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The poor Baron de Richemont； the son of kings； the last of the
Bourbons in France； had now a single friend； who； perhaps； would
receive him。 This friend was the Duke de BourbonConde； now an old
man of eighty years。 One day； some weeks after the accession of
Louis Philippe； the Duke de Bourbon received at his palace of St。
Leu a gentleman whom nobody knew； who announced himself as the Baron
de Richemont。
The duke went out into the anteroom； greeted his guest with the
greatest deference； and led him into his cabinet。 There the two
gentlemen carried on a long and earnest conversation； and the
secretary of the duke； who was at work in the library hard by；
distinctly heard his master say； with trembling tones： 〃Sire； I
implore you； forgive me。 The circumstances were stronger than my
will。 Sire； go not into judgment with meforgive me。〃
To this an angry voice replied： 〃No； I will not forgive you； for you
have dealt perfidiously with the son； as you did once with the
mother！ You have not redeemed the oath that you once gave me。 I
leave you。 May God be gracious to you； and pardon you。 Take care
that He does not punish you for the treachery that you have shown to
me。 You swore that you would acknowledge no other king but me； and
yet you have taken your oath to the third king。 Farewell！ May the
Almighty protect you！ We shall see each other； perhaps； in a better
world； and there you will have to give your account to a Judge whom
nothing can mitigate。 Be happy； and may the dead sleep in peace！〃
＇Footnote： The very words of Richemont。See 〃Memoires du Duc de
Normandie；〃 p。 243。＇
The secretary then heard the forcible closing of a door； and all
became still。 After an hour he entered the duke's cabinet； because
the silence troubled him。 The old duke sat in his arm…chair； pale；
and gazing with constant looks at the door through which the
stranger had departed。 He was reticent the whole day； and in the
night following his valet heard him softly praying and weeping。 On
the next morning； August 27th； 1830； on entering the sleeping…room
of his master； he found him dead and already rigid。 The duke had
hanged himself at the window of his own room。
The last dependant of the unhappy king； who still bore the name of
the pretender； was dead； as were all his relations； including his
sister； the Duchess d'Angouleme。
But from the dead there came a greeting。 She had ordered a large sum
to be paid yearly to the Baron de Richemont； and the report was that
she had wished to recognize him on her death…bed as her brother。 But
her confessor had counselled her that such a recognition would
introduce new contentions among the Bourbons； and give the pretender
Henry V。 equal claims with Louis XVII。
Yet the Duke de Normandie was not silent； he spoke so loudly of his
rights that Louis Philippe at last held it advisable to arrest him
and bring him to trial。 The preliminary investigation continued
fifteen months； then he was brought before the court； and accused of
conspiracy against the safety of the state。
The Gazette des Tribunaux of the 3d； 4th； and 5th of November； 1834；
gave the details of this trial。 Spectators poured in from all sides；
and also； in an unexpected manner； witnesses who declared themselves
ready to prove the identity of the Baron de Richemont with the Duke
de Normandie； son of Louis XVI。 The accused appeared entirely calm
and dignified before the bar； and when the counsel for the
government accused him of appropriating a name that did not belong
to him； he asked quietly；
〃Gentlemen； if I am not Louis XVII。； will you tell me who I am？〃
No one knew how to reply to this question； but many eminent
legitimists had come to solemnly declare that the accused was in
truth their king； and that he was the rescued orphan of the Temple。
Even the president of the court seemed to be convinced of this； and
his closing words in addressing the jury were these： 〃Gentlemen； who
is the accused who stands before you to…day？ What is his name； his
lineage； his family？ What are his antecedents； his whole history？ Is
he an instrument of the enemies of France； or is he； much more； an
unfortunate who has miraculously escaped the horrors of a bloody
revolution； and； laid under bans by his birth； has now no name and
no refuge for his head？〃
The jury； however； were not called upon to answer this question；
they had simply to reply to the question whether the accused was
guilty of a conspiracy against the state。 This they answered with a
〃Guilty；〃 and condemned the accused to an imprisonment of twelve
years。
The Duke de Normandie； or King Louis Charles； as we may choose to
call him； was taken to St。 Pelagic； but during the next year；
through the assistance of powerful friends； which his trial had
gained over to him； he was released from prison； and again spent
some quiet years in Switzerland。
Then came the year 1848； the year of revolutions； whose storm…waves
drove Louis Philippe to England； never to ascend again the throne of
France。
Again Louis Charles issued from his solitude； and this time not
alone。 A swarm of rich and powerful legitimists thronged around him；
a journalL'Iflexiblewas secured to the interests of the Duke do
Normandie； and La Vendee； with a thousand loyal voices； summoned
King Louis XVII。 to herself。 There； as he was on the point of
hastening to his faithful ones； God laid his hand upon him and held
him back； a stroke of paralysis crippled his limbs。 After recovering
from this attack； the strength of his mind was taken away； and the
decided； fiery； indefatigable pretender became a gentle； pious monk；
who fasted and prayed； and wandered to Rome to have an interview
with Pope Pius IX。； and received absolution from him for all his
sins。
The pope met the Duke de Normandie at Gaeta on the 20th of February；
1849； and had a long and secret conversation with him； and； when
Louis Charles withdrew； it was as a quiet； pious； smiling man； who
never denied his high extraction； but who had no longer a wish to be
restored to the inheritance of his fathers。 More and more he
withdrew from the world； and lived only in the circle of a few
noble…born legitimists； who never addressed him excepting as 〃sire。〃
He accepted the title as one that was his due； and never refused it
even when approached by many adherents of the new Napoleonic
dynasty。 At that time he wrote to his friends：
〃You ask me what I wish； what the end of my struggle is； which has
now lasted more than a half century？ I will tell you。 You do not
suppose； I trust； that I am still determined to ascend the throne of
France： to do this would be a great misfortune for me； but it would
certainly be a greater one for France； and it would rightly be said
of both of us that we merit our misfortune； still less do I hope to
attain to wealth and high station by being recognized。 You know that
I need very little for my support； and that this little is amply
provided for。 What else should I strive for？ To avenge myself？ My
friend； I am at an age when the blood flows slower through the
veins； and when one finds an inexpressible charm in forgiving。 What；
then； do I wish？ What could I have？ Why