandinhisflashingeyesthathemusthavereceivedsomeunwelcometidings。Hedidnotmakemewaitlongfortheconfirmationofmyconjectures。Withasharp，cuttingvoiceheaskedmewhatkindofanephewofminethatwaswhomIwaseducatingatmypalaceinVendee。GeneraldeCharettehadgivenhiminformationthroughoneofhisemissariessendinghimwordthatthereportwascurrentinVendeethatthisallegednephewofminewastherescuedKingLouisXVII。，whomIhadhelpedreleasefromtheTemple。He，GeneralCharette，hadbelieveditatfirst。Hehadthereforesotheprincewentontosayvisitedmypalacerecently，forthepurposeofdiscoveringthesupposedyoungking。ThereheconvincedhimselfthattheboyborenoresemblancetothelittleLouisCharles——whomhehadonceseenattheTuileries——andthathecertainlywasnotthesonofLouisXVI。“
“Hetoldmeonlytootrulythathewouldhavehisrevenge，“
whisperedtheyoungprince。
“Hehaskepthisoath，forhehasloudlyandpubliclydeclaredhisbeliefthatLouisXVII。diedintheTemple，andhehasthereforeadministeredtohisarmyanoathinfavorofKingLouisXVIII——thatis，theCountdeProvence。Thecounthimselfinformedmeofthis，andthenadded，threateningly，’Iadvise，you，cousin，eithertoacknowledgeyouryoungnephew，andtreathimopenly，orelseputhimoutoftheway。Iadviseyoufurther，nottoletyourselfbeimposeduponbyadventurersandimpostors。ItisknownthatyouwereamongthemostactiveadherentsofQueenMarieAntoinette，andtheremaybepeoplewhowouldworkonyourcredulityandmakeyoubelievethatthepoorlittleLouisCharleswasreallyreleasedfromtheTemple。
Donotdenythatyoupartedwithmuchmoneyatthattime，andbelievedthatitwaswantedforthepurposeofsettingtheyoungKingofFrancefree。Itwasatrap，setinviewofyourloyaltyanddevotion，andyoufellintoit。Butyougaveyourmoneytonoeffect，thepoor，pitiablekingcouldnotbesaved，anddiedintheTempleasaprisoneroftherepublic。Takecarehowyoutrustanyidlestories，for，Itellyou，youwouldneverbringmetoputconfidenceinthem。IamnowtherightfulKingofFrance——IamLouisXVIII——andIamresolvednotonlytodeclareeverypretenderwhoclaimstobeLouisXVII。animpostor，buttobringhimtopunishmentasatraitor。Markthiswell，andthereforewarnthismysteriousnephewofyoursnottoventureonplayingouthiscomedy，foritwillassuredlychangeintotragedy，andendwithhisdeath。’ThesewerethewordsoftheCountdeLille，andnowyouunderstandwhyI
havebroughtyousosuddenly，andsosecretly，awayfrommysolitarypalaceandhaveyouhere。“
“Iunderstandeverything，“saidLouisCharles，withasigh；“I
understand，thatitwouldhavebeenbetterifyouhadneverreleasedme，andIhaddiedlikemyfatherandmother。“
“Wemustpostponetheaccomplishmentofourhopes，“saidConde，sadly，“forIconfesstoyou，thereislittletoexpectfromthepresent，andthereisnoplacewhereyouaresafefromthepersecutionsandthedaggersofyourenemies。Therepublicansdesireyourdeathasmuchastheroyalists。InFrance，twopartiesthreatenyou，andwouldInowriskeverything，carryyoutosomeEuropeancourtandacquaintthesovereignofyourarrival，andaskforhisassistance，Ishouldhavenocredence，for，nottheFrenchrepublicalone，buttheCountdeLillewouldprotestagainstit，anddisavowyoubeforeallEurope。Itis，therefore，absolutelynecessary，inordertosecureyouagainstyourenemies，thatyoushoulddisappearforaseason，andthatwepatientlyawaitthetimewhichshallpermitustobringyoubackuponthescenes。“
“Doyoubelievethattimewillevercome？“askedthelittleprince，withashakeofthehead。
“Ibelieveit，and，aboveeverything，Ihopeit，“repliedConde，quickly。“Thegreatestdifficultyistofindaplaceforyoutoremainwhereyoumaynotbesuspected，andwhereyonmaybesafefromassault。TomygreatregretIcannotentertainyouhere，formyfamilyaretoowellknownformetosuddenlyacknowledgealegitimatenephewofyourage，andtheCountdeLillewouldbethelasttobelieveit。Iconfessthatithascostmeagreatdealofdisquietandanxiousthoughttofindasecureasylumforyou。“
“Anddoyouthinkyouhavefoundoneatlast？“askedLouisCharles，indifferently。
“Yes，Ibelieveso，orrather，IknowthatIhavefoundone。Youmustbetakentoaplacewhichnoonecansuspectasthatwhereyouwouldbelikelytobe。“
“Andwhatplaceisthis？“
“ItiscalledMayence。“
Theboy，whohadsatwithdowncasteyes，perhapsinordernottoletsometearsbeseen，lookedquicklyup，andthegreatestastonishmentwasdepictedinhisexpressivefeatures。
“Mayence？“heasked。“IsnotthatafortressontheRhinewhichthetroopsoftheFrenchrepublichavetakenpossessionof？“
“Yes；andthecommandantofMayence，theheadofthetroops，isGeneralKleber，oneofthebravestandnoblestsoldiersoftheFrenchrepublic。“
“Andyou，youwanttosendmetothisGeneralKleber？Ah，myprince，thatwouldbethrustingme，forthepurposeofrescuingmefrompersecution，intotheverycraterofthevolcano。“