登陆注册
5386900000200

第200章 THE BARON DE EICHEMONT.(8)

"I forgive you, Fouche; yes, I forgive you," he cried, extending both his hands. "I see plainly the power of political faction hurried you away; but your heart cannot be bad, for you love my noble mother. I forgive you, and I trust you."

Fouche, deeply moved, sank upon his knee before the dauphin, and called himself one of his loyal subjects, and promised to take all means to restore the young king to the throne of his fathers. He conjured Louis to trust him, and to enter upon no plan without asking his counsel.

Louis promised this. He told Fouche that he was the only man who had talked with him about the past without using ambiguous language; that he was surprised at this, and compelled to recognize as true what formerly had been fettered on his tongue. He told him that he had promised his rescuer, with a solemn oath, never to acknowledge himself as the son of Louis XVI., and King of France, till this rescuer and benefactor empowered him to do so, and released him from his vow of silence. He made it, therefore, the first condition of his confidence that Fouche should disclose his secret to no one, but carry it faithfully in his own breast.

Fouche promised all, and took a sacred oath that he would never reveal the secret confided to him by the King of France. But he confessed at the same time that the First Consul knew very well that the son of the king had been released from the Temple, and that among the posthumous papers of Kleber there was a letter directed to Bonaparte, stating that he, Kleber, knew very well that the little Capet was still living, and imploring Bonaparte to restore the orphan to the throne of the Lilies. The consul had, therefore, quietly, made investigations, and learned that Louis had taken part as the adjutant of General Desaix in the battle of Marengo, that he had been wounded there, and remained in the hospital of Alessandria till his recovery. Since then all trace of the young man had been lost, and he had commissioned Fouche to discover the adjutant of Kleber and Desaix and bring him to him.

"You will not do that?" cried Louis, eagerly; "you will not disclose me?"

"Are you afraid of him?" asked Fouche, with a suspicious smile.

The young man blushed, and a cloud passed over his clear forehead.

"Fear!" he replied with a shrug. "The sons of my ancestors have no fear; and I have shown on the battle-fields of Aboukir and Marongo, and in the pest-houses of Jaffa, that I know not the word. But when one meets a blood-thirsty lion in his path he turns out of the way, and when a tiger extends its talons at one he flies; that is the duty of self-preservation, and not the flight of a coward."

"Do you believe, then, that this lion thirsts for royal blood?"

"I believe that he thirsts for royal rank, and that he will neglect no means to vanquish all hinderances that might intervene between himself and the throne. Do you believe, sir, that the man who, after the battle of Aboukir, sentenced five thousand prisoners to death, would hesitate a moment to take the life of a poor, defenceless young man such as I am? He would beat me into the dust as the lion does the flea which dares to play with his mane."

"It appears you know this aon very well," said Fouche with a smile, "and I really believe you judge him rightly. But be without concern.

He shall not know from me that I am aware of you and your abiding-place. In order that Bonaparte shall not take me to be a bad detective, I shall show him in all other things that I am on the alert. In case of necessity, it may be that I shall have to resort to deception, and, in order to save your life, inform the consul that you are dead. There were a great many young officers who fell at Marengo, or afterward died as the result of their wounds. Why should not the adjutant of General Desaix have met this fate? Yes, I believe this will be the best. I will give you out as dead, in order to save your life. I will cause a paper to be prepared which shall testify that the adjutant of General Desaix, who lay there in the hospital, died there of his wounds and was buried."

"And so I shall disappear from life a second time?" asked Louis, sadly.

"Yes, sire, in order to enter anew upon it with greater splendor," replied Fouche, eagerly.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 诸天万界之帝国崛起

    诸天万界之帝国崛起

    一位后世千年的灵魂,一个神秘而强大的系统,一个即将崩溃的王朝……赳赳老秦,共赴国难。 血不流干,死不休战。 西有大秦,如日方升。 百年国恨,沧海难平。 天下纷扰,何得康宁? 秦有锐士,席卷诸天。 PS:本故事纯属虚构,如有雷同,纯属巧合! QQ书群:790601508
  • 韶华远梦青云

    韶华远梦青云

    那一抹水绿色身影,永远在他的心中。天地不仁,以万物为刍狗,面对这浩瀚天地,他终是选择了守护。
  • 兴国:天下太平盛世

    兴国:天下太平盛世

    中华文化源远流长,最直接的源头是黄河文化与长江文化,这两大文化浪涛经过千百年冲刷洗礼和不断交流、融合以及沉淀,最终形成了求同存异、兼收并蓄的中华文化。千百年来,中华文化薪火相传,一脉相承,是世界上唯一五千年绵延不绝从没中断的古老文化,并始终充满了生机与活力,这充分展现了中华文化顽强的生命力。
  • 给大忙人看的佛法书

    给大忙人看的佛法书

    你忙,我忙,他忙。大街上人们行色匆匆,办公室里人们忙忙碌碌,工作台前人们废寝忘食……有人忙出了功成名就,有人忙出了事半功倍,有人忙出了身心疲惫,有人忙出了迷惘无助……
  • 国学大讲堂:中国顶级国学圣贤的公开课

    国学大讲堂:中国顶级国学圣贤的公开课

    国学源远流长,并非一朝一夕可以得之。本书旨在化繁为简,将经典的国学用深入浅出的语言解读,为更多向往国学的读者提供精神上的“低门槛、无障碍阅读普及本”。史、儒、佛、道、法、兵、中医、易经、礼节、饮食……这里无所不包,等待着你的探索。
  • 世子爷的末世妃

    世子爷的末世妃

    内容标签:强强末世转古言穿越重生 搜索关键字:主角:沐歌,隋陌其它:门 我来自末世,我叫沐歌……真是爱极了夫人夹着语气词说话的模样,认真吃饭却只挑肉的模样,明明聪明的紧却又懵懂不知世故的模样……能重来此生与夫人结发,是陌的有生幸事。
  • 听说你还回忆我2

    听说你还回忆我2

    全书内容仍以作者亲身经历为故事主线,讲述五年中她从籍籍无名的撰稿人,到知名编辑,再到畅销书作者。经历了成长,亲情,友情,工作的变故,她也脱胎换骨拥有了更好的人生。五年里她遇到过爱她的人,也遇到过她为了忘记顾潮生而选择的另一个不错的人。但五年过去,她却后悔了……整体风格青春感强,有共鸣,人物心理刻画细腻忧伤。
  • 阴阳领路人

    阴阳领路人

    说真的,莯涵当初建立旅行社的目的只是为了赚点小钱而已。什么应天地大劫而出现的一对阴阳鱼、掌管酆都城的十大阎王的密谋、还有南派茅山、湘西赶尸,这些乱七八糟的东西他真的是不想去牵扯。然而有时候人生就是那么的意外,既然是遇上了,也只能是硬着头皮去面对。值得庆幸的事情,莯涵并不是一个人去面对。他的身边有会跳大神的萨满兄弟、漂亮的出马仙妹子、古武世家的女侠、想着用科学来证明鬼物存在的眼镜男,还有一直缠着他的女鬼妹妹。总的来说,莯涵是挺知足的。但是有些事情并不是想象的那么简单......
  • 鬼妻倾城,王爷请接嫁

    鬼妻倾城,王爷请接嫁

    一朝穿越,她躺在棺材里被人抬着嫁进王府;一场冥婚,庶女换千金;一颗真心,是值得还是错付?她是相府庶女,娘死爹不爱,后娘虐,姐姐欺,一道圣旨,翻身做王妃!什么?王爷是病秧子?哈哈,真是太好了,我的地盘我做主!只是……洞房花烛夜,墨绯颜推着夜北澈的胸膛弱弱的问一句:“王爷,您真的有病吗?”夜北澈嘴角扬起邪笑,微微靠近墨绯颜,薄唇轻启:“娘子,试试便知。”红床暖帐,春宵一刻值千金。自古帝王多薄情!她为他削肉剔骨,换来的却是他和别的女人在她的尸身旁谈情说爱,甜蜜相拥!原来,自始自终都是一场阴谋……她含恨为妖,斩情绝爱,势要他以命偿命!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 带着问题去工作

    带着问题去工作

    身在职场,所需要面对的问题很多…一这些大问题中,又包含很多个子问题,无数个子问题又会衍生出更多问题。而公司之所以聘请你,就是要你来解决问题的。员工能够独立有效地解决问题,就是有能力的最好证明。不能有效解决问题的员工,本身也会成为一个问题,这样的员工在职场上是没有前途的。