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childrenand it is with me to…day as then； I must weep。〃
〃And I！oh； my God！and I！〃 whispered Louis； putting both his
hands before his quivering face。 Even Fouche seemed moved； his lips
trembled and his cheeks grew pale。
A long pause ensued。 Nothing was heard but the convulsive sobbing of
the young man； who still held his hands before his face； and wept so
violently that the tears poured down in heavy drops between his
fingers。
〃Sire；〃 cried Josephine； with supplicatory voice〃 sire； by the
recollection of that hour； I conjure you； forgive me that I now live
in those rooms which Marie Antoinette once inhabited。 Ah！ it has not
been my wish； and I have done it only with pain and grief。 Believe
me； sire； and forgive me that I have been compelled to live in the
palace of the kings。〃
He took his hands from his face； and gazed at her。
〃You live in the Tuileries？ Who are you？ Madame； who are you？〃
〃Sire； I was formerly Viscountess Beauharnais； now I am〃
〃The wife of the First Consul！〃 exclaimed the prince； drawing back
in terror〃 the wife of him who is pursuing me； and who； as Fouche
says； means to bring me to the scaffold。〃
〃Oh； sire； forgive him！〃 implored Josephine； 〃he is not wicked； he
is not cruel； but circumstances compel him to act as he does。 God
Himself； it would seem； has chosen him to restore； with his heroic
sword and his heroic spirit； peace and prosperity to this
unfortunate land； bleeding from a thousand wounds。 He was the savior
of France； and the grateful nation hailed him with paeans； and full
of confidence laid the reins of government in his hands。 Through his
victories and his administration of affairs； France has again grown
strong and great and happy； and yet he is daily threatened by
assassins； yet there are continual conspiracies whose aim is to
murder the man to whom France is indebted for its new birth。 What
wonder that he at last； to put an end to these conspiracies； and
these attempts upon his life； will； by a deed of horror； inspire the
conspirators with fear？ He is firmly resolved on this。 The lion has
been aroused from his calmness by new conspiracies； and the shaking
of his mane will this time annihilate all who venture to conspire
against him。 Sire； I do not accuse you； I do not say that you do
wrongly to make every attempt to regain the inheritance of your
fathers。 May God judge between you and your enemies！ But your
enemies have the power in their hands； and you must yield to that
power。 Oh； my dear； unfortunate； pitiable lord； I conjure you； save
yourself from the anger of the First Consul； and from the pursuers
who have been sent out to seek you。 If you are found； you are lost；
and no one in the world will then be able to save you。 Fly；
thereforefly； while there is still time！〃
〃Fly！〃 cried the young prince； bitterly； 〃evermore fly！ My whole
life is a perpetual flight； a continuous concealment。 Like the
Wandering Jew； I must journey from land to landnowhere can I rest；
nowhere find peace。 Without a home； without parents； without a name；
I wander around； and； like a hunted wild beast； I must continually
start afresh； for the hounds are close behind me。 Well； be it so；
then； I am weary of defying my fate longer； I surrender myself to
what is inevitable。 The First Consul may send me as a conspirator to
the scaffold。 I am prepared to die。 I shall find that peace in death
at least that life so cruelly denies me。 I will not flyI will
remain。 The example of my parents will teach me how to die。〃
〃Oh； speak not so！〃 exclaimed Josephine。 〃Have pity on me； have pity
on yourself。 You are still so young； life has so much for you yet；
there remains so much to you yet to hope for。 You must live； not to
avenge the death of your illustrious parents； but to make its memory
less poignant。 Son of kings； you have received life from God； and
from your parents； you may not lightly throw it away； but must
defend it； for the blessing of your mother rests upon your head；
which you must save from the scaffold。〃
〃You must live；〃 said Fouche； 〃for your death would bring joy to
those who were the bitter enemies of Queen Marie Antoinette； and who
would be your mocking heirs。 Will you grant to the Count de Lille
the uncontested right of calling himself Louis XVIII。？the Count de
Lille； who caused Marie Antoinette to shed so many tears。〃
The prince flamed up at this； and his eyes flashed。
〃No；〃 he cried； 〃the Count de Lille shall not have this joy。 He
shall not rest his curse…laden head upon the pillow with the calm
consciousness that he will be the king of the future。 My vision
shall disturb his sleep； and the possibility that I shall return and
demand my own again； shall be the terror that shall keep peace far
from him。 You are right； madame； I must live。 The spirit of Marie
Antoinette hovers over me； and demands that I live； and by my life
avenge her of her most bitter enemy。 Let it be so； then。 Tell me；
Fouche； whither shall I go？ Where shall the poor criminal hide
himself； whose only offence lies in this； that he is alive； and that
he is the son of his father？ Where is there a cave in which the poor
hunted game can hide himself from the hounds？〃
〃Sire； you must away； away into foreign lands。 The arm of the First
Consul is powerful； and his eagle eye scans all Europe； and would
discover you at any point。〃
〃You must for the present find a home beyond the sea；〃 said Fouche；
approaching nearer。 〃I have already taken measures which will allow
you to do so。 There are ships sailing southward from Marseilles
every day； and in one of these you must go to America。 America is
the land of freedom； of adventures； and of great deeds。 You will
there find sufficient occupation for your spirit and for your love
of work。〃
〃It is true；〃 said Louis； with a bitter smile； 〃I will go to
America。 I will find a refuge with the savages。 Perhaps they will
appoint me as their chieftain； and adorn my head with a crown of
feathers instead of the crown of gold。 Yes； I will go to America； In
the primeval forests； with the children of nature； there will be a
home for the exile； the homeless one。 Madame； I thank you for your
sympathy and your goodness； and my thanks shall consist in this；
that I subject myself wholly to your will。 You loved Queen Marie
Antoinette。 A blessing on you； and all who love you。〃
He extended both his hands to Josephine； and； as she was about to
press them to her lips； he stooped toward her with a sad smile。
〃Madame； bless my poor brow with the touch of those lips which once
kissed the hand of my mother。〃
Josephine did as she was asked； and a tear fell from her eyes upon
his fair hair。
〃Go； sire；〃 she said； 〃and may God bless and protect you！ If you
ever need my help； call upon me； and be sure that I will never
neglect your voice。〃
An hour later the wife of the First Consul drove out to St。 Cloud。
At the corner of the Rue St。 Honore a second carriage joined her
own； and a young man who sat in it greeted Josephine deferentially
as she leaned far out of the carriage to return his salute。
At the barriers the carriage stopped； for the gates of the city were
still closed。 But Josephine bec