remain where you may not be suspected； and where yon may be safe
from assault。 To my great regret I cannot entertain you here； for my
family are too well known for me to suddenly acknowledge a
legitimate nephew of your age； and the Count de Lille would be the
last to believe it。 I confess that it has cost me a great deal of
disquiet and anxious thought to find a secure asylum for you。〃
〃And do you think you have found one at last？〃 asked Louis Charles；
indifferently。
〃Yes； I believe so； or rather； I know that I have found one。 You
must be taken to a place which no one can suspect as that where you
would be likely to be。〃
〃And what place is this？〃
〃It is called Mayence。〃
The boy； who had sat with downcast eyes； perhaps in order not to let
some tears be seen； looked quickly up； and the greatest astonishment
was depicted in his expressive features。
〃Mayence？〃 he asked。 〃Is not that a fortress on the Rhine which the
troops of the French republic have taken possession of？〃
〃Yes； and the commandant of Mayence； the head of the troops； is
General Kleber； one of the bravest and noblest soldiers of the
French republic。〃
〃And you； you want to send me to this General Kleber？ Ah； my prince；
that would be thrusting me； for the purpose of rescuing me from
persecution； into the very crater of the volcano。〃
〃It is not so bad as you suppose； my young friend。 General Kleber is
at heart a good and true royalist； and although he serves the
republic； he does so because he is first of all a soldier； a soldier
of his country； and because his country now has pressing need of
soldiers to defend the honor and glory of France。 I have sent a
trustworthy man to General Kleber to impart this secret to him； and
to ask him for protection； and a place of refuge for you。 General
Kleber is ready to grant both； and he has sent his adjutant to
Coblentz to escort his nephew to Mayence。 You are that nephew； and
if you give your consent； you will set out at once and go to
Mayence。〃
〃And if I do not give my consent？〃 asked Louis Charles； with a
proud； flashing look。
〃I confess；〃 said Conde； with a shrug〃I confess that I am not
prepared for that contingency； and cannot on the instant grasp all
the unfortunate results which would ensue on your refusal。〃
〃Be calmed； Conde； I do not refuse。 I have only this one thing to
care for； to cause no danger； and bring nothing disagreeable to you；
for I see that they are in store for you if I do not disappear again
from view。 The son of the king vanished from sight； to appear as the
nephew of Conde； and now the nephew of Conde is to vanish； to emerge
as the nephew of General Kleber。 Ah；who knows but I may yet be the
nephew of Simon the cobbler； preparatory to my last appearance on
the guillotine？〃
〃I hope； on the contrary； that on the day when France shall rise
again； you will rise too； the acknowledged son of Louis XVI。； and
the heir of the throne of France。 At present the republic has sway；
and there is no hope of an immediate change。 But that will not last
always； and in the decisive hour； when the monarchy and the republic
come to their last great battle for existenceat that hour you must
appear upon the field； must lift the lilies high in the air； and
summon the royalists to your side in the name of God； and of the
king your father。〃
〃And what if my uncle； the Count de Provence； then declares me to be
an impostor？〃
〃Then you must publicly and solemnly appeal to France； lay the
proofs of your lineage before the nation； summon unimpeachable
witnesses； and demand your throne of the French nation。 And believe
me； if the heart of France is compelled to choose between you and
the Count de Provence； it will not choose him； for the count has
never possessed the heart of the people； and God is just。〃
〃God is just；〃 replied Louis Charles； sadly〃God is just； and yet
the King and Queen of France have perished on the guillotine； and
their brother calls himself King of France； while the son of Louis
XVI。 must find shelter with a general of that French republic which
was the enemy of my parents。〃
〃It is true；〃 said Conde； with a sigh； 〃it is very difficult at
times to see the justice of God； but we must always hope to see it；
and at length it will reveal itself in all its glory。 And the hour
of judgment will come for you。 Await it steadfastly and with
patience； and when it is come； call on me； and I will not neglect
your summons； but will support you； and will give you my
recognition。 I have all the documents which relate to your flight；
all the testimony given by those who were engaged in assisting you；
and besides this； a detailed account of your flight； subscribed with
my name； and stamped with my seal。 I have further the testimony of
the teachers who gave yon instruction at my palace of Chambord； and
the keeper of the palace recorded the day on which you arrived。 I am
ready to give you these papers； if you will swear to me that you
will not misuse them； but give them to General Kleber； that he may
preserve them for you。〃
〃I swear to you that I will do so；〃 said the prince； solemnly。
Conde handed to him a small and closely…rolled package of papers。
〃This contains your future；〃 he said； 〃and out of these papers I
hope a crown will grow for you。 Till then let the republic preserve
them for you。 General Kleber is expecting you； and his adjutant is
waiting for you in the next room。 Permit me to give you one more
piece of advice： remain steadfast； resist all tempters who would
beguile you with pleasant words to acknowledge yourself King of
France。 For be persuaded these tempters are the emissaries of your
enemies； and if you should acknowledge to them that you are King
Louis XVII。； you would be writing your own death…warrant。 The balls
which I trust will spare the nephew of General Kleber would
certainly pierce the heart of the nephew of Count de Lille。 Continue
to deny it as you denied it to General Charette。 Swear to me that
you will faithfully keep the secret of your lineage till I release
you from the oath by which I now close your lips； and tell you that
the hour of action and of disclosures is come； swear it to me； in
view of the fidelity which I have shown to you； and which I shall
always be ready to show。〃
〃You have saved my life；〃 said Louis Charles； solemnly。 〃My life；
therefore； belongs to you； and I give it into your hands in
swearing； by the memory of my dear parents； and especially my noble
and proud…spirited mother； Queen Marie Antoinette； that I will
faithfully and truly keep the secret of my parentage； and not feel
myself justified in revealing it to the world； till you； the Prince
de Conde； shall have given me permission； and empowered me to do
so。〃
〃I thank you；〃 said Conde； 〃for I am now unconcerned about your
immediate future。 General Kleber and the French republic will
protect you； for the present； from the dangerous pretender； Count
Lille； and； in God's providence； I trust there will come a day when
France will be prepared to raise the son of its kings to the throne
which belongs to him。 Let us hope for this day； and be persuaded
that I shall neglect nothing which will help bring it about。 And
now； as we part； I bow my knee to you； my young king； I now
acknowledge you solemnly as the son of my well…beloved cousin； King
Louis XVI。； and the rightful heir of the throne of the lilies。 May
the spirits of the murdered royal couple； may God and the ear of my
king take note of the oath which I now pronounce。 I swear that I
will never acknowledge any other prince as King of France； so long
as you； King Louis XVII。； are among the living。 I swear that if I
ever break this vow； and acknowledge another King of France； you；
Louis XVII。； may accuse me of high…treason； and condemn me to the
death which a traitor deserves。 I swear that I will subject myself
to this death…penalty without opposition and complaint。 And this I
swear by Almighty God； and by the memory of your royal parents；
whose spirits are with us at this hour。〃
〃And I； Prince de Conde； I accept your oath；〃 said Louis Charles；
gravely。 〃I go away now into exile； but I carry your oath with me as
my hope for the future； and may God grant that I shall never be
compelled to remind you of it； but that you will faithfully and
truly keep it。 Fare you well！ My crown rests in your heart。〃
〃And in these papers； sire。 Deliver them to the brave General
Kleber； and he will preserve them as his most sacred and cherished
possession。〃
He kissed the hand of the prince； which was reached out for the
papers； and then hastened to summon the officer； who was waiting in
the adjoining room for the nephew of General Kleber； having no
suspicion what an important mission was intrusted to him。
But General Kleber knew the secret better； and although not a word
and not an action disclosed it； yet the gentle friendliness； the
mild look； the subdued smile with which the general received his
young nephew in Mayence； testified that he was familiar with the
secret； and knew how to guard it。
In Mayence； under the care of General Kleber； his nephew； Louis； as
he called him； remained during the subsequent time； and very soon
gained the heart of his uncle； and was his inseparable friend by day
and by night。 They slept in one room； they ate at one table。 The
nephew accompanied his uncle at all parades and military exercises；
and； in order to make his favorite a skilful soldier； the general
undertook the duties of teacher； gave him instruction in the art of
war； and taught him the more familiar duties of a soldier's life。
The nephew comprehended readily； and pursued zealously the studies
which his uncle assigned him。 The pains and sorrows of the past were
forgotten； and only the recollections of his happy child…hood rested
silently at the bottom of his heart like pearls at the bottom of the
sea。
〃When shall I arise from this estate？ When will the crown of the
future be linked with these pleasant recollections of the past？〃
These were the questions which the growing boy repeated to himself
every morning and every evening。 But his lips never uttered them； he
never gave the slightest indication that he was any thing