Heceased，tearschokedhisutterance，and，asifashamedofhisdeepemotion，hehidhisfaceinhishands。
GeneralKleberturnedawaytoo，andputhishandoverhiseyes，asthoughafilmhadcomeoverthem。Then，afteralongpausehegentlylaidhishandupontheshoulderoftheyoungman，whowasstillsittingwithcoveredface。
“Suchmemoriesareholy，“hesaid，“andIhonorthem，mydear，faithfulson。MaytheblessingwhichthenfellfromthelipsofawomanwhomItooknewandhonored，butwhosenamemayneverbespokenbetweenus，mayitbefulfilledtoyou!Mayangelsandsaintsprotectyouwhenmenshallnolongerhavethepower，andwhenfateshallseparateyoufromthosewhohavedevotedtheirloveandfidelitytoyou!“
Theyouthlethishandsfallfromhisface，andlookedatthegeneralwithastartled，searchingglance。
“Whatdoyoumean，uncle？Youdonotmeantosaythat——“
“Thatwemustpart？Yes，mydearnephew，thatiswhatImustsay，“
interruptedKleber，sadly。“Thiswordhaslongbeenburninginmysoul，anditisnecessarythatIspeakit。Yes，wemustpart，Louis。“
“Why，ohwhy？“askedLouis，bitterly。“Whywillyoutoodrivemeaway？You，theonlyonewholovesmealittle!“
“ExactlybecauseIloveyou——exactlyforthatreasonmustIseparatemyselffromyou。SincewecametoEgyptyouhavebeensickly，yourcheekshavebecomepale。Thefulnessofyourlimbshasgone，andthedryandhardcoughthattroublesyoueverymorninghaslongmademeanxious，asyouknow。Onthataccount，afteralltheappliancesofmyphysicianfailed，Iapplied，asyouknow，tothephysicianofthecommandinggeneral，toCorvisart，andhehassubjectedyoutoathoroughexamination。“
“Itistrue，“saidLouis，thoughtfully，“hehasinvestigatedmewiththecarefulnessofamerchantwhoisabouttobuyaslaveandmeanstotesthim。Hemadeahearing-trumpetofhisearandlaiditonmybreast，andlistenedwhileIhadtobreatheasifIwereavolcano。
Heputhiseartomyheart，hetoldmethathisfatherhadbeenphysicianattheFrenchcourt，andthatthemurderedqueenhadagreatdealofconfidenceinhim，andthenhewonderedthatmyheartbeatsoviolentlywhilehetoldmethis。“
“Andtheresultofalltheseinvestigationsis，thatyoumustreturntoEurope，Louis，“saidKleber，sadly。“Corvisarthaddeclareditanunavoidablenecessityforyourconstitution，andthecommandofthephysicianmustbeobeyedasifitwerethecommandofGod。YoucannotenduretheclimateofEgypt，sosaysCorvisart，andifyourlifeisnottobeshortenedandyoutobemadeaperpetualinvalid，youmustreturntoEuropeasquicklyaspossible，foronlytherewillyourecoverandgrowstrong。Youseetherefore，Louis，thatI
mustseparatefromyou，althoughitisasorethingformetodo，forIloveyouasmyownson，andIhavenooneintheworldwhoisnearlyrelatedtome。“
“AndI，whomelsehaveIintheworld？“askedLouis，bitterly。“Whohasinterestinmeexceptingyou？Ah，general，donotdrivemefromyou。Believeme，itisbetterformeifforafewshortandhappyyearsIliveatyourside，andthenbreathemylastsighinyourfaithfulandtenderarms，thanifIhavetowandersolitaryandfriendlessthroughthestrange，coldworld，wherenoonelovesme，andwhereIshallalwaysbesurroundedbyenemies，orbythosewhoareindifferent。ItmaybethatmybodywillgainhealthandstrengthintheairofEurope，butmyheartwillalwaysbesickthere，foritwillloseitshomewhenitshallhavelostyou，myfatherlyfriend。“
GeneralKleberslowlyshookhishead。“Inyouthonesorrowsandforgetsitquickly。“
“General，doyousaythattome，afterseeingmeweepinthehospitalbecausethewordofadyingmancalledbacktherecollectionofmyearliestchildhood？Oh，believeme，myheartforgetsitssorrowsnever，andifImustreturntoFrance，toParis，itwillseemtomeasifIhadalwaystobeclimbingthehillofCalvarywithbloodyfeettoreachthetopwhereImightperishonthecross。For，believeme，general，mywholelifewillbenothingbutsuchawanderingthroughscenesofpainifyoudrivemefromtherefugethatyourlovehasofferedme。Leavemehere，letmeliveinsecrecyandsilencebeneaththepinionsofyourlove，anddonotbelievewhatthephysicianstellyou。Man’slifeliesinthehandsofGod，andifHewillsustainit，itisassafeinthedesertsofEgyptasinParis，thecapitaloftheworld。“
“BecauseGodwillsustainyourlife，Louis，forthatveryreason，Heinstructsme，throughthevoiceofthephysician，whatmydutyis，bidsmeconquermyowngrief，andsendthesonofmyhearttohisdistanthome。No，Louis，itisadecidedthing，wemustpart；youmustreturntoFrance。“
“Andifitistrue，“askedLouis，bitterly，“ifIamthenreallytoreturntoFrance，whymustwepart？WhymustIreturnwithoutyou？
Why，ifyoureallyloveme，doyounotaccompanyme？Iheardyousayyesterdaythatseveralships，withapartofourtroops，weretoreturntoFrance。Why，then，canyounotgobackwithme？“
“Why？“askedKleber，sadly。“Iwilltellyou，Louis：becauseBonapartewillnotallowit。Listen，myson，Iwillcommunicateasecrettoyou：therehasnewscomewithinthelastfewdays，thefirstthatwehavereceivedfortenmonths。Thenewspaperswhichhavearrivedbringveryunwelcomeintelligence；theyinformusthatalltheadvantagesgainedinItalybytheFrencharmyhavebeenlost——thatFranceisarrayedagainstAustria，Spain，andalltheEuropeanpowers——thattheFrenchGovernmentisthreatenedbyinternalfactions，whichthreatentobringbackthereignofterror。
IwatchedBonaparte’sfaceashereadthesepapers，andIsawtherewhathewasresolvedtodo。Hewill，assoonasheshallgainonemoregreatvictory，leaveEgyptandreturntoFrance。“
“Hewillnotreturnwithoutyou，thefaithfulestandboldestofhisgenerals。Youknowwellthatyouarecalledtheright-handmanofBonaparte。“
“Bonapartemeanstoshowtheworldthatheisnotonlythehead，buttherightarmtoo，theheart，thefoot，thesouloftheFrencharmy!
Andbecausehemeanstoshowthis，hewillreturnalonetoFrance；
onlyafewofhisfaithfulsubordinateswillaccompanyhim；themenwhomightevenopposehim，andputhinderancesinthepathofhisgrowingambition，willremainhere。NowdoyoubelievethatBonapartewillselectmetoaccompanyhim？“
Theyoungmanlethisheadfallslowlyonhisbreast。“No，“hesaid，softly，“no，Idonotbelievehewill。“
“AndIknowhewillnot，“repliedKleber。“IshallremainhereinEgypt，anddiehere!Hush!Donotcontradictme；therearepresentimentswhichdonotmisleadus，andwhichGodsendstous，thatwemayshapeourcoursebythem，andsetourhouseinorder。Myhouseissetinorder——mywillismade；IhavegivenittoBonaparte，andhehassolemnlysworntocarryitintoexecutioninallrespects。Onlyonecareisleftme——toprovideforyourimmediatefuture，andtoarrangethatyonmayreachFrance。“
“Youadheretothis？“askedLouis，sadly。
“Yes，Iabidebythis；youmustnotrunawayfromyourownfuture，andthiswill，Itrust，beabrilliantone。AlltokensindicatethatFranceisweariedwiththerepublic，andthatitisperhapsnearlyreadytorestorethethroneoftheLilies。Youngman，shallthisreestablishedthronefallintothehandsofthatmanwhocontributedsomuchtoitsdownfall——whowasthecalumniator，thesecretenemyofQueenMarieAntoinette？WouldyouconsentthattheCountdeProvenceshouldbeKingofFrance？“
“No，never!“criedLouis，withblazingeyesandnamingface。“Thatnevercanbe；for，beforethebrotherofLouisXVI。canascendthethroneasLouisXVIII。，hisrightfulpredecessor，LouisXVII。，musthavedied。“
“Hehasdied，andtheFrenchgovernmenthasplacedinitsarchivesthecertificateofthedeathofLouisCharlesCapet，signedbythephysiciansandtheservantsoftheTemple。Myson，inordertopreventtheCountdeProvenceacknowledgingthiscertificateasgenuine，youmustbepreparedtoplacebeforehimandtheworldothertestimonialsthatLouisXVII。isnotdead。ThisisasacredofferingwhichyoumustmaketothemanesoftheunfortunateMarieAntoinette，evenifthestakewerenotathroneandacrown!“
“Youareright，“criedLouis，withenthusiasm，“mywholelifeshallbedevotedtothissacredtrust；itshallhavenootheraimthanthis：toavengeMarieAntoinetteofthemostcruelofherenemies，theCountdeProvence，andtoplacetheson，whom，afterthedeathofherhusband，sheacknowledgedasKingofFrance，onthethronewhichreallybelongstohim，andnottotheCountdeProvence!Youareright，general，ImustreturntoEurope；ImustcarrytoPrancethepaperswhichshowthatLouisXVII。didnotdieintheTemple，butwasreleased。Iamreadytogo，andtoendurethepainofpartingfromyou。“
“MayGodgrantthatwemaybothbecompensatedforthispain!“
repliedKleber，embracingtheyoungmantenderly。“Thereremaintousafewweekstobetogether。Letususethemsothattheyshallaffordusmanycheerfulrecollections。BonapartewillnotleaveEgyptbeforeaddingonemoreglorytohisreputation。HedoesnotmeantoreturntoFranceastheconquered，butastheconqueror!“
GeneralKleberwasright。HeknewBonapartesufficientlywelltobeabletoreadhiscountenance；heunderstoodthedumbspeechoftheCaesaroftheage。
Bonapartewantedtogainonegreatbattle，inordertoreturntoEuropewithglory。HegaineditatAboukir，winningthedayinacontestwiththeunitedTurksandEnglish——oneofthemostsignalvictoriesthathehadeverwon。Eightthousandprisonersweretakenonthat21stofJuly，1799。Fourthousandlaydeaduponthebattle-
field，andasmanyweresunkinthecapturedanddestroyedshipsoftheEnglish。Onthedayafterthebattlethefoamofthewaveswastippedwithbloodalongtheshore。
Bonapartehimselfconductedthewholebattle，andpersonallygainedthevictory。Atthemomentwhenthecontestseemeddoubtful，heassumedcommandofacavalryregiment，advancedupontheTurkishpacha，andbyhisheroiccouragekindledallthearmyafresh。EvenGeneralKlebercouldnotdisguisehisadmirationoftheheroofAboukir；andwhen，atthecloseofthebattle，hemetBonaparteonthefield，heembracedhimwithpassionatetenderness。“General，“hecried，withenthusiasm，“youareasgreatastheworld；buttheworldisnotgreatenoughforyou!“[Footnote：Denon，Mtooires，vol。