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The young man slowly raised his head and looked at Kleber with his
great blue eyes。 〃General；〃 he said； softly； 〃I myself do not know
what agitated me so much。 We were both standing before the bed of a
sick man； to whom I handed a pitcher of water which he begged for
earnestly。 He fixed his great eyes upon me； and his quivering lips
murmured： 'God bless you！ all saints and angels protect you！' As he
spoke these words； there resounded in my heart the echo of a time
long since past。 It seemed to me as if suddenly a dark curtain
parted； and I looked as in a dream at a wondrous； brilliant
spectacle。 I saw a beautiful and dignified woman of princely figure；
of noble； majestic nature。 With her I saw two children； a girl and a
boy； whom she led by the hand； and with whom she walked through a
long hall which was filled with rows of beds。 And as she walked
there； it seemed as if the sun lightened up the dismal hall； and
illumined the pale faces of the sick ones。 They raised themselves up
in their beds and extended their thin； emaciated hands to the tall
lady； and thanked her with earnest blessings for her visit and her
comforting words。 There was only one of the patients who did not
rise； but lay stiff upon his bed and moaned and sighed and whispered
unintelligible words； which no one heeded； because the attention of
all was fixed upon the great visitor。 But the boy who was walking by
the side of the tall lady had understood the sobs of the sick one。
He left his mother； took the jug which stood upon a table between
two beds； filled a glass with water from it； and held it to the dry；
quivering lips of the sick one。 He drank greedily； and then fixed
his eyes upon the boy and lisped the words： 'God bless you！ all
saints and angels protect you！' And all the people repeated aloud：
'God bless you； all saints and angels protect you！' The dignified
lady stooped with a heavenly smile to her son； pressed a tender kiss
upon his golden locks； and repeated the same words aloud。 This；
general； was the fantasy which suddenly appeared before my eyes when
the patient spoke those words to…day。 It seemed to me as if I
perceived all at once a long…silent song of home。 I heard the
wonderful voice of the exalted lady who spoke those words。 It seemed
to me as if I felt the kiss which she then imprinted on the head of
the five…year…old boy； felt it to my inmost heart； and it glowed
there with the fire of an undying love； and shook my whole being；
and filled my eyes with tears。 You will not chide me for that；
general； for those were the lips of my mother who pressed that kiss
of blessing on her unhappy son。〃
He ceased； tears choked his utterance； and； as if ashamed of his
deep emotion； he hid his face in his hands。
General Kleber turned away too； and put his hand over his eyes； as
though a film had come over them。 Then； after a long pause he gently
laid his hand upon the shoulder of the young man； who was still
sitting with covered face。
〃Such memories are holy；〃 he said； 〃and I honor them； my dear；
faithful son。 May the blessing which then fell from the lips of a
woman whom I too knew and honored； but whose name may never be
spoken between us； may it be fulfilled to you！ May angels and saints
protect you when men shall no longer have the power； and when fate
shall separate you from those who have devoted their love and
fidelity to you！〃
The youth let his hands fall from his face； and looked at the
general with a startled； searching glance。
〃What do you mean； uncle？ You do not mean to say that〃
〃That we must part？ Yes； my dear nephew； that is what I must say；〃
interrupted Kleber； sadly。 〃This word has long been burning in my
soul； and it is necessary that I speak it。 Yes； we must part；
Louis。〃
〃Why； oh why？〃 asked Louis； bitterly。 〃Why will you too drive me
away？ You； the only one who loves me a little！〃
〃Exactly because I love youexactly for that reason must I separate
myself from you。 Since we came to Egypt you have been sickly； your
cheeks have become pale。 The fulness of your limbs has gone； and the
dry and hard cough that troubles you every morning has long made me
anxious； as you know。 On that account； after all the appliances of
my physician failed； I applied； as you know； to the physician of the
commanding general； to Corvisart； and he has subjected you to a
thorough examination。〃
〃It is true；〃 said Louis； thoughtfully； 〃he has investigated me with
the carefulness of a merchant who is about to buy a slave and means
to test him。 He made a hearing…trumpet of his ear and laid it on my
breast； and listened while I had to breathe as if I were a volcano。
He put his ear to my heart； he told me that his father had been
physician at the French court； and that the murdered queen had a
great deal of confidence in him； and then he wondered that my heart
beat so violently while he told me this。〃
〃And the result of all these investigations is； that you must return
to Europe； Louis；〃 said Kleber； sadly。 〃Corvisart had declared it an
unavoidable necessity for your constitution； and the command of the
physician must be obeyed as if it were the command of God。 You
cannot endure the climate of Egypt； so says Corvisart； and if your
life is not to be shortened and you to be made a perpetual invalid；
you must return to Europe as quickly as possible； for only there
will you recover and grow strong。 You see therefore； Louis； that I
must separate from you； although it is a sore thing for me to do；
for I love you as my own son； and I have no one in the world who is
nearly related to me。〃
〃And I； whom else have I in the world？〃 asked Louis； bitterly。 〃Who
has interest in me excepting you？ Ah； general； do not drive me from
you。 Believe me； it is better for me if for a few short and happy
years I live at your side； and then breathe my last sigh in your
faithful and tender arms； than if I have to wander solitary and
friendless through the strange； cold world； where no one loves me；
and where I shall always be surrounded by enemies； or by those who
are indifferent。 It may be that my body will gain health and
strength in the air of Europe； but my heart will always be sick
there； for it will lose its home when it shall have lost you； my
fatherly friend。〃
General Kleber slowly shook his head。 〃In youth one sorrows and
forgets it quickly。〃
〃General； do you say that to me； after seeing me weep in the
hospital because the word of a dying man called back the
recollection of my earliest childhood？ Oh； believe me； my heart
forgets its sorrows never； and if I must return to France； to Paris；
it will seem to me as if I had always to be climbing the hill of
Calvary with bloody feet to reach the top where I might perish on
the cross。 For； believe me； general； my whole life will be nothing
but such a wandering through scenes of pain if you drive me from the
refuge that your love has offered me。 Leave me here； let me live in
secrecy and silence beneath the pinions of your love； and do not
believe what the physicians tell you。 Man's life lies in the hands
of God； and if He will sustain it； it is as safe in the deserts of
Egypt as in Paris； the capital of the world。〃
〃Because God will sustain your life； Louis； for that very reason； He
instructs me； through the voice of the physician； what my duty is；
bids me conquer my own grief； and send the son of my heart to his
distant home。 No； Louis； it is a decided thing； we must part； you
must return to France。〃
〃And if it is true；〃 asked Louis； bitterly； 〃if I am then really to
return to France； why must we part？ Why must I return without you？
Why； if you really love me； do you not accompany me？ I heard you say
yesterday that several ships； with a part of our troops； were to
return to France。 Why； then； can you not go back with me？〃
〃Why？〃 asked Kleber； sadly。 〃I will tell you； Louis： because
Bonaparte will not allow it。 Listen； my son； I will communicate a
secret to you： there has news come within the last few days； the
first that we have received for ten months。 The newspapers which
have arrived bring very unwelcome intelligence； they inform us that
all the advantages gained in Italy by the French army have been
lostthat France is arrayed against Austria； Spain； and all the
European powersthat the French Government is threatened by
internal factions； which threaten to bring back the reign of terror。
I watched Bonaparte's face as he read these papers； and I saw there
what he was resolved to do。 He will； as soon as he shall gain one
more great victory； leave Egypt and return to France。〃
〃He will not return without you； the faithfulest and boldest of his
generals。 You know well that you are called the right…hand man of
Bonaparte。〃
〃Bonaparte means to show the world that he is not only the head； but
the right arm too； the heart； the foot； the soul of the French army！
And because he means to show this； he will return alone to France；
only a few of his faithful subordinates will accompany him； the men
who might even oppose him； and put hinderances in the path of his
growing ambition； will remain here。 Now do you believe that
Bonaparte will select me to accompany him？〃
The young man let his