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Fidele； a title which will remain for centuries。〃
〃Yes； you are right；〃 said Dr。 Naudin； laying his hand on the
shoulder of Dr。 Saunier。 〃He is the noblest； most loyal； and bravest
of us all。 On that account； when he came to me a few days ago and
showed me the golden salt* bottle of the queen in confirmation of
his statement that he was Toulan； I was ready to do every thing that
he might desire of me and to enter into all his plans； for Toulan's
magnanimity and fidelity are contagious； and excite every one to
emulate him。〃
〃I beg you； gentlemen；〃 said Toulan softly； 〃do not praise me nor
think that to be heroism which is merely natural。 I have devoted to
Queen Marie Antoinette my life； my thought； my heart。 I swore upon
her hand that so long as I lived I would be true to her and her
family； and to keep my vow is simple enough。 Queen Marie Antoinette
is no more。 I was not able to save her； but perhaps she looks down
from the heavenly heights upon us； and is satisfied with us； if she
sees that we are now trying to do for her son what； unfortunately；
we were not able to accomplish for her。 This is my hope； and this
spurs rue on to attempt every thing； in order to bring about the
last wish of my queenthe freeing of her son。 God in His grace has
willed that I should not be alone in this effort； and that I should
have the cooperation of noble men。 He visibly blesses our plans； for
is it not a manifest sign of His blessing that； exactly in those
days when we are trying to find a means of approaching the unhappy；
imprisoned son of the queen； accident affords us this means？ Exactly
at the hour when I went to Dr。 Naudin and disclosed myself to him；
the porter of the Temple came and desired in behalf of Simon's wife
that Dr。 Naudin should go to the Temple。〃
〃Yes； indeed； it was a wonderful occurrence；〃 said Naudin；
thoughtfully。 〃I am not over…blessed with sensibility； but when I
saw the son of the queen in his sorrow and humiliation； I sank on my
knee before the poor little king； and in my heart I swore that
Toulan should find in me a faithful coadjutor in his plan； and that
I would do every thing to set him free。〃
〃And so have I too sworn；〃 cried Jarjayes； with enthusiasm。 〃The
queen is dead； but our fidelity to her lives and shall renew itself
to her son； King Louis XVII。 I know well that the police are
watching me； that they know who is secreting himself here under the
name of Citizen Orage； that they follow every one of my steps and
perhaps suffer me to be free only for the purpose of seeing with
whom I have relations； in order to arrest and destroy me at one fell
swoop； with all my friends at the same time。 But we must use the
time。 I have come here with the firm determination of delivering the
unhappy young king from the hands of his tormentors； and I will now
confess every thing to you； my friends。 I have gained for our
undertaking the assistance and protection of a rich and noble
patron； a true servant of the deceased king。 The Prince de Conde；
with whom I have lived in Vendee for the past few months； has
furnished me with ample means； and is prepared to support us to any
extent in our undertaking。 If we succeed in saving the young king；
the latter will find in Vendee a safe asylum with the prince； and
will live there securely； surrounded by his faithful subjects。 The
immense difficulty； or； as I should have said a few days ago； the
impossibility； is the release of the young prince from the Temple。
But now that I have succeeded in discovering Toulan and uniting
myself with him； I no longer say it is impossible； but only it is
difficult。〃
〃And；〃 cried Toulan； 〃since I am sure of the assistance of the noble
Doctor Naudin； I say； we will free him； the son of our Queen Marie
Antoinette； the young King Louis XVII。 The plan is entirely ready in
my head； and in order to make its execution possible； I went a few
days ago to see Doctor Naudin at the Hotel Dieu； in order to beg him
to visit the sick boy that the marquis has here； and just at that
moment Simon's messenger came to the Temple。 Doctor Naudin is now
here； and first of all it is necessary that he give us his last；
decisive judgment on the patient。 So take us to him； marquis； for
upon Naudin's decision depends the fate of the young King of
France。〃
The marquis nodded silently； and conducted the gentlemen into the
next room。 There； carefully propped up by mattresses and pillows；
lay a child of perhaps ten yearsa poor； unfortunate boy； with
pale； sunken cheeks； fixed blue eyes； short fair hair； and a stupid；
idiotic expression on his features。 As the three gentlemen came to
him he fixed his eyes upon them in a cold； indifferent way； and not
a quiver in his face disclosed any interest in them。 Motionless and
pale as death the boy lay upon his bed； and only the breath that
came hot and in gasps from his breast disclosed that there was still
life in this poor shattered frame。
Doctor Naudin stooped down to the boy and looked at him a long time
with the utmost attention。
〃This boy is perfectly deaf！〃 he then said； raising himself up and
looking at the marquis inquiringly。
〃Yes； doctor； your sharp eye has correctly discerned it； he is
perfectly deaf。〃
〃Is it your son？〃
〃No； doctor； he is the son of my sister； the Baroness of Tardif； who
was guillotined together with her husband。 I undertook the care of
this unfortunate child； and at my removal from Paris gave him to
some faithful servants of my family to be cared for。 On my return I
learned that the good people had both been guillotined； and find the
poor boy； who before had been at least sound in body； utterly
neglected； and living on the sympathy of the people who had taken
him on the death of his foster…parents。 I brought the child at once
to this house； which I had hired for myself under the name of
Citizen Orage； and Toulan undertook to procure the help of a
physician。 It has now come in the person of the celebrated Doctor
Naudin； and I beg you to have pity on the poor unfortunate child；
and to receive him into the Hotel Dieu。〃
〃Let me first examine the child； in order to tell you what is the
nature of his disorder。〃
And Doctor Naudin stooped down again to the boy； examined his eyes；
his chest； his whole form； listened to his breathing； the action of
his heart； and felt his pulse。 The patient was entirely apathetic
during all this； now and then merely whining and groaning； when a
movement of the doctor's hand caused him pain。
After the careful investigation had been ended； the doctor called
the two gentlemen who had withdrawn to the window to the bed again。
〃Marquis；〃 said he； 〃this unfortunate child will never recover； and
the least painful thing that could happen to him would be a speedy
release from his miserable lot。 Yet I do not believe that this will
occur； but consider it possible that the boy will protract his
unfortunate life a full year after his mind has entirely passed
away； and nothing is left of him but his body。 The boy； if you can
regard such a poor creature as a human being； is suffering from an
incurable form of scrofula； which will by and by consume his limbs；
and convert him into an idiot； he is now deaf； he will be a mere
stupid beast。 If it were permitted to substitute the hand of science
in place of the hand of God； I should say we ought to kill this poor
creature that is no man and no beast； and has nothing more to expect
of life than pain and torture； having no more consciousness of any
thing than the dog has when he does not get a bone with which to
quiet his hunger。〃
〃Poor； unhappy creature！〃 sighed the marquis。 〃Now； I thank God that
He released my sister from the pain of seeing her dear child in this
condition。
〃Doctor Naudin；〃 said Toulan； solemnly； 〃is it your fixed conviction
that this sick person will never recover？〃
〃My firm and undoubted conviction； which every physician who should
see him would share with me。〃
〃Are you of the opinion that this child has nothing in life to lose；
and that death would be a gain to it？〃
〃Yes； that is my belief。 Death would be a release for the poor
creature； for life is only a burden to it as well as to others。〃
〃Then；〃 cried Toulan； solemnly； 〃I will give this poor sick child a
higher and a fairer mission。 I will make its life an advantage to
others； and its death a hallowed sacrifice。 Marquis of Jarjayes； in
the name of King Louis XVI。； in the name of the exalted martyr to
whom we have all sworn fidelity unto death； Queen Marie Antoinette；
I demand and desire of you that you would intrust to me this unhappy
creature； and give his life into my hands。 In the name of Marie
Antoinette； I demand of the Marquis of Jarjayes that he deliver to
me the son of his sister； that he do what every one of us is
joyfully prepared to do if our holy cause demands it； that this boy
may give his life for his king； the imprisoned Louis XVII。〃
While Toulan was speaking with his earnest； solemn voice； Jarjayes
knelt before the bed of the poor sobbing child； and； hiding his face
in his hands； he prayed softly。
Then； after a long pause； he rose and laid his hand on the feverish
brow of the boy。 〃You have address