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she says is always with us。 Ah！ doctor； help us！ See； now； how the
poor woman suffers and twists！〃
The doctor drew a bottle from his breast…pocket； and rubbed a few
drops upon the temples of the sick woman。
〃Those are probably the famous soothing…drops of Doctor Naudin？〃
asked Simon； in astonishment； when he saw how quiet his wife became；
and that her spasms and groans ceased。
〃Yes；〃 answered the doctor； 〃and the eminent physician sends them as
a present to your wife。 They are very costly； and rich people have
to pay a louis…d'or for every drop。 But Doctor Naudin。 gives them to
you； for he wishes Jeanne Marie long to enjoy good health。 How is it
with you now？〃
〃I feel well； completely well；〃 she said； as the doctor rubbed some
drops a second time on her temple。 〃I feel easier than I have felt
for a long time。〃
〃Give me your hand；〃 said the doctor。 〃Rise up； for you are well。
Let us go into the chamber of the poor boy； for I have to speak with
you there。〃
He walked toward the chamber…door； leading Jeanne Marie by the hand；
while Simon followed them。 Softly and silently they entered the dark
room； and went to the mattress on which the child lay。
The boy stared at them with great； wide…opened eyes； but they were
without expression and life； and only the breath； as it came slowly
and heavily from the half…opened lips； showed that there was
vitality still in this poor； little； shrunken form。
The doctor kneeled down beside the bed； and； bending over it；
pressed a long； fervent kiss on the delicate； hot hand of the child。
But Charles Louis remained motionless； he merely slowly dropped his
lids and closed his eyes。
〃You see； doctor； he neither hears nor sees；〃 said Simon； in a low；
growling voice。 〃He cares for nothing； and does not know any thing
about what is going on around him。 It is a week since he spoke a
word。〃
〃Not since the day when you wanted to compel the child to sing the
song that makes sport of his mother。〃
〃He did not sing it？〃 asked the doctor； with a tremulous voice。
〃He is a mulish little toad；〃 cried Simon； angrily。 〃I begged him at
first； then I threatened； and when prayers and threats were of no
use I punished him； as a naughty boy deserves when he will not do
what his foster…father bids him do。 But even blows did not bring him
to it； the obstinate youngster would not sing the merry song with
me； and since then he has not spoken a word。 ＇Footnote： Historical。…
…See Beauehesne'a 〃Histoirede Louis XVII。；〃 vol。 ii。＇ He seems as if
he had grown deaf and dumb as a punishment for not obeying his good
foster…father。〃
〃He is neither deaf nor dumb；〃 said the doctor； solemnly。 〃He is
simply a good son； who would not sing the song which made sport of
his noble and unfortunate mother。 See whether I am not right： see
these tears which run from his closed eyes。 He has heard us； he has
understood us； and he answers us with his tears！ Oh； sire；〃 he
continued passionately； 〃by the sacred remembrance of your father
and your mother； I swear devotion to you until death； I swear that I
have come to set you free； to die for you。 Look up； my king and my
darling one！ I intrust to you and to both these witnesses my whole
secret； I let the mask fall to show myself to you in my true form；
that you may confide in me； and know that the most devoted of your
servants is kneeling before you； and that he dedicates his life to
you。 Open your eyes； Louis of France； and see whether you know me！〃
He sprang up； threw off the great peruke； and the long black cloak；
and stood before them in the uniform of an official guard。
〃Thunder and guns！〃 cried Simon； with a loud laugh。 〃it is〃
〃Hush！〃 interrupted the other〃hush！ He alone shall declare who I
am！ Oh； look at me； my king； convince these unbelieving ones here
that your mind is clear and strong； and that you are conscious of
what is going on around you。 Look at me； and if you know me； speak
my name！〃
And with folded hands； in unspeakable emotion； he leaned over the
bed of the child； that still lay with closed eyes。
〃I knew that he could hear nothing； and that he was deaf；〃 growled
Simon； while his wife folded her trembling hands； and with tearful
eyes whispered a prayer。
A deep silence ensued； and with anxious expectation each looked at
the boy。 At length he slowly raised the heavy； reddened eyelids； and
looked with a timid； anxious glance around himself。 Then his gaze
fixed itself upon the eloquent； speaking face of the man whose tears
were falling like warm dew…drops upon his pale； sunken features。
A quiver passed over the coutenance of the boy； a beam of joy
lighted up his eyes； and something like a smile played around his
trembling lips。
〃Do you know me？ Do you know my name？〃
The child raised his hand in salutation； and said； in a clear；
distinct voice： 〃Toulan！ Fidele！〃
Toulan fell on his knees again and covered the little thin hand of
the boy with his tears and his kisses。
〃Yes； Fidele；〃 he sobbed。 〃That is the title of honor which your
royal mother gave methat is the name that she wrote on the bit of
paper which she put into the gold smelling…bottle that she gave me。
That little bottle； which a queen once carried； is my most precious
possession； and yet I would part with that if I could save the life
of her son； happy if I could but retain the hallowed paper on which
the queen's hand wrote the word 'Fidele。' Yes； you poor； pitiable
son of kings； I am Fidele； I am Toulan； at whom you have so often
laughed when he played with you in your prison。〃
A flash like the sunlight passed over the face of the child； and a
smile illumined his features。
〃She used to laugh； too；〃 he whispered〃she； too； my mamma queen。〃
〃Yes； she too laughed at our jests；〃 said Toulan； with a voice
choked with tears； 〃and； believe me； she looks down from heaven upon
us and smiles her blessing； for she knows that Toulan has come to
free her dear son； and to deliver him from the executioner's hands。
Tell me now； my king and my dearly…loved lord； will you trust me；
will you give to your most devoted servant and subject the privilege
of releasing you？ Do you consent to accept freedom at the hands of
your Fidele？〃
The child threw a timid； anxious glance at Simon and his wife； and
then； with a shudder； turned his head to one side。
〃You make no answer； sire；〃 said Toulan； imploringly。 〃Oh！ speak； my
king； may I set you free？〃
The boy spoke a few words in reply； but so softly that Toulan could
not understand him。 He stooped down nearer to him； and put his ear
close to the lips of the child。 He then could hear the words；
inaudible to all but him；
〃He will disclose you； take care； Toulan。 But do not say any thing；
else he will beat me to death！〃
Toulan made no reply； he only impressed a long； tender kiss upon the
trembling hand of the child。
〃Did he speak？〃 asked Simon。 〃Did you understand； citizen； what he
said？〃
〃Yes； I understood him；〃 answered Toulan。 〃He consents； he allows me
to make every attempt to free him； and is prepared to do every thing
that we ask of him。 And now I ask you too； are you prepared to help
me release the prince？〃
〃You know already； Toulan；〃 said Simon； quickly； 〃that we are
prepared for every thing； provided that our conditions are
fulfilled。 Give me a tolerable position outside of the Temple； give
me a good bit of money； so that I may live free from care； and if
the new place should not suit me； that I could go into the country；
and not have to work at all； give my Jeanne Marie her health and
cheerfulness again； and I will help you set young Capet free。〃
〃Through my assistance； and that of Doctor Naudin； you shall have a
good place outside of the Temple；〃 answered Toulan； eagerly。
〃Besides this； at the moment when you deliver the prince into my
hands； outside of this prison； I will pay you in ready money the sum
of twenty thousand francs； and as for the third condition； that
about restoring her health to Jeanne Marie； I am sure that I can
fulfil this condition too。 Do you not know； Simon； what your wife is
suffering from？ Do you not know what her sickness is？〃
〃No； truly not。 I am no doctor。 How should I know what her sickness
is？〃
〃Then I will tell you； Citizen Simon。 Your wife is suffering from
the worst of all complaints； a bad conscience！ Yes； it is a bad
conscience that robs her of her sleep and rest； it is that which
makes her see the white； pale form of the martyred queen in the
night； and read the word 'murderer' in her eyes。〃
〃He is right！…oh； he is right！〃 groaned Jeanne Marie； falling on her
knees。 〃I am to blame for her death； for I denounced Toulan to the
authorities just when he was on the point of saving her。 I tortured
her！oh； cruelly tortured her； and I laughed when she ascended the
scaffold； and I laughed too； even when she gave me that dreadful
look。 But I have bitterly regretted it since； and now she gnaws at
me like a scorpion。 I wanted to drive her away from me at first； and
therefore I was cruel to her son； for I wanted to put an end to the
fearful remorse that was tormenting me。 But it grew even more
powerful within me。 The more I beat the boy； the more his tears
moved m