wenttoGermany，andfromthattimeIhavealwayslivedinforeignparts。SinceIhavebeeninParisIhavemadetheefforttolearnsomethingabouthim，butnoonecouldinformme，andsoIsolacedmyselfwiththehopethathehadreallygonetoAmerica，forthatwashisobject，astheothergentlemanwhoassistedmeinmyreleaseinformedmeatthattime。“
“Thisothergentleman，“saidJosephine，softly，“wastheBarondeJarjayes，andthechildwhowascarriedintotheTemplewasthe——“
“ThesonoftheCountdeFrotte，“rejoinedLouis。
“Fouche，itishe!“criedJosephine。“Itisthesonofmynoble，unfortunateQueenMarieAntoinette——Oh，sire，letmetestifymyhomagetoyou，asbecomesasubjectwhenshestandsbeforeherking。
Sire，Ibowmykneebeforeyou，andIwouldgladlypouroutmywholelifeintears，andwitheachofthesetearsbegyourforgivenessforFrance，forusall。“
Andthebeautiful，passionatecreolesankuponherknee，andraisedhertearfuleyestotheyoungmanwho，perplexedandblushing，gazedather，thenhastilystoopedtoherandconjuredhertorise。
“Not，sire，“shecried，“untilyoutellmethatyouhaveforgivenme——thatyouhaveforgivenusall。“
“Iforgiveyou？WhathaveItoforgiveinyou？MonsieurFouche，whoisthisladywhoknowsmeandmydestinies，andwhobringsmegreetingsfromFidele？WhathaveItoforgiveinher？Whoisshe？
Tellmehername？“
“Monsieur，“saidFouche，slowlyapproaching，“thisladyis——“
“Hush!Fouche，Iwilltellhimmyself，“interruptedJosephine。
“Sire，whenyourbeautiful，exaltedmotherwasstilllivinginVersailles，Ihadthehonortobepresentedtoher，bothatthegrandreceptionsandattheminorones。Oneday——itwasalreadyintheunhappyReignofTerror——whenthequeenhadleftVersaillesandTrianon，andwasalreadylivingintheTuileries，Iwentthithertopaymyrespects。“
“Thatistosay，madame，“criedLouis，“youwereabraveandloyalwoman，foronlythebraveandtheloyalventuredthentogototheTuileries。Oh，speakon!speakon!Youwantedtopayyourrespectstothequeen，youweresaying；shereceivedyou，didshenot？Youweretakenintothelittlesaffronsaloon？“
“No，sire，thequeenwasnotthere，shewasinthelittlemusic-
hall；and，becauseatthattimeetiquettewasnolongerrigidlyenforced，IwasallowedtoaccompanytheMarchionessdeTourzelintothemusic-room。Thequeendidnotnoticeourentrance，forshewassinging。Iremainedstandingatthedoor，andcontemplatedthewondrouspicturethatIsawthere。Thequeen，inasimplewhitedress，herlightbrown，slightlypowderedhairconcealedbyablacklacehead-dress，satatthespinetonwhichherwhitehandsrested。
Nearherinthewindow-nichesatmadame，engagedwithherembroidery。Verynearhersat，inalittlearm-chair，aboyoffiveyears，alovelychild，withlonggoldenlocks，withlargeblueeyes，andlookinglikeanangel。Thelittlehands，surroundedbylacewristbands，leanedonthesupportofthechair，whilehislooksrestedincessantlyuponthecountenanceofthequeen，andhiswholechild’ssoulwasabsorbedinthegazewhichhedirectedtohismother。Thequeenwassinging，andthetonesofhersoulfulvoiceresoundstillinmyheart。Thesongwasthis：
’Dors，monenfant，clostapaupiere，Tescrismedechirentlecoeur：
Dors，monenfant，tapauvremereAbienassezdesadouleur。’
Andwhileshesangsheturnedherheadtowardherson，wholistenedtohermotionlessandasifenchanted。’See，’criedmadame，thesisteroftheprettyboy，’IbelieveLouisCharleshasfallenasleep。’Thechildstartedup，andaglowingrednesssuffusedhischeeks。’Oh!Theresa，’hecried，’howcouldanyonegotosleepwhenmymammaqueenwassinging’？’Hismotherstoopeddowntohim，pressedalongkissuponhisbrow，andatearfellfromhereyesuponhisgoldenhair。Isawit，andinvoluntarilymyeyesfilled；I
couldnotholdbackmytears，audwentsoftlyouttocomposemyself。
Sire，Iseeyoustillbeforeme——thisbeautifulqueenandherchildren——anditiswithmeto-dayasthen，Imustweep。“
“AndI!——oh，myGod!——andI!“whisperedLouis，puttingbothhishandsbeforehisquiveringface。EvenFoucheseemedmoved，hislipstrembledandhischeeksgrewpale。
Alongpauseensued。Nothingwasheardbuttheconvulsivesobbingoftheyoungman，whostillheldhishandsbeforehisface，andweptsoviolentlythatthetearspoureddowninheavydropsbetweenhisfingers。
“Sire，“criedJosephine，withsupplicatoryvoice——“sire，bytherecollectionofthathour，Iconjureyou，forgivemethatInowliveinthoseroomswhichMarieAntoinetteonceinhabited。Ah!ithasnotbeenmywish，andIhavedoneitonlywithpainandgrief。Believeme，sire，andforgivemethatIhavebeencompelledtoliveinthepalaceofthekings。“
Hetookhishandsfromhisface，andgazedather。
“YouliveintheTuileries？Whoareyou？Madame，whoareyou？“
“Sire，IwasformerlyViscountessBeauharnais；nowIam——“
“ThewifeoftheFirstConsul!“exclaimedtheprince，drawingbackinterror——“thewifeofhimwhoispursuingme，andwho，asFouchesays，meanstobringmetothescaffold。“
“Oh，sire，forgivehim!“imploredJosephine；“heisnotwicked，heisnotcruel；butcircumstancescompelhimtoactashedoes。GodHimself，itwouldseem，haschosenhimtorestore，withhisheroicswordandhisheroicspirit，peaceandprosperitytothisunfortunateland，bleedingfromathousandwounds。HewasthesaviorofFrance，andthegratefulnationhailedhimwithpaeans，andfullofconfidencelaidthereinsofgovernmentinhishands。Throughhisvictoriesandhisadministrationofaffairs，Francehasagaingrownstrongandgreatandhappy；andyetheisdailythreatenedbyassassins，yettherearecontinualconspiracieswhoseaimistomurderthemantowhomFranceisindebtedforitsnewbirth。Whatwonderthatheatlast，toputanendtotheseconspiracies，andtheseattemptsuponhislife，will，byadeedofhorror，inspiretheconspiratorswithfear？Heisfirmlyresolvedonthis。Thelionhasbeenarousedfromhiscalmnessbynewconspiracies，andtheshakingofhismanewillthistimeannihilateallwhoventuretoconspireagainsthim。Sire，Idonotaccuseyou；Idonotsaythatyoudowronglytomakeeveryattempttoregaintheinheritanceofyourfathers。MayGodjudgebetweenyouandyourenemies!Butyourenemieshavethepowerintheirhands，andyoumustyieldtothatpower。Oh，mydear，unfortunate，pitiablelord，Iconjureyou，saveyourselffromtheangeroftheFirstConsul，andfromthepursuerswhohavebeensentouttoseekyou。Ifyouarefound，youarelost，andnooneintheworldwillthenbeabletosaveyou。Fly，therefore——fly，whilethereisstilltime!“
“Fly!“criedtheyoungprince，bitterly，“evermorefly!Mywholelifeisaperpetualflight，acontinuousconcealment。LiketheWanderingJew，Imustjourneyfromlandtoland——nowherecanIrest，nowherefindpeace。Withoutahome，withoutparents，withoutaname，Iwanderaround，and，likeahuntedwildbeast，Imustcontinuallystartafresh，forthehoundsareclosebehindme。Well，beitso，then；Iamwearyofdefyingmyfatelonger；Isurrendermyselftowhatisinevitable。TheFirstConsulmaysendmeasaconspiratortothescaffold。Iampreparedtodie。Ishallfindthatpeaceindeathatleastthatlifesocruellydeniesme。Iwillnotfly——Iwillremain。Theexampleofmyparentswillteachmehowtodie。“
“Oh，speaknotso!“exclaimedJosephine。“Havepityonme，havepityonyourself。Youarestillsoyoung，lifehassomuchforyouyet，thereremainssomuchtoyouyettohopefor。Youmustlive，nottoavengethedeathofyourillustriousparents，buttomakeitsmemorylesspoignant。Sonofkings，youhavereceivedlifefromGod，andfromyourparents，youmaynotlightlythrowitaway，butmustdefendit，fortheblessingofyourmotherrestsuponyourhead，whichyoumustsavefromthescaffold。“
“Youmustlive，“saidFouche，“foryourdeathwouldbringjoytothosewhowerethebitterenemiesofQueenMarieAntoinette，andwhowouldbeyourmockingheirs。WillyougranttotheCountdeLilletheuncontestedrightofcallinghimselfLouisXVIII。？——theCountdeLille，whocausedMarieAntoinettetoshedsomanytears。“
Theprinceflamedupatthis，andhiseyesflashed。
“No，“hecried，“theCountdeLilleshallnothavethisjoy。Heshallnotresthiscurse-ladenheaduponthepillowwiththecalmconsciousnessthathewillbethekingofthefuture。Myvisionshalldisturbhissleep，andthepossibilitythatIshallreturnanddemandmyownagain，shallbetheterrorthatshallkeeppeacefarfromhim。Youareright，madame，Imustlive。ThespiritofMarieAntoinettehoversoverme，anddemandsthatIlive，andbymylifeavengeherofhermostbitterenemy。Letitbeso，then。Tellme，Fouche，whithershallIgo？Whereshallthepoorcriminalhidehimself，whoseonlyoffenceliesinthis，thatheisalive，andthatheisthesonofhisfather？Whereisthereacaveinwhichthepoorhuntedgamecanhidehimselffromthehounds？“
“Sire，youmustaway，awayintoforeignlands。ThearmoftheFirstConsulispowerful，andhiseagleeyescansallEurope，andwoulddiscoveryouatanypoint。“
“Youmustforthepresentfindahomebeyondthesea，“saidFouche，approachingnearer。“Ihavealreadytakenmeasureswhichwillallowyoutodoso。ThereareshipssailingsouthwardfromMarseilleseveryday，andinoneoftheseyoumustgotoAmerica。Americaisthelandoffreedom，ofadventures，andofgreatdeeds。Youwilltherefindsufficientoccupationforyourspiritandforyourloveofwork。“
“Itistrue，“saidLouis，withabittersmile；“IwillgotoAmerica。Iwillfindarefugewiththesavages。Perhapstheywillappointmeastheirchieftain，andadornmyheadwithacrownoffeathersinsteadofthecrownofgold。Yes，IwillgotoAmerica，Intheprimevalforests，withthechildrenofnature，therewillbeahomefortheexile，thehomelessone。Madame，Ithankyouforyoursympathyandyourgoodness，andmythanksshallconsistinthis，thatIsubjectmyselfwhollytoyourwill。YoulovedQueenMarieAntoinette。Ablessingonyou，andallwholoveyou。“
HeextendedbothhishandstoJosephine，and，asshewasabouttopressthemtoherlips，hestoopedtowardherwithasadsmile。
“Madame，blessmypoorbrowwiththetouchofthoselipswhichoncekissedthehandofmymother。“