JeanneMarieshuddered。“Icannot，“shewhispered；“itwouldseemtomeasifIwerecuttingoffhishead，andthewomaninwhitewouldstandbehind，andpiercemethroughwithhergreateyes。“
“Come，come，thatoldstoryagain!“growledSimon。“Givemethescissors，then；Iwilltakecareofit，fortheboymustpartwithhishairbeforehegoesintothebasket。Come，come，donotshrinkandcurlupso；Iwasnotspeakingoftheguillotine-basket，butofyourdirty-clothesbasket。Come，Capet，Iwanttocutyourhair。“
Hetookthegreatshearsfromthework-basket，andsatdownonastoolbythesideofthetable，onwhichburnedadimtallowcandle，throwinganuncertainlightthroughtheapartment。“Come，Capet!“
Theboystoleupwithaninsecurestep，andshranktogetherwhenSimonseizedhimanddrewhimbetweenhisknees。
“Donothurthim，Simon。Becarefulofhim，“whisperedJeanneMarie，sinkingonthefloorandfoldingherhands。“Remember，husband，thatsheishere，andthatsheislookingatyou，andthatsheboresintomyheadwithhereyeswhenyoudoanyharmtothechild。“
Simonlookedaroundwithashyandanxiousglance。“Itishightimethatwewereawayfromhere，“hegrowled——“hightime，ifIamnottobecrazyaswellasyou。Stoopdown，Capet，sothatIcancutyourhairoff。“Thechildlethisheadfall；butafaint，carefullysuppressedsobcamefromhisbreast，whileSimon’sshearswentclashingthroughhislocks，severingthemfromhishead。
“Whatareyoucryingfor，Capet？“askedSimon，zealouslygoingforwardwithhiswork。
“Iamsosorry，master，tohavemylockscutoff。“
“Youprobablysuppose，youvainmonkey，thatyourlocksareparticularlybeautiful？“
“Oh，no，master!Itisonly，“sighedtheboywithhiseyesfulloftears——“itisonlybecauseherhandhasrestedonthem，andbecauseshekissedthemwhenIsawherthelasttime。“
“Whoisshe？“askedSimon，roughly。
“Mymammaqueen，“repliedLouiswithsuchatoneoftendernessastobringtearsintotheeyesofJeanneMarie，andeventomovethecobblerhimself。
“Hush!“hesaid，softly。“Hush!youmustnevercallyourmotherbysuchaname。Afterto-morrowmorningyouaretobethesonofawasherwoman。Rememberthat，andnowbestill!There，yourhairisdonenow。Pickupthelocksfromthefloorandlaythemonthetable，JeanneMarie。Wemustleavethemhere，thattheofficermayfindtheminthemorning，andnotwonderifhedoesnotrecognizetheurchin。Nowwewillbringthewash-basket，andseewhetheryoungCapetwillgointoit。“
Hebroughtoutofthechamberahigh，coveredbasket，graspedtheboy，thrusthimin，andorderedhimtoliedownonthebottomofthebasket。
“Heexactlyfits!“saidSimontohiswife。“Wewillnowthrowsomedirtyclothesoverhim，andhecanspendthenightinthebasket。Wemustbereadyforanything；fortherearemanydistrustfulofficials，anditwouldnotbethefirsttimethattheyhavemadeexaminationsinthenight。LittleCapetmustremaininthebasket，andnowwewilltakehissubstituteoutofthehorse。“
Hewenttothehobby-horse，tookoutsomescrewswhichranalongtheedgesoftheupholstery，andthencarefullyremovedtheupperpartoftheanimalfromthelower。Inthehollowthusbroughttolight，layapale，sickboy，withclosedeyes——thenephewoftheMarquisdeJarjayes，thelastdescendantoftheBaronessdeTarclif，now，asallhisancestorshaddone，togivehislifeforhisking。
JeanneMarierosefromherknees，tookalightfromthetable，andapproachedthechild，whichwaslyinginitsconfinedspaceasinacoffin。
Thelittleprincehadraisedhimselfupinhisbasket，andhispalefacewasvisibleashelooked，outofhislargeblueeyes，withcuriosityandamazementatthesickchild。
“Hedoesnotlookliketheking’sson，“whisperedJeanneMarie，afteralong，searchingstudyofthepale，bloatedfaceoftheidiot。
“Wewillputhisclothesonatonce，thenhewilllookallright，forclothesmaketheman。Standup，littleone，youneedtogetup。
Youarenottostayanylongerinyourcuriousprison。“
“Hedoesnotunderstandyou，“saidJeanneMarie。“DonotyourememberthatToulantoldusthattheboyisperfectlydeafanddumb？“
“True；Ihadforgottenit，andyetitisfortunateforus，foradeafanddumbpersoncannotdiscloseanydangeroussecrets。Come，JeanneMarie，givemetheclothes；wewilldressupthelittlemutelikeaprince。“
Theyputuponhimthevelvetjacket，theshorttrowsersofblackcloth，theshoesandstockingsoftheprince，whostillwaslookingoutofhisbasketatthepale，softly-moaningchild，whichwasnowplacedbySimonandhiswifeonthemattress。
“There，“saidSimon，throwingthecoverletovertheboy，“there，theroyalprinceisready，andwecansay，astheyusedtodoatSt。
Denis，whentheybroughtanewoccupantintotheroyalvault，’Leroiestmort，viveleroi!’Liequietlyinyourbasket，Capet，foryouseeyouaredeposed，andyoursuccessorhasyourthrone。“
“Master，“whisperedLouis，anxiouslyandtimidly，“master，mayIaskyouaquestion？“
“Well，yes，youmay，youlittlenamelesstoad。Whatisit？“
“Master，willthesickchildhavetodie，ifIamsaved？“
“Whatdoyoumean，youngster？Whatareyouat？“
“Ionlymean，master——Ionlywantedtosaythatifthepoorboymustdie，ifhetakesmyplace，why——Ishouldratherstayhere。For——“
“Well，goon，stupid!whatdoyoumeanbyyour’for？’Youwouldratherremainhere？“
“Yes，master，ifanotheristodieandbebeatenandtortured，forblowshurtsomuch，andIshouldnotliketohaveanotherboyreceivetheminsteadofme。Thatwouldbewickedinme，and——“
“Andyouareastupidfellow，anddonotknowanythingyouaretalkingabout，“saidSimon，shakinghisfistathim。“Justputonairs，andspeakanothersuchafoolishword，andIwillnotonlybeatyoutodeath，butIwillbeatthismiserable，whiningyoungstertodeathtoo，andthenyouwillcertainlybetoblameforit。Downwithyouintothebasket，andifyouventuretoputyourheadupagain，andifto-morrowyouarenotobedientanddojustwhatwebidyou，Iwillbeatyouandhim，bothofyou，topieces，andpackyouintotheclothes-basket，andcarryyouaway。Downintothebasket!“
Theboysankdownoutofsight；andwhen，afteralittlewhile，JeanneMariecautiouslylookedtoseewhetherhehadfallenasleep，shesawthatLouisCharleswaskneelingonthebottomofthebasket，andraisinghisfoldedhandsuptoheaven。
“Simon，“shewhispered——“Simon，donotlaughatmeandscoldme。
Yousay，Iknow，thatthereisnoGod，andtherepublichasdoneawaywithDeity，andtheChurch，andthepriests。ButletmeoncekneeldownandpraytoHimwithwhomlittleLouisCharlesistalkingnow，andtowhomtheAustrianspokeonthescaffold。“
WithoutwaitingforSimon’sanswer，JeanneMariesankuponherknees。Foldingherhands，sheleanedherforeheadontherimofthebasket，andsoftlywhispered，“LouisCharles，doyouhearme？“
“Yes，“lispedthechild，“Ihearyou。“
“Iaskyourforgiveness，“whisperedJeanneMarie。“Ihavesinneddreadfullyagainstyou，butremorsehastakenholdofmyheart，andtearsitinpiecesandgivesmenorestdayornight。Oh，forgiveme，sonofthequeen，andwhenyoupray，imploreyourmothertoforgivemetheevilthatIhavedoneher。“
“Iwillpraytomydearmammaqueenforyou，andIknowshewillforgiveyou，forshewassoverygood，andshealwayssaidtomethatwemustforgiveourenemies；andIhadtosweartomydearpapathatIwouldforgetandforgiveallthewrongthatmenshoulddotome。AndsoIforgiveyou，andIwillforgetallthebadthingsthatMasterSimonhasdonetome，formypapaandmymammawishedmeto。“
JeanneMarieletherheadsinklower，andpressedherhandsfirmlyagainstherlipstorepresstheoutcrieswhichherremorsefulconscienceprompted。Simonseemedtounderstandnothingofthissoftwhispering；hewasbusilyengagedinpackinguphisthings，andnoonesawhimhastilydrawhishandoverhiseyes，asifhewantedtowipeawaythedustwhichsuddenlypreventedhisseeing。
Graduallyitgrewstillinthegloomyroom。Thewhisperinginthebasketceased。JeanneMariehadretiredtoherbed，andhadweptherselftosleep。Uponthemattresslaythesick，sobbingchild，thesubstituteofKingLouisXVII。，whowasinthebasket。
Simonwastheonlyonewhowasawake，andtheremusthavebeendismalthoughtsthatbusiedhim。Hesatuponthestoolnearthecandle，whichwasnearlyburnedout，hisforeheadwascorrugatedandclouded，hislipswerecloselypressedtogether，andthelittle，flashingeyeslookedoutintotheemptyspacefullofangerandthreatenings。
“Itmustbe，“hemutteredatlast，“itmustbe。Ishouldotherwisenothaveamoment’speace，andalwaysfeeltheknifeatmythroat。
Oneofusmustbeawayfromhere，inorderthathemaydisclosetheother。Iwillnotbethatone，itmustbeToulan。“
Hestoodupwiththeairofonewhohadmadeafixed，unchangeableresolve，andstretchedhisbony，crookedlimbs。Thenhethrewonelastlookatthestranger-child，thatlaymoaningandgroaningonhismattress，felluponhisbed，andsoonhislong-drawn，sonorousbreathingdisclosedthefactthatMasterSimonwasasleep。