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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