“AndsohaveItoosworn，“criedJarjayes，withenthusiasm。“Thequeenisdead，butourfidelitytoherlivesandshallrenewitselftoherson，KingLouisXVII。Iknowwellthatthepolicearewatchingme，thattheyknowwhoissecretinghimselfhereunderthenameofCitizenOrage，thattheyfolloweveryoneofmystepsandperhapssuffermetobefreeonlyforthepurposeofseeingwithwhomIhaverelations，inordertoarrestanddestroymeatonefellswoop，withallmyfriendsatthesametime。Butwemustusethetime。Ihavecomeherewiththefirmdeterminationofdeliveringtheunhappyyoungkingfromthehandsofhistormentors，andIwillnowconfesseverythingtoyou，myfriends。Ihavegainedforourundertakingtheassistanceandprotectionofarichandnoblepatron，atrueservantofthedeceasedking。ThePrincedeConde，withwhomIhavelivedinVendeeforthepastfewmonths，hasfurnishedmewithamplemeans，andispreparedtosupportustoanyextentinourundertaking。Ifwesucceedinsavingtheyoungking，thelatterwillfindinVendeeasafeasylumwiththeprince，andwilllivetheresecurely，surroundedbyhisfaithfulsubjects。Theimmensedifficulty，or，asIshouldhavesaidafewdaysago，theimpossibility，isthereleaseoftheyoungprincefromtheTemple。
ButnowthatIhavesucceededindiscoveringToulanandunitingmyselfwithhim，Inolongersayitisimpossible，butonlyitisdifficult。“
“And，“criedToulan，“sinceIamsureoftheassistanceofthenobleDoctorNaudin，Isay，wewillfreehim，thesonofourQueenMarieAntoinette，theyoungKingLouisXVII。Theplanisentirelyreadyinmyhead，andinordertomakeitsexecutionpossible，IwentafewdaysagotoseeDoctorNaudinattheHotelDieu，inordertobeghimtovisitthesickboythatthemarquishashere，andjustatthatmomentSimon’smessengercametotheTemple。DoctorNaudinisnowhere，andfirstofallitisnecessarythathegiveushislast，decisivejudgmentonthepatient。Sotakeustohim，marquis，foruponNaudin’sdecisiondependsthefateoftheyoungKingofFrance。“
Themarquisnoddedsilently，andconductedthegentlemenintothenextroom。There，carefullyproppedupbymattressesandpillows，layachildofperhapstenyears——apoor，unfortunateboy，withpale，sunkencheeks，fixedblueeyes，shortfairhair，andastupid，idioticexpressiononhisfeatures。Asthethreegentlemencametohimhefixedhiseyesupontheminacold，indifferentway，andnotaquiverinhisfacedisclosedanyinterestinthem。Motionlessandpaleasdeaththeboylayuponhisbed，andonlythebreaththatcamehotandingaspsfromhisbreastdisclosedthattherewasstilllifeinthispoorshatteredframe。
DoctorNaudinstoopeddowntotheboyandlookedathimalongtimewiththeutmostattention。