“AndsohaveItoosworn，“criedJarjayes，withenthusiasm。“Thequeenisdead，butourfidelitytoherlivesandshallrenewitselftoherson，KingLouisXVII。Iknowwellthatthepolicearewatchingme，thattheyknowwhoissecretinghimselfhereunderthenameofCitizenOrage，thattheyfolloweveryoneofmystepsandperhapssuffermetobefreeonlyforthepurposeofseeingwithwhomIhaverelations，inordertoarrestanddestroymeatonefellswoop，withallmyfriendsatthesametime。Butwemustusethetime。Ihavecomeherewiththefirmdeterminationofdeliveringtheunhappyyoungkingfromthehandsofhistormentors，andIwillnowconfesseverythingtoyou，myfriends。Ihavegainedforourundertakingtheassistanceandprotectionofarichandnoblepatron，atrueservantofthedeceasedking。ThePrincedeConde，withwhomIhavelivedinVendeeforthepastfewmonths，hasfurnishedmewithamplemeans，andispreparedtosupportustoanyextentinourundertaking。Ifwesucceedinsavingtheyoungking，thelatterwillfindinVendeeasafeasylumwiththeprince，andwilllivetheresecurely，surroundedbyhisfaithfulsubjects。Theimmensedifficulty，or，asIshouldhavesaidafewdaysago，theimpossibility，isthereleaseoftheyoungprincefromtheTemple。
ButnowthatIhavesucceededindiscoveringToulanandunitingmyselfwithhim，Inolongersayitisimpossible，butonlyitisdifficult。“
“And，“criedToulan，“sinceIamsureoftheassistanceofthenobleDoctorNaudin，Isay，wewillfreehim，thesonofourQueenMarieAntoinette，theyoungKingLouisXVII。Theplanisentirelyreadyinmyhead，andinordertomakeitsexecutionpossible，IwentafewdaysagotoseeDoctorNaudinattheHotelDieu，inordertobeghimtovisitthesickboythatthemarquishashere，andjustatthatmomentSimon’smessengercametotheTemple。DoctorNaudinisnowhere，andfirstofallitisnecessarythathegiveushislast，decisivejudgmentonthepatient。Sotakeustohim，marquis，foruponNaudin’sdecisiondependsthefateoftheyoungKingofFrance。“
Themarquisnoddedsilently，andconductedthegentlemenintothenextroom。There，carefullyproppedupbymattressesandpillows，layachildofperhapstenyears——apoor，unfortunateboy，withpale，sunkencheeks，fixedblueeyes，shortfairhair，andastupid，idioticexpressiononhisfeatures。Asthethreegentlemencametohimhefixedhiseyesupontheminacold，indifferentway，andnotaquiverinhisfacedisclosedanyinterestinthem。Motionlessandpaleasdeaththeboylayuponhisbed，andonlythebreaththatcamehotandingaspsfromhisbreastdisclosedthattherewasstilllifeinthispoorshatteredframe。
DoctorNaudinstoopeddowntotheboyandlookedathimalongtimewiththeutmostattention。
“Thisboyisperfectlydeaf!“hethensaid，raisinghimselfupandlookingatthemarquisinquiringly。
“Yes，doctor，yoursharpeyehascorrectlydiscernedit；heisperfectlydeaf。“
“Isityourson？“
“No，doctor，heisthesonofmysister，theBaronessofTardif，whowasguillotinedtogetherwithherhusband。Iundertookthecareofthisunfortunatechild，andatmyremovalfromParisgavehimtosomefaithfulservantsofmyfamilytobecaredfor。OnmyreturnI
learnedthatthegoodpeoplehadbothbeenguillotined，andfindthepoorboy，whobeforehadbeenatleastsoundinbody，utterlyneglected，andlivingonthesympathyofthepeoplewhohadtakenhimonthedeathofhisfoster-parents。Ibroughtthechildatoncetothishouse，whichIhadhiredformyselfunderthenameofCitizenOrage，andToulanundertooktoprocurethehelpofaphysician。IthasnowcomeinthepersonofthecelebratedDoctorNaudin，andIbegyoutohavepityonthepoorunfortunatechild，andtoreceivehimintotheHotelDieu。“
“Letmefirstexaminethechild，inordertotellyouwhatisthenatureofhisdisorder。“
AndDoctorNaudinstoopeddownagaintotheboy，examinedhiseyes，hischest，hiswholeform，listenedtohisbreathing，theactionofhisheart，andfelthispulse。Thepatientwasentirelyapatheticduringallthis，nowandthenmerelywhiningandgroaning，whenamovementofthedoctor’shandcausedhimpain。
Afterthecarefulinvestigationhadbeenended，thedoctorcalledthetwogentlemenwhohadwithdrawntothewindowtothebedagain。
“Marquis，“saidhe，“thisunfortunatechildwillneverrecover，andtheleastpainfulthingthatcouldhappentohimwouldbeaspeedyreleasefromhismiserablelot。YetIdonotbelievethatthiswilloccur，butconsideritpossiblethattheboywillprotracthisunfortunatelifeafullyearafterhismindhasentirelypassedaway，andnothingisleftofhimbuthisbody。Theboy，ifyoucanregardsuchapoorcreatureasahumanbeing，issufferingfromanincurableformofscrofula，whichwillbyandbyconsumehislimbs，andconverthimintoanidiot；heisnowdeaf；hewillbeamerestupidbeast。IfitwerepermittedtosubstitutethehandofscienceinplaceofthehandofGod，Ishouldsayweoughttokillthispoorcreaturethatisnomanandnobeast，andhasnothingmoretoexpectoflifethanpainandtorture，havingnomoreconsciousnessofanythingthanthedoghaswhenhedoesnotgetabonewithwhichtoquiethishunger。“
“Poor，unhappycreature!“sighedthemarquis。“Now，IthankGodthatHereleasedmysisterfromthepainofseeingherdearchildinthiscondition。
“DoctorNaudin，“saidToulan，solemnly，“isityourfixedconvictionthatthissickpersonwillneverrecover？“
“Myfirmandundoubtedconviction，whicheveryphysicianwhoshouldseehimwouldsharewithme。“
“Areyouoftheopinionthatthischildhasnothinginlifetolose，andthatdeathwouldbeagaintoit？“
“Yes；thatismybelief。Deathwouldbeareleaseforthepoorcreature，forlifeisonlyaburdentoitaswellastoothers。“
“Then，“criedToulan，solemnly，“Iwillgivethispoorsickchildahigherandafairermission。Iwillmakeitslifeanadvantagetoothers，anditsdeathahallowedsacrifice。MarquisofJarjayes，inthenameofKingLouisXVI。，inthenameoftheexaltedmartyrtowhomwehaveallswornfidelityuntodeath，QueenMarieAntoinette，Idemandanddesireofyouthatyouwouldintrusttomethisunhappycreature，andgivehislifeintomyhands。InthenameofMarieAntoinette，IdemandoftheMarquisofJarjayesthathedelivertomethesonofhissister，thathedowhateveryoneofusisjoyfullypreparedtodoifourholycausedemandsit，thatthisboymaygivehislifeforhisking，theimprisonedLouisXVII。“
WhileToulanwasspeakingwithhisearnest，solemnvoice，Jarjayeskneltbeforethebedofthepoorsobbingchild，and，hidinghisfaceinhishands，heprayedsoftly。
Then，afteralongpause，heroseandlaidhishandonthefeverishbrowoftheboy。“Youhaveaddressedme，“hesaid，“inthenameofQueenMarieAntoinette。YoudemandofmeastheguardianofthispoorcreaturethatIgivehimtoyou，thathemaygivehislifeforhisking。Thesonsanddaughtersofmyhousehavealwaysbeenreadyandgladtodevotetheirpossessions，theirhappiness，theirlives，totheserviceoftheirkings，andIspeaksimplyinthespiritofmysister——whoascendedthescaffoldtosealherfidelitytotheroyalfamilywithherdeath——IspeakinthespiritofallmyancestorswhenIsay，hereisthelastoff-springoftheBaronessofTardif，hereisthesonofmysister；takehimandlethimliveordieforhisking，LouisXVII。，theprisonerattheTemple。“
DuringthenightwhichfollowedthesecondvisitofDoctorNaudin，JeanneMarieSimonhadalongandearnestconversationwithherhusband。Thefirstwordswhichthewifeuttered，spokeninawhisperthoughtheywere，excitedthecobblersomuchthathethreatenedherwithhisclinchedfist。Shelookedhimcalmlyintheface，however，andsaidtohimsoftly，“Andsoyoumeantostayperpetuallyinthishatefulprison？Youwanttoremainshutupherelikeacriminal，andgetnomoresatisfactionoutoflifethanwhatcomesfromtormentingthispoor，half-wittedboytodeath？“
Simonlethishandfall，andsaid，“Iftherewereameansofescapingfromthisinfernalprison，itwouldcertainlybemostwelcometome，forIamheartilytiredofbeingaprisonerhere，afterhavingprayedforfreedomsolong，andworkedforitsomuch。
So，ifthereisameans——“
“Thereissuchameans，“interruptedhiswife。“Listentome!“
AndSimondidlisten，andthemovingandeloquentwordsofhiswifeatlengthfoundawillingear。Simon’sfacegraduallylightenedup，anditseemedtohimthathewasnowabletoreleasehiswifefromanoppressive，burdensomeload。
“Ifitsucceeds，“hemuttered——“ifitsucceeds，Ishallbefreefromthemountainousweightwhichpressesuponmedayandnightandshallbecomeahealthymanagain。“
“Andifitdoesnotsucceed，“whisperedJeanneMarie，“theworstthatcanhappentousiswhathashappenedtothousandsbeforeus。
Weshallmerelyfeedthemachine，andourheadswilltumbleintothebasket，withthisdifference，thatIshallnotbeabletomakeanymarkinmystocking。Iwouldratherdieallatonceontheguillotineandhaveitover，thanbedyingheredayafterday，andhourafterhour，havingnothingtoexpectfromlifebutpainandennui。“
“AndI，too，“saidSimon，decidedly。“Ratherdie，thangoonleadingsuchadog’slife。Letyourdoctorcometometo-morrowmorning。I
willtalkwithhim!“
Earlythenextdaythedoctorcameinhislong，blackcloak，andwithhisperuke，tovisitthesickMistressSimon。Theguardsatthegateleadingtotheoutercourtquietlylethimpassin，anddidnotnoticethatanotherfaceappearedintheperukefromthatwhichhadbeenseenthedaybefore。Thetwoofficialguardsabove，whohadjustcompletedtheirdutiesintheupperstory，andmetthedoctoronthetowerstairs，didnottakeanyoffenceathisfigure。ThedirectoroftheHotelDieuwasnotpersonallyknowntothem，andtheywerefamiliarwithbutlittleabouthim，exceptingthathetookthelibertyofgoingaboutinhisold-fashionedcloak，withoutgivingoffencetotheauthorities，andthathehadpermissionfromthoseauthoritiestocometotheTempleforthepurposeofvisitingthewifeofSimon。
“Youwillfindtwopatientsto-dayupthere，“saidoneoftheofficialsashepassedby。“Weempoweryou，doctor，totakethesecondone，littleCapet，underyourcharge。Theboyappearstobereallysick，orelseheisobstinateandmulish。Heanswersnoquestions，andhehastakennonourishment，Simontellsus，sinceyesterdaynoon。Examineintothecase，doctor，andthentelluswhatyouropinionis。Wewillwaitforyoudowninthecouncil-room。Somakeasmuchhasteaspossible。“
Theypassedon，andthedoctordidreallymakehastetoascendthestaircase。AttheopendoorwhichledtotheapartmentofthelittleCapetandhis“guardian，“hefoundSimon。