touched　with　the　view　of　this　youth；　whose　countenance　was　the
  evidence　of　his　lineage；　the　living　picture　of　the　unfortunate　Louis
  XVI。；　whom　Fouche　had　brought　to　the　scaffold。　Perhaps　this　man　of
  blood　and　the　guillotine　had　compunctions　of　conscience；　perhaps　he
  wanted　to　atone　to　the　son　for　his　injuries　to　the　parents；　perhaps
  he　was　planning　to　make　of　the　son　of　the　Bourbons　a　check　to　the
  ambitious　consul　of　the　republic；　perhaps　to　humiliate　the　grasping
  Count　de　Lille；　who　was　intriguing　at　all　the　European　courts　for
  the　purpose　of　raising　armies　against　the　French　republic。　The　son
  of　Louis　XVI。　could　be　employed　as　a　useful　foil　to　all　these
  political　manoeuvres；　and　subsequently　he　could　either　be　publicly
  acknowledged；　or　denounced　as　an　impostor；　as　circumstances　might
  determine。
  At　present　it　suited　the　plans　of　the　crafty　Fouche　to　acknowledge
  him；　and　to　assume　the　attitude　of　a　protector。　He　put　on　a　very
  respectful　and　sympathetic　air　to　the　poor　solitary　youth；　with
  gentle；　tremulous　voice　he　called　him　your　Majesty；　he　begged　his
  pardon　for　the　past；　he　spoke　with　such　deep　emotion　and　so　solemn　a
  tone　of　the　good；　great；　and　gentle　Louis　XVI。；　that　the　heart　of
  the　son　was　powerfully　touched。　And　when　Fouche；　with　flaming　words
  of　enthusiasm；　began　to　speak　of　the　noble；　unhappy　Queen　Marie
  Antoinette；　when　with　glowing　eloquence　he　celebrated　her　beauty　and
  her　gentleness　in　time　of　good…fortune；　her　greatness　and
  steadfastness　in　ill…fortune；　all　the　anger　of　the　young　man　melted
  in　the　tears　of　love　which　he　poured　out　as　he　remembered　his
  mother。
  〃I　forgive　you；　Fouche；　yes；　I　forgive　you；〃　he　cried；　extending
  both　his　hands。　〃I　see　plainly　the　power　of　political　faction
  hurried　you　away；　but　your　heart　cannot　be　bad；　for　you　love　my
  noble　mother。　I　forgive　you；　and　I　trust　you。〃
  Fouche；　deeply　moved；　sank　upon　his　knee　before　the　dauphin；　and
  called　himself　one　of　his　loyal　subjects；　and　promised　to　take　all
  means　to　restore　the　young　king　to　the　throne　of　his　fathers。　He
  conjured　Louis　to　trust　him；　and　to　enter　upon　no　plan　without
  asking　his　counsel。
  Louis　promised　this。　He　told　Fouche　that　he　was　the　only　man　who　had
  talked　with　him　about　the　past　without　using　ambiguous　language；
  that　he　was　surprised　at　this；　and　compelled　to　recognize　as　true
  what　formerly　had　been　fettered　on　his　tongue。　He　told　him　that　he
  had　promised　his　rescuer；　with　a　solemn　oath；　never　to　acknowledge
  himself　as　the　son　of　Louis　XVI。；　and　King　of　France；　till　this
  rescuer　and　benefactor　empowered　him　to　do　so；　and　released　him　from
  his　vow　of　silence。　He　made　it；　therefore；　the　first　condition　of
  his　confidence　that　Fouche　should　disclose　his　secret　to　no　one；　but
  carry　it　faithfully　in　his　own　breast。
  Fouche　promised　all；　and　took　a　sacred　oath　that　he　would　never
  reveal　the　secret　confided　to　him　by　the　King　of　France。　But　he
  confessed　at　the　same　time　that　the　First　Consul　knew　very　well　that
  the　son　of　the　king　had　been　released　from　the　Temple；　and　that
  among　the　posthumous　papers　of　Kleber　there　was　a　letter　directed　to
  Bonaparte；　stating　that　he；　Kleber；　knew　very　well　that　the　little
  Capet　was　still　living；　and　imploring　Bonaparte　to　restore　the
  orphan　to　the　throne　of　the　Lilies。　The　consul　had；　therefore；
  quietly；　made　investigations；　and　learned　that　Louis　had　taken　part
  as　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix　in　the　battle　of　Marengo；　that　he
  had　been　wounded　there；　and　remained　in　the　hospital　of　Alessandria
  till　his　recovery。　Since　then　all　trace　of　the　young　man　had　been
  lost；　and　he　had　commissioned　Fouche　to　discover　the　adjutant　of
  Kleber　and　Desaix　and　bring　him　to　him。
  〃You　will　not　do　that？〃　cried　Louis；　eagerly；　〃you　will　not　disclose
  me？〃
  〃Are　you　afraid　of　him？〃　asked　Fouche；　with　a　suspicious　smile。
  The　young　man　blushed；　and　a　cloud　passed　over　his　clear　forehead。
  〃Fear！〃　he　replied　with　a　shrug。　〃The　sons　of　my　ancestors　have　no
  fear；　and　I　have　shown　on　the　battle…fields　of　Aboukir　and　Marongo；
  and　in　the　pest…houses　of　Jaffa；　that　I　know　not　the　word。　But　when
  one　meets　a　blood…thirsty　lion　in　his　path　he　turns　out　of　the　way；
  and　when　a　tiger　extends　its　talons　at　one　he　flies；　that　is　the
  duty　of　self…preservation；　and　not　the　flight　of　a　coward。〃
  〃Do　you　believe；　then；　that　this　lion　thirsts　for　royal　blood？〃
  〃I　believe　that　he　thirsts　for　royal　rank；　and　that　he　will　neglect
  no　means　to　vanquish　all　hinderances　that　might　intervene　between
  himself　and　the　throne。　Do　you　believe；　sir；　that　the　man　who；　after
  the　battle　of　Aboukir；　sentenced　five　thousand　prisoners　to　death；
  would　hesitate　a　moment　to　take　the　life　of　a　poor；　defenceless
  young　man　such　as　I　am？　He　would　beat　me　into　the　dust　as　the　lion
  does　the　flea　which　dares　to　play　with　his　mane。〃
  〃It　appears　you　know　this　aon　very　well；〃　said　Fouche　with　a　smile；
  〃and　I　really　believe　you　judge　him　rightly。　But　be　without　concern。
  He　shall　not　know　from　me　that　I　am　aware　of　you　and　your　abiding…
  place。　In　order　that　Bonaparte　shall　not　take　me　to　be　a　bad
  detective；　I　shall　show　him　in　all　other　things　that　I　am　on　the
  alert。　In　case　of　necessity；　it　may　be　that　I　shall　have　to　resort
  to　deception；　and；　in　order　to　save　your　life；　inform　the　consul
  that　you　are　dead。　There　were　a　great　many　young　officers　who　fell
  at　Marengo；　or　afterward　died　as　the　result　of　their　wounds。　Why
  should　not　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix　have　met　this　fate？　Yes；　I
  believe　this　will　be　the　best。　I　will　give　you　out　as　dead；　in　order
  to　save　your　life。　I　will　cause　a　paper　to　be　prepared　which　shall
  testify　that　the　adjutant　of　General　Desaix；　who　lay　there　in　the
  hospital；　died　there　of　his　wounds　and　was　buried。〃
  〃And　so　I　shall　disappear　from　life　a　second　time？〃　asked　Louis；
  sadly。
  〃Yes；　sire；　in　order　to　enter　anew　upon　it　with　greater　splendor；〃
  replied　Fouche；　eagerly。
  〃Who　knows　whether　this　shall　ever　be？〃　sighed　Louis。　〃How　shall　I
  be　able　to　establish　my　identity　if　I　die　and　am　buried　twice？　Who
  will　be　my　pledge　that　I　shall　be　able　to　convince　men　that　I　am　not
  a　deceiver；　and　that　my　whole　existence　is　not　an　idle　tale？　There
  are　only　a　few　who　know　and　believe　that　little　Capet　escaped　from
  the　Temple；　and　went　to　Egypt　as　Kleber's　adjutant。　If；　now；　these
  few　learn　that　the　adjutant　fell　in　battle；　if　the　paper　that
  testifies　to　his　death　is　laid　before　them；　how　shall　I　subsequently
  be　believed　if　I　announce　that　I　am　alive；　and　that　I　am　the　one　for
  whom　I　give　myself　out？　The　seal　of　royalty　is　impressed　on　no　man's
  brow；　and　we　know　from　history　that　there　have　been　false
  pretenders。〃
  〃You　shall　show　with　your　papers　that　you　are　none　such；〃　said
  Fouche；　eagerly；　〃and　God　will　grant　that　I；　too；　shall　be　living
  when　the　time　shall　be　in　which　you　may　come　forward　with　raised
  voice　and　demand　your　inheritance　and　your　throne。　Hope　for　that
  time；　and　meanwhile　preserve　your　papers　well。　Carry　them　always
  with　you；　part　with　them　neither　day　nor　night；　for　in　these　papers
  rest　your　future　and　your　c　rown。　No　other　man　besides　yourself　can
  take　care　of　them　These　papers　are　worth　more　to　you　than　a　million
  of　fras；　although　oven　that　should　not　be　scorned。　Here　are　the
  documents　that　give　you　possession　of　your　wealth。　I　have　deposited
  your　funds　in　the　Bank　of　France；　and　you　can　draw　out　money　at　any
  time　by　presenting　these　checks　that　I　give　you；　simply　writing　your
  name　upon　them。〃
  〃By　simply　writing　my　name　upon　them！〃　cried　Louis；　bitterly。　〃But；
  sir；　what　is　my　name？　How　shall　I　be　called？　I　was　formerly
  designated　as　the　nephew　of　Kleber；　Colonel　Louis；　the　adjutant　of
  Desaix。　But　Colonel　Louis　can　no　longer　acknowledge　that　he　is
  alive；　and　you　propose　to　convince　the　First　Consul　that　the　nephew
  of　Kleber　is　dead。　Who；　then；　am　I？　What　name　shall　I　subscribe　to
  those　papers？　By　what　name　shall　the　nameless；　the　dead　and　buried；
  the　resurrected；　the　again　dead　and　buried　oneby　what　name　shall
  he　draw　money　from　the　bank？〃
  〃Very　true；〃　said　Fouche。　〃A　name；　or　rather　the　mask　of　a　citizen's
  or　nobleman's　name；　must　be　your　disguise；　and　it　is　imperatively
  necessary　that　we　give　you　such；　and　provide　you　with　papers　that
  cannot　be　forged；　which　shall　prove　your　existence；　and　secure　you
  against　every　assault。〃
  〃Very　good；　then　tell　me　how　I　shall　be　called；〃　said　Louis；　sadly。
  〃Be　the　godfather　of　the　solitary　and　nameless。〃
  〃Well；　I　will；〃　cried　Fouche。　〃In　the　glamour　of　political　passions
  I　have　raised　my　voice　against　the　life　of　your　father；　full　of
  regret　I　will　raise　my　voice　for　the　life　of　the　son；　and　assist　him
  to　enter　afresh　upon　life　and　into　the　society　of　men。　Young　man；　I
  will　give　you　a　name　and　rank；　till　the　French　nation　restore　to　you
  your　true　name　and　rank。　You　shall　henceforth　be　called　the　Baron　de
  Richemont。　Will　you　accept　it？〃
  〃Yes；　I　will　accept　it；〃　said　Louis；　gently。　〃To　be　the　Baron　de
  Richemont　is　better　than　to　be　a　dead　and　buried　person　without　any
  name。〃
  〃Very　good；　my　lord　baron；〃　cried　Fouche；　〃I　will　have　the　necessary
  certificates　and　papers　made　out；　and　enter　your　property　in　the
  Bank　of　France　under　the　name　of