“Itisnotsobadasyousuppose，myyoungfriend。GeneralKleberisatheartagoodandtrueroyalist，andalthoughheservestherepublic，hedoessobecauseheisfirstofallasoldier，asoldierofhiscountry，andbecausehiscountrynowhaspressingneedofsoldierstodefendthehonorandgloryofFrance。IhavesentatrustworthymantoGeneralKlebertoimpartthissecrettohim，andtoaskhimforprotection，andaplaceofrefugeforyou。GeneralKleberisreadytograntboth，andhehassenthisadjutanttoCoblentztoescorthisnephewtoMayence。Youarethatnephew，andifyougiveyourconsent，youwillsetoutatonceandgotoMayence。“
“AndifIdonotgivemyconsent？“askedLouisCharles，withaproud，flashinglook。
“Iconfess，“saidConde，withashrug——“IconfessthatIamnotpreparedforthatcontingency，andcannotontheinstantgraspalltheunfortunateresultswhichwouldensueonyourrefusal。“
“Becalmed，Conde，Idonotrefuse。Ihaveonlythisonethingtocarefor，tocausenodanger，andbringnothingdisagreeabletoyou，forIseethattheyareinstoreforyouifIdonotdisappearagainfromview。Thesonofthekingvanishedfromsight，toappearasthenephewofConde；andnowthenephewofCondeistovanish，toemergeasthenephewofGeneralKleber。Ah，——whoknowsbutImayyetbethenephewofSimonthecobbler，preparatorytomylastappearanceontheguillotine？“
“Ihope，onthecontrary，thatonthedaywhenFranceshallriseagain，youwillrisetoo，theacknowledgedsonofLouisXVI。，andtheheirofthethroneofFrance。Atpresenttherepublichassway，andthereisnohopeofanimmediatechange。Butthatwillnotlastalways；andinthedecisivehour，whenthemonarchyandtherepubliccometotheirlastgreatbattleforexistence——atthathouryoumustappearuponthefield，mustliftthelilieshighintheair，andsummontheroyaliststoyoursideinthenameofGod，andofthekingyourfather。“
“Andwhatifmyuncle，theCountdeProvence，thendeclaresmetobeanimpostor？“
“ThenyoumustpubliclyandsolemnlyappealtoFrance，laytheproofsofyourlineagebeforethenation，summonunimpeachablewitnesses，anddemandyourthroneoftheFrenchnation。Andbelieveme，iftheheartofFranceiscompelledtochoosebetweenyouandtheCountdeProvence，itwillnotchoosehim，forthecounthasneverpossessedtheheartofthepeople，andGodisjust。“
“Godisjust，“repliedLouisCharles，sadly——“Godisjust，andyettheKingandQueenofFrancehaveperishedontheguillotine，andtheirbrothercallshimselfKingofFrance，whilethesonofLouisXVI。mustfindshelterwithageneralofthatFrenchrepublicwhichwastheenemyofmyparents。“
“Itistrue，“saidConde，withasigh，“itisverydifficultattimestoseethejusticeofGod，butwemustalwayshopetoseeit，andatlengthitwillrevealitselfinallitsglory。Andthehourofjudgmentwillcomeforyou。Awaititsteadfastlyandwithpatience，andwhenitiscome，callonme，andIwillnotneglectyoursummons，butwillsupportyou，andwillgiveyoumyrecognition。Ihaveallthedocumentswhichrelatetoyourflight，allthetestimonygivenbythosewhowereengagedinassistingyou，andbesidesthis，adetailedaccountofyourflight，subscribedwithmyname，andstampedwithmyseal。IhavefurtherthetestimonyoftheteacherswhogaveyoninstructionatmypalaceofChambord，andthekeeperofthepalacerecordedthedayonwhichyouarrived。Iamreadytogiveyouthesepapers，ifyouwillsweartomethatyouwillnotmisusethem，butgivethemtoGeneralKleber，thathemaypreservethemforyou。“
“IsweartoyouthatIwilldoso，“saidtheprince，solemnly。
Condehandedtohimasmallandclosely-rolledpackageofpapers。
“Thiscontainsyourfuture，“hesaid，“andoutofthesepapersI
hopeacrownwillgrowforyou。Tillthenlettherepublicpreservethemforyou。GeneralKleberisexpectingyou，andhisadjutantiswaitingforyouinthenextroom。Permitmetogiveyouonemorepieceofadvice：remainsteadfast，resistalltempterswhowouldbeguileyouwithpleasantwordstoacknowledgeyourselfKingofFrance。Forbepersuadedthesetemptersaretheemissariesofyourenemies，andifyoushouldacknowledgetothemthatyouareKingLouisXVII。，youwouldbewritingyourowndeath-warrant。TheballswhichItrustwillsparethenephewofGeneralKleberwouldcertainlypiercetheheartofthenephewofCountdeLille。ContinuetodenyitasyoudeniedittoGeneralCharette。SweartomethatyouwillfaithfullykeepthesecretofyourlineagetillIreleaseyoufromtheoathbywhichInowcloseyourlips，andtellyouthatthehourofactionandofdisclosuresiscome；swearittome，inviewofthefidelitywhichIhaveshowntoyou，andwhichIshallalwaysbereadytoshow。“
“Youhavesavedmylife，“saidLouisCharles，solemnly。“Mylife，therefore，belongstoyou，andIgiveitintoyourhandsinswearing，bythememoryofmydearparents，andespeciallymynobleandproud-spiritedmother，QueenMarieAntoinette，thatIwillfaithfullyandtrulykeepthesecretofmyparentage，andnotfeelmyselfjustifiedinrevealingittotheworld，tillyou，thePrincedeConde，shallhavegivenmepermission，andempoweredmetodoso。“
“Ithankyou，“saidConde，“forIamnowunconcernedaboutyourimmediatefuture。GeneralKleberandtheFrenchrepublicwillprotectyou，forthepresent，fromthedangerouspretender，CountLille，and，inGod’sprovidence，ItrusttherewillcomeadaywhenFrancewillbepreparedtoraisethesonofitskingstothethronewhichbelongstohim。Letushopeforthisday，andbepersuadedthatIshallneglectnothingwhichwillhelpbringitabout。Andnow，aswepart，Ibowmykneetoyou，myyoungking；Inowacknowledgeyousolemnlyasthesonofmywell-belovedcousin，KingLouisXVI。，andtherightfulheirofthethroneofthelilies。Maythespiritsofthemurderedroyalcouple，mayGodandtheearofmykingtakenoteoftheoathwhichInowpronounce。IswearthatI
willneveracknowledgeanyotherprinceasKingofFrance，solongasyou，KingLouisXVII。，areamongtheliving。IswearthatifI
everbreakthisvow，andacknowledgeanotherKingofFrance，you，LouisXVII。，mayaccusemeofhigh-treason，andcondemnmetothedeathwhichatraitordeserves。IswearthatIwillsubjectmyselftothisdeath-penaltywithoutoppositionandcomplaint。AndthisI
swearbyAlmightyGod，andbythememoryofyourroyalparents，whosespiritsarewithusatthishour。“
“AndI，PrincedeConde，Iacceptyouroath，“saidLouisCharles，gravely。“Igoawaynowintoexile，butIcarryyouroathwithmeasmyhopeforthefuture，andmayGodgrantthatIshallneverbecompelledtoremindyouofit，butthatyouwillfaithfullyandtrulykeepit。Fareyouwell!Mycrownrestsinyourheart。“
“Andinthesepapers，sire。DeliverthemtothebraveGeneralKleber，andhewillpreservethemashismostsacredandcherishedpossession。“
Hekissedthehandoftheprince，whichwasreachedoutforthepapers，andthenhastenedtosummontheofficer，whowaswaitingintheadjoiningroomforthenephewofGeneralKleber，havingnosuspicionwhatanimportantmissionwasintrustedtohim。
ButGeneralKleberknewthesecretbetter，andalthoughnotawordandnotanactiondisclosedit，yetthegentlefriendliness，themildlook，thesubduedsmilewithwhichthegeneralreceivedhisyoungnephewinMayence，testifiedthathewasfamiliarwiththesecret，andknewhowtoguardit。
InMayence，underthecareofGeneralKleber，hisnephew，Louis，ashecalledhim，remainedduringthesubsequenttime，andverysoongainedtheheartofhisuncle，andwashisinseparablefriendbydayandbynight。Theysleptinoneroom，theyateatonetable。Thenephewaccompaniedhisuncleatallparadesandmilitaryexercises；
and，inordertomakehisfavoriteaskilfulsoldier，thegeneralundertookthedutiesofteacher，gavehiminstructionintheartofwar，andtaughthimthemorefamiliardutiesofasoldier’slife。
Thenephewcomprehendedreadily，andpursuedzealouslythestudieswhichhisuncleassignedhim。Thepainsandsorrowsofthepastwereforgotten，andonlytherecollectionsofhishappychild-hoodrestedsilentlyatthebottomofhisheartlikepearlsatthebottomofthesea。
“WhenshallIarisefromthisestate？Whenwillthecrownofthefuturebelinkedwiththesepleasantrecollectionsofthepast？“
Thesewerethequestionswhichthegrowingboyrepeatedtohimselfeverymorningandeveryevening。Buthislipsneverutteredthem；henevergavetheslightestindicationthathewasanythingelsethanthenephewofGeneralKleber。TheFrenchgarrisonofMayenceconsideredhimtobesoandnoonethoughtofaskingwhetherheboreanyothername。Itsufficedthathewasthenephewofthenoble，valiant，andheroicGeneralKleber。Thatwasthenameandrankofthelittleprince。
Thuspassedweeks，months，andevenyears，andonthegloomyhorizonofFrancearoseanewconstellation，andfromtheblood-spotted，corpse-strewnsoiloftheFrenchrepublicspranganarmedwarrior——asolitaryone!——butonetowhommillionsweresoontobow，andwho，likethedivinityofbattles，wastocontrolthedestiniesofnationsandofprinces。ThisonesolitarymanwasGeneralBonaparte，thesameyoungmanwhointhefirstbloodydaysoftheFrenchRevolutionbeheldthestormattheTuileries，andexpressedhisregrettohiscompanion——theactorTalma——thatthekingdidnotcommandhissoldierstomowdownthecanaillewithgrape-shot。Theyounglieutenantofthatday，whohadbeenthefriendoftheactor，dividinghisloafandhisdinnerwithhim，hadnowbecomeGeneralBonaparte。Andthisgeneralwasservingthesamepeoplewhichasalieutenanthehadwantedtomowdownwithgrape-shot。AtthesiegeofToulon，intheclosecontestswiththealliesagainsttherepublicandintheItaliancampaignof1794，BonapartehassodistinguishedhimselfthattheeyesoftheFrenchgovernmentwerealreadydirectedtohim，andnoonecouldbesurprisedattheactionofGeneralBeauharnais’widow，thefairJosephine，ingivingherhandtotheyoungandextraordinaryman。ThismarriagehadnotonlybroughthappinesstoBonaparte，butitsatisfiedhisambition。
JosephinewasthefriendofBarrasandTallien，thechiefmagistratesoftherepublicatthattime，andthroughherinfluencetheyoungBonapartewassenttoItalytoassumethechiefcommandoftheFrencharmythere。Ageneraloftwenty-sixyearstohavethedirectionofanarmy，whosefourcorpswerecommandedbyGeneralsMassena，Augereau，Serrurier，andLaHarpe!ThefatherofJunot，thelateDukedeAbrantes，wroteatthattimetohisson，whowaswiththeFrencharmyinItaly：“WhoisthisGeneralBonaparte？Wherehasheserved？Doesanybodyknowanythingabouthim？“AndJunot，whowasthenthefaithfulfriendandtheadmirerofBonaparte，repliedtohisfather：“YouaskmewhoGeneralBonaparteis。Imightanswer，inordertoknowwhoheis，youmustbehe。Icanonlysaytoyouthat，sofarasIamabletojudgehim，heisoneofthosemenwithwhomNaturegroans，andonlybringsforthinacentury。“