She　did　so　with　a　quick　stroke　of　the　pen　and　handed　the　letter　to
  Fouche。　〃Take　it；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　your　justification。　And　in　order
  that　you　may　be　entirely　secure；〃　she　continued；　with　a　slight
  smile；　〃retain　this　letter　yourself。　What　I　would　say　to　this　young
  man　I　would　rather　communicate　by　word　of　mouth。〃
  〃How；〃　cried　Fouche；　〃　you　want〃
  〃To　see　and　speak　with　the　king；〃　she　said；　sorrowfully；　〃to　beg　his
  forgiveness　for　myself　and　Bonaparte。　Hush！　do　not　oppose　me；　I　am
  resolved　upon　it。　I　want　to　see　the　young　man。〃
  〃But　he　cannot　come　here；　madamehere；　into　the　very　den　of　the
  lion。〃
  〃No；　not　here；　into　the　desecrated　palace　of　the　kings；〃　she
  answered；　bitterly。　〃No；　he　cannot　come　hereI　shall　go　to　him。〃
  〃You　are　jesting；　madame；　it　is　impossible。　You；　the　wife　of　the
  First　Consul；　you　will〃
  〃I　want　to　fulfil　a　duty　of　gratitude　and　of　loyalty；　Fouche。　In　my
  heart　I　still　feel　myself　the　subject　of　the　queen。　Let　me　follow
  the　call　of　my　heart！　Listen！　My　carriage　stands　ready。　I　was
  intending　to　drive　to　my　friend　Madame　Tallien。　I　will　take　a
  pleasure…drive　instead。　In　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　I　will　cause　the
  carriage　to　stop；　send　it　away；　and　return　on　foot。　You　will　await
  in　there　with　a　fiacre　and　take　me　to　the　king。〃
  〃It　shall　be　so；〃　said　Fouche。　〃Your　will　shall　be　my　law。　I　only
  ask　that　you　hasten；　for　you　know　well　that　I　have　much　to　do　to…
  day。　I　shall　take　advantage　of　the　time　to　procure　for　the　young　man
  the　necessary　passports　for　travel。　But；　madame；　you　must　help　him
  leave　the　city。　For　you　know　that　the　gates　are　all　closed。〃
  〃I　will　tell　Bonaparte　that　I　am　troubled　to　be　in　the　city；　now
  that　it　is　so　shut　in。　I　will　drive　out　to　St。　Cloud。　His　carriage
  can　follow　mine；　and　if　the　gate…keeper　puts　hinderances　in　the　way；
  I　will　command　him　to　let　Louis　pass。　Now　let　us　hasten！〃
  An　hour　later　Josephine；　after　dismissing　her　equipage　with　the
  servants；　entered　the　fiacre　which　was　waiting　for　her　near　the
  fountain。　Fouche　received　her　there；　and　was　unwearied　in　his
  complaints　of　the　poor　carriage　which　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul
  must　use。
  Josephine　smiled；　〃My　dear　sir；〃　she　said；　〃there　have　been　times
  when　I　should　have　been　very　proud　and　very　happy　to　have　had　such　a
  fiacre　as　this；　and　not　to　have　been　compelled　to　walk　through　the
  muddy　streets　of　Paris。　Let　it　be　as　it　is！　The　present　days　of
  superfluity　have　not　made　me　proud；　and　I　have　a　vivid　recollection
  of　the　past。　But　tell　me；　Fouche；　whither　are　we　driving；　and　where
  does　the　young　king　live？〃
  〃We　are　driving；　if　you　graciously　approve　of　it；　to　my　house；　and　I
  have　brought　the　young　man　there；　for　in　his　own　house　he　is　no
  longer　safe。　I　have　had　it　surrounded　by　agents　of　the　secret
  police；　with　orders　to　arrest　him　on　his　return。　He　will；　of　course；
  not　return；　and　it　will　be　easier　to　assume　the　appearance　that　he
  received　an　intimation　of　his　peril　and　escaped　in　season。　But　here
  we　are　before　my　door；　and　if　you　will　draw　the　thick　veil　which
  happily　you　have　fastened　to　your　bonnet；　carefully　before　your
  face；　I　hope　that　no　one　will　see　that　the　most　beautiful　lady　in
  Paris　honors　my　house　with　her　distinguished　presence。〃
  Josephine　made　no　reply　to　this　flattery；　but　drew　the　black　lace
  veil　closely　over　her　face；　and　hastened　to　leave　the　fiacre；　and
  entered　the　house。
  〃Fouche；〃　she　whispered；　as　she　ascended　the　staircase；　〃my　heart
  beats　as　violently　as　it　did　when　I　drove　to　the　Tuileries　to　be
  presented　to　Marie　Antoinette。　It　was　the　first　time　that　I　spoke
  with　the　Queen　of　France。〃
  〃And　now；　madame；〃　said　Fouche；　with　a　smile；　〃you　will　speak　with
  the　last　King　of　France。〃
  〃Does　he　know　who　I　am？〃
  〃No；　madame；　I　have　left　it　to　you　to　inform　him。　Here　we　are　at　the
  saloonhe　is　within！〃
  〃Wait　only　a　moment；　Fouche。　I　must　collect　myself。　My　heart　beats
  dreadfully。　Now；　now　you　may　open　the　door！〃
  They　entered　the　little　saloon。　Josephine　stood　still　near　the　door；
  and　while　she　hastily　removed　her　bonnet　and　the　thick　veil　and
  handed　them　to　Fouche；　her　large；　brilliant；　brown　eyes　were　turned
  to　the　young　man　who　stood　in　the　window…niche；　his　hands　calmly
  folded　over　his　breast。　In　this　attitude；　with　the　calm　look　of　his
  face；　the　gentle　glance　of　his　blue　eyes；　he　bore　so　close　a
  resemblance　to　the　pictures　which　represented　Louis　XVI。　in　his
  youth；　that　Josephine　could　not　repress　a　cry　of　surprise；　and
  hastened　forward　to　the　young　man；　who　now　advanced　out　of　the
  window　recess。　〃Madame；〃　he　said；　bowing　low　before　this　beautiful
  and　dignified　lady　whom　he　did　not　know；　but　whose　sympathizing　face
  made　his　heart　tremble〃madame；　doubtless　you　are　the　lady　whom　M。
  Fouche　said　I　might　expect　to　meet　here。〃
  〃Yes；　I　am　she；〃　replied　Josephine；　with　a　voice　trembling　with
  emotion；　her　eyes；　flooded　with　tears；　all　the　while　being　fixed　on
  the　grave；　youthful　face　which　brought　back　so　many　memories　of　the
  past。　〃I　have　come　to　see　you　and　to　bring　you　the　greetings　of　a
  man　whom　you　loved；　who　revered　you；　and　who　died　blessing　you。〃
  〃Of　whom　do　you　speak？〃　asked　Louis；　turning　pale。
  〃Men　called　him　Toulan；〃　whispered　Josephine。　〃Queen　Marie
  Antoinette　termed　him　Fidele。〃
  〃Fidele！〃　cried　Louis；　in　a　tone　of　anguish。　〃Fidele　is　dead！my
  deliverer；　he　whose　fidelity　and　bravery　released　me　from　my
  dreadful　prison。　Oh；　madame；　what　sad　thoughts　do　you　bring　back
  with　his　name！〃
  Josephine　turned　with　a　triumphant　look　to　Fouche；　who　was　still
  standing　behind　her　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　door。　Her　look　said；
  〃You　see　he　is　no　traitor；　he　has　stood　the　proof。〃
  Fouche　understood　the　language　of　this　look　perfectly；　and　a　smile
  played　over　his　features。　Then　Josephine　turned　again　to　the　young
  man。
  〃You　did　not　know　that　Toulan　was　dead？〃　she　asked；　softly。
  〃How　could　I　know　it？〃　he　cried；　bitterly。　〃I　was　taken　at　that　time
  to　a　solitary　castle；　where　I　remained　several　years；　and　then　I
  went　to　Germany；　and　from　that　time　I　have　always　lived　in　foreign
  parts。　Since　I　have　been　in　Paris　I　have　made　the　effort　to　learn
  something　about　him；　but　no　one　could　inform　me；　and　so　I　solaced
  myself　with　the　hope　that　he　had　really　gone　to　America；　for　that
  was　his　object；　as　the　other　gentleman　who　assisted　me　in　my　release
  informed　me　at　that　time。〃
  〃This　other　gentleman；〃　said　Josephine；　softly；　〃was　the　Baron　de
  Jarjayes；　and　the　child　who　was　carried　into　the　Temple　was　the〃
  〃The　son　of　the　Count　de　Frotte；〃　rejoined　Louis。
  〃Fouche；　it　is　he！〃　cried　Josephine。　〃It　is　the　son　of　my　noble；
  unfortunate　Queen　Marie　Antoinette。Oh；　sire；　let　me　testify　my
  homage　to　you；　as　becomes　a　subject　when　she　stands　before　her　king。
  Sire；　I　bow　my　knee　before　you；　and　I　would　gladly　pour　out　my　whole
  life　in　tears；　and　with　each　of　these　tears　beg　your　forgiveness　for
  France；　for　us　all。〃
  And　the　beautiful；　passionate　creole　sank　upon　her　knee；　and　raised
  her　tearful　eyes　to　the　young　man　who；　perplexed　and　blushing；　gazed
  at　her；　then　hastily　stooped　to　her　and　conjured　her　to　rise。
  〃Not；　sire；〃　she　cried；　〃until　you　tell　me　that　you　have　forgiven
  methat　you　have　forgiven　us　all。〃
  〃I　forgive　you？　What　have　I　to　forgive　in　you？　Monsieur　Fouche；　who
  is　this　lady　who　knows　me　and　my　destinies；　and　who　brings　me
  greetings　from　Fidele？　What　have　I　to　forgive　in　her？　Who　is　she？
  Tell　me　her　name？〃
  〃Monsieur；〃　said　Fouche；　slowly　approaching；　〃this　lady　is〃
  〃Hush！　Fouche；　I　will　tell　him　myself；〃　interrupted　Josephine。
  〃Sire；　when　your　beautiful；　exalted　mother　was　still　living　in
  Versailles；　I　had　the　honor　to　be　presented　to　her；　both　at　the
  grand　receptions　and　at　the　minor　ones。　One　dayit　was　already　in
  the　unhappy　Reign　of　Terrorwhen　the　queen　had　left　Versailles　and
  Trianon；　and　was　already　living　in　the　Tuileries；　I　went　thither　to
  pay　my　respects。〃
  〃That　is　to　say；　madame；〃　cried　Louis；　〃you　were　a　brave　and　loyal
  woman；　for　only　the　brave　and　the　loyal　ventured　then　to　go　to　the
  Tuileries。　Oh；　speak　on！　speak　on！　You　wanted　to　pay　your　respects
  to　the　queen；　you　were　saying；　she　received　you；　did　she　not？　You
  were　taken　into　the　little　saffron　saloon？〃
  〃No；　sire；　the　queen　was　not　there；　she　was　in　the　little　music…
  hall；　and；　because　at　that　time　etiquette　was　no　longer　rigidly
  enforced；　I　was　allowed　to　accompany　the　Marchioness　de　Tourzel　into
  the　music…room。　The　queen　did　not　notice　our　entrance；　for　she　was
  singing。　I　remained　standing　at　the　door；　and　contemplated　the
  wondrous　picture　that　I　saw　there。　The　queen；　in　a　simple　white
  dress；　her　light　brown；　slightly　powdered　hair　concealed　by　a　black
  lace　head…dress；　sat　at　the　spinet　on　which　her　white　hands　rested。
  Near　her　in　the　window…niche　sat　madame；　engaged　with　her
  embroidery。　Very　near　her　sat；　in　a　little　arm…chair；　a　boy　of　five
  years；　a　lovely　child；　with　long　golden　locks；　with　large　blue　eyes；
  and　looking　like　an　angel。　The　little　hands；　surrounded　by　lace
  wristbands；　leaned　on　the　support　of　the　chair；　while　his　looks
  rested　incessantly　upon　the　countenance　of　the　queen；　and　his　whole
  child's　soul　was　absorbed　in　the　gaze　which　he　directed　to　his
  mother