Josephinedidasshewasasked，andatearfellfromhereyesuponhisfairhair。
“Go，sire，“shesaid，“andmayGodblessandprotectyou!Ifyoueverneedmyhelp，calluponme，andbesurethatIwillneverneglectyourvoice。“
AnhourlaterthewifeoftheFirstConsuldroveouttoSt。Cloud。
AtthecorneroftheRueSt。Honoreasecondcarriagejoinedherown，andayoungmanwhosatinitgreetedJosephinedeferentiallyassheleanedfaroutofthecarriagetoreturnhissalute。
Atthebarriersthecarriagestopped，forthegatesofthecitywerestillclosed。ButJosephinebeckonedtheofficeroftheguardtohercarriage，and，fortunately，heknewthewifeoftheFirstConsul。
“Itisnotnecessary，“saidJosephine，withacharmingsmile，“itisnotnecessarythatIshouldprocureapermitfromtheFirstConsultoallowmyselfandmyescorttopassthegate？YoudonotsupposethatIandmysecretary，whositsinthenextcarriage，belongtothevillainswhothreatenthelifeofmyhusband？“
Theofficer，enchantedwiththegraceofJosephine，bowedlow，andcommandedtheguardinstantlytoopenthegateandallowthetwocarriagestopass。
Andsothesonofthequeenwassaved。ForthesecondtimeheleftParis，togoforthasanexileandanadventurertomeethisfate。
ForthecityofParisthe16thofFebruary，1804，wasadayofterror。Thegatesremainedclosedthewholeday，militarypatrolspassedthroughthestreets，atwhosecornerstheproclamationswereposted，bywhichMurat，thegovernorofParis，announcedtothecitythatfiftyassassinswerewithinthewalls，intentontakingthelifeoftheFirstConsul。
Thecondemnedsurgeon，Querolle，had，meantime，madehisconfession，andnamedtheheadsoftheconspiracyandtheiraccomplices，and，onlyafterallthepersonsmentionedbyhimwerearrested，werethegatesofthecityopened。
AgreattrialthencommencedofthemenwhohadbeensentbytheBourbonsforthisnefariouspurpose。AmongtheaccusedwereGeneralPichegru，theabettorofGeorges，andGeneralMoreau，themostprominentofall。
Thehistoryofthistrialwasenvelopedinobscurity，anditwasfaintlywhisperedthatPichegruhadtakenhisownlifeinprison，andmorefaintlyyetwasitrumoredthathewassecretlydispatchedinprison。Andthen，ononeofthesedays，thereweretobeseenthroughallParisonlypale，sadfaces，andamurmurofhorrorranthroughallthestreetsandallthehouses。
ThestorywascurrentthattheDuked’Enghien，thegrandsonofthePrincedeConde，hadbeenarrestedbyFrenchsoldiersatBaden，beyondthefrontier，andhadbeenbroughttoVincennes；thathewasaccusedtherethatsamenightofbeinganaccompliceinaplottotakethelifeoftheFirstConsul，andtodisturbthepeaceoftherepublic；thathewasquicklycondemnedbyacourt-martial，andshotbeforemorningwithinthefortressofVincennes。
Thereportwasonlytootrue。Bonapartehadkepthisword；hehadsacrificedaroyalvictimtothethreatenedcauseoftherepublic；
hewould，byonedeedofhorror，filltheconspiratorswithfear，andcausethemtoabandontheirbloodyplans。
Themeansemployedwerecruel，buttheendwasreachedwhichBonapartehopedtoattain，andthenceforththerewerenomoreconspiraciesagainstthelifeoftheFirstConsul，who，onthe18thofMay，thatsameyear，declaredhimselfemperor。
Afewdaysafterthis，thepublictrialoftheaccusedbegan，whichFoucheattendedasthereinstalledministerofpolice，andoverwhichRegnierpresidedinhisnewcapacityofchiefjudge。
Seventeenofthoseindictedwerecondemnedtodeath，otherstoyearsofimprisonment，andamongthesewasGeneralMoreau。Butthepopularvoicedeclareditselfsoloudlyandenergeticallyforthebravegeneraloftherepublic，thatitwasconsideredexpedienttoheedit。Moreauwasreleasedfromprison，andwenttotheSpanishfrontier，whencehesailedtoNorthAmerica。
Onthe25thofJune，twelveoftheconspirators，Georgesattheirhead，wereexecuted；theotherfive，whohadbeencondemnedtodeath，hadtheirsentencecommutedtobanishment。
Thegentle，kind-heartedJosephineviewedallthesethingswithsadness，forherpowerovertheheartofherhusbandwaswaning，andthesunofhergloryhadset。HerprayersandtearshadnolongeraprevailinginfluenceoverBonaparte，andshehadnotbeenabletoavertthedeathoftheDuked’Enghien。
“Ihavetriedallmeans，“shesaid，withtears，toBourrienne，thechiefsecretaryoftheemperor；“Iwantedatanycosttoturnhimasidefromhisdreadfulintention。Hehadnotapprisedmeofit，butyouknowinwhatwayIlearnedit。Atmyrequestheconfessedtomehispurpose，buthewassteeledagainstmyprayers。Iclangtohim，Ifellonmykneesbeforehim。’Donotmeddlewithwhatisnoneofyourbusiness!’hecried，angrily，ashepushedmeawayfromhim。
’Thesearenotwomen’saffairs——leavemeinpeace。’AndsoIhadtolettheworstcome，andcoulddonothingtohinderit。Butafterward，whenallwasover，Bonapartewasdeeplyaffected，andforseveraldaysheremainedsadandsilent，andscoldedmenomorewhenhefoundmeintears。“[Footnote：Bourrienne，“MemoiresduConsulatetdel’Empire。“]
Thedayspassedby，thedaysofsplendor，andthenfollowedforJosephinethedaysofmiseryandgrief。RepelledbyNapoleon，shemournedfouryearsoverherspurnedloveandherruinedfortunes；
butthen，whenNapoleon’sstarwentdown，whenhewasrobbedofhisimperialcrownandcompelledtoleaveFrance，Josephine’sheartbroke，andshehidherselfinhergrave，inordernottowitnessNapoleon’shumiliation。
Andthustheempirewasabolished，andtheCountdeLillecalledbackbyforeignpotentates，andnotbytheFrenchnation，inorder，asLouisXVIII。，toreerectthethroneoftheLilies。
Andwhere，allthistime，wasthesonofQueenMarieAntoinette？
WherewasLouisXVII。？
HehadkepthiswordwhichhegavetoJosephine。Hehadgonetotheprimevalforestsandtothesavages，andtheyhadgivenhimacrownoffeathersandmadehimtheirking。[Footnote：“MemoiresduDuedeNormandie，“pp。89-102。]Foryearshelivedamongthem，honoredastheirking，lovedastheirhero。Thenalongingforhiscountryseizedhim，andgoingtoBrazilintheserviceofhispeople，hemadeuseoftheopportunitytoenterintoacontractwithDonJuan，andnotreturntohiscopper-coloredtribe。Theprecioustreasurewhichhepossessed，hispapers，hehadbeenabletopreserveduringallthejourneysandamidalltheperilsofhislife，andthesepapersprocuredhimahospitableandhonorablereceptionwithDonJuan。FromhimthekingwithoutnameorinheritancelearnedthechangesthathadmeanwhiletakenplaceinFrance，and，atthefirstopportunitywhichoffered，hereturnedtoEurope，arrivingatParisinthemiddleoftheyear1816。
ThePrincedeConde，nowtheDukedeBourbon，receivedthewandererwithtenderness，butwithdeepregret，fornowitwastoolate，andhishopeforarestorationofthereturningprincecouldrestonnobasis。TheCountdeProvencewasnowKingLouisXVIII。，andneverwouldhedescendfromhisthronetogivebacktothesonofMarieAntoinettethatcrownwhichheworewithsomuchsatisfactionandpride。
Muchmoresimpleandeasywasittotreatthepretenderasalunaticorasanadventurer，andtosethisclaimsasideforever。UselesswerealltheletterswhichtheBarondeRichemont，thenamethatLouisstillbore，addressedtohisuncletheking，tohissistertheDuchessdeAngouleme，imploringthemforaninterview。Noanswerwasreceived。Noaudiencewasgrantedtothisadventurer，whoseclaimscouldnotberecognizedwithoutdethroningLouisXVIII。，anddestroyingtheprospectsofthecrownfortheduchess’sson，theDukedeBerri。LouisXVII。haddiedandhecouldnotreturntotheliving。Hesawit，heknewit，andadeepsorrowtookpossessionofhim。Butheroseaboveit——hewouldnotdie；hewouldlive，aterrorandanavengertohiscruelrelatives。
Butitwasarestlesslifethatthesonofthequeenmustlead，inordertoprotecthimselffromthedaggersofhispowerfulenemies。
ThePrincedeCondeconjuredhimtosecurehimselfagainsttheattackswhichweremademorethanonceupontheBarondeRichemont，andLouisgaveheedtohisrequestsandtears。Hetravelledabroad；
butafterreturningintwoyearsfromajourneyinAsiaandAfrica，onlandingontheItaliancoast，hewasarrestedin1818，attheinstigationoftheAustrianambassadoratMantua，andconfinedintheprisonofMilan。
SevenyearstheunhappyprincespentintheAustrianprison，withoutoncebeingsummonedbeforeajudge——sevenyearsofsolitude，ofdarkness，andofwant。ButthesonofMarieAntoinettehadlearnedinhisyouthtobearthesethings，andhisprison-lifeinMilanwasnotsocruelasthatintheTempleunderSimon。Heretherewereatleastsympathizingsoulswhopitiedhim；eventheturnkeysoftheprisonwerecourteousandkindwhentheyenteredthecellofthe“KingofFrance；“andoneday，beyondthewallofhisapartment，washeardavoicesinging，ingentle，melodioustones，aromanzawhichLouishadcomposed，andwrittenonthewallwhenheoccupiedtheneighboringcell。
Thisvoice，whichsoundedlikeagreetingfromtheworld，wasthatofSilvioPellico。Thecelebratedauthorof“LeMiePrigioni，“
relatesintouchingwordsthissalutationofhisneighbor：
“Mybedwascarried，“hesaid，“intothenewcellthatwaspreparedforme，andassoonastheinspectorshadleftmealone，myfirstcarewastoexaminethewalls。Thereweretobeseentheresomewords，recollectionsofthepast，writtenwithchalk，withpencil，orwithasharptool。IfoundtherealsotwoprettyFrenchlines，whichIamsorryIdidnotcopy。Ibegantosingthemtomymelodyof’ThePoorMugdalen，’whenavoicenearmerespondedwithanotherair。Whenthesingerended，Icalledout，’Bravo!’Herepliedwithapolitesalutation，andaskedmeifIwasFrench。
“’No，IamItalian，andamcalledSilvioPellico。’
“’TheauthorofFrancescadaRimini？’
“’Yes，thesame。’