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growing ambition； will remain here。 Now do you believe that
Bonaparte will select me to accompany him？〃
The young man let his head fall slowly on his breast。 〃No；〃 he said；
softly； 〃no； I do not believe he will。〃
〃And I know he will not；〃 replied Kleber。 〃I shall remain here in
Egypt； and die here！ Hush！ Do not contradict me； there are
presentiments which do not mislead us； and which God sends to us；
that we may shape our course by them； and set our house in order。 My
house is set in ordermy will is made； I have given it to
Bonaparte； and he has solemnly sworn to carry it into execution in
all respects。 Only one care is left meto provide for your
immediate future； and to arrange that yon may reach France。〃
〃You adhere to this？〃 asked Louis； sadly。
〃Yes； I abide by this； you must not run away from your own future；
and this will； I trust； be a brilliant one。 All tokens indicate that
France is wearied with the republic； and that it is perhaps nearly
ready to restore the throne of the Lilies。 Young man； shall this
reestablished throne fall into the hands of that man who contributed
so much to its downfallwho was the calumniator； the secret enemy
of Queen Marie Antoinette？ Would you consent that the Count de
Provence should be King of France？〃
〃No； never！〃 cried Louis； with blazing eyes and naming face。 〃That
never can be； for； before the brother of Louis XVI。 can ascend the
throne as Louis XVIII。； his rightful predecessor； Louis XVII。； must
have died。〃
〃He has died； and the French government has placed in its archives
the certificate of the death of Louis Charles Capet； signed by the
physicians and the servants of the Temple。 My son； in order to
prevent the Count de Provence acknowledging this certificate as
genuine； you must be prepared to place before him and the world
other testimonials that Louis XVII。 is not dead。 This is a sacred
offering which you must make to the manes of the unfortunate Marie
Antoinette； even if the stake were not a throne and a crown！〃
〃You are right；〃 cried Louis； with enthusiasm； 〃my whole life shall
be devoted to this sacred trust； it shall have no other aim than
this： to avenge Marie Antoinette of the most cruel of her enemies；
the Count de Provence； and to place the son； whom； after the death
of her husband； she acknowledged as King of France； on the throne
which really belongs to him； and not to the Count de Provence！ You
are right； general； I must return to Europe； I must carry to Prance
the papers which show that Louis XVII。 did not die in the Temple；
but was released。 I am ready to go； and to endure the pain of
parting from you。〃
〃May God grant that we may both be compensated for this pain！〃
replied Kleber； embracing the young man tenderly。 〃There remain to
us a few weeks to be together。 Let us use them so that they shall
afford us many cheerful recollections。 Bonaparte will not leave
Egypt before adding one more glory to his reputation。 He does not
mean to return to France as the conquered； but as the conqueror！〃
General Kleber was right。 He knew Bonaparte sufficiently well to be
able to read his countenance； he understood the dumb speech of the
Caesar of the age。
Bonaparte wanted to gain one great battle； in order to return to
Europe with glory。 He gained it at Aboukir； winning the day in a
contest with the united Turks and Englishone of the most signal
victories that he had ever won。 Eight thousand prisoners were taken
on that 21st of July； 1799。 Four thousand lay dead upon the battle…
field； and as many were sunk in the captured and destroyed ships of
the English。 On the day after the battle the foam of the waves was
tipped with blood along the shore。
Bonaparte himself conducted the whole battle； and personally gained
the victory。 At the moment when the contest seemed doubtful； he
assumed command of a cavalry regiment； advanced upon the Turkish
pacha； and by his heroic courage kindled all the army afresh。 Even
General Kleber could not disguise his admiration of the hero of
Aboukir； and when； at the close of the battle； he met Bonaparte on
the field； he embraced him with passionate tenderness。 〃General；〃 he
cried； with enthusiasm； 〃you are as great as the world； but the
world is not great enough for you！〃 ＇Footnote： Denon； Mtooires； vol。
i。； p。 349。＇
The victory that Bonaparte desired was thus won； and he could return
with honor to Prance。 He made secret preparations for his journey
thither； fitting up two ships； which were to carry him and his
companions。 The army was to hear of his departure only after he had
gone； but； much as he desired to keep the thing secret； there were
some who had to know of it； and among them； happily； was General
Kleber。 Bonaparte had chosen him as his successor； and therefore he
must be informed respecting the condition of affairs before the head
of the army should withdraw。 On the same day when this communication
took place； Kleber repaired to General Desaix； who was his intimate
friend； and from whom he learned that he was to be one of
Bonaparte's companions on the return。 The two generals had a
prolonged secret interview； and at the close of it they both went to
Kleber's house； and entered the room of his adjutant Louis。 General
Desaix bowed with great deference to the young man； who； blushing at
the honor which so distinguished a general paid him； extended his
hand to him。 Desaix pressed a kiss upon it； and from his eyes；
unused to tears； there fell a drop upon the young man's hand。
〃General；〃 cried Louis； in amazement； 〃what are you doing？〃
〃I am paying my homage to misfortune and to the past；〃 said Desaix；
solemnly； 〃and the tear which I drop on your hand is the seal of my
fidelity and silence in the future。 Young man； I swear to you that I
will cherish your secret in my heart as a hallowed treasure； and
will defend with my life's blood the papers which your uncle；
General Kleber； has intrusted to my care this day。 I am a soldier of
the republic； I have pledged my fidelity to her； and must and shall
keep it。 I cannot become a partisan； but I shall always be the
protector of misfortune； and a helper in time of need。 Trust me in
this； and accept me as your friend。〃
〃I do accept you； general；〃 said Louis； gently； 〃and if I do not
promise to love you just as tenderly as I love my uncle； General
Kleber； who has been to me father； brother； and protector； and to
whom I owe every thing； yet； I can assure you； that； after him；
there is no one whom I will love as I shall you； and there is no one
in Europe who can contend with you for my love。 I am very poor in
friends； and yet I feel that my heart is rich in love that no one
desires now。〃
〃Preserve that possession well； my son；〃 said Kleber； as he took
leave of his son； and laid his hand on the head of the young man。
〃Preserve your heart tender and loving； for if Fate is just； it may
one day be for the advantage of a whole nation that you are so； and
the heart of the man be the mediator between the people and its
king！ Farewell； my son； we see each other to…day for the last time；
for in this very hour you will go to your ship with Desaix。 It may
be that the ships will sail this very night； and if so； well！ A
quick and unlooked…for separation mitigates the pains of parting。
You will soon have overcome them； and when you reach Paris； the past
will sink behind you into the sea。〃
〃Never； oh； never！〃 cried Louis； with emotion。 〃I shall never forget
my benefactor； my second father！〃
〃My son； one easily forgets in Paris； and especially when he goes
thither for the purpose of creating a new future out of the ruins of
the past！ But I shall never forget you； and if my presentiment
should not deceive me； and I should soon die； you will learn after
my death that I have loved you as a son。 Now go； and I say to you；
as another loved voice once said to you； and as the sick and the
dying once repeated it to you； 'God bless you！ All saints and angels
protect you！'〃
They remained locked in their tender embrace； and then partednever
to meet again！
That very night； before the morning began to dawn； General Desaix
started； accompanied by his adjutant Louis； and a few servants。
Their first goal was Alexandria； whither the command of General
Bonaparte summoned them and a few others。
The proposed journey of the commanding general was still a carefully
concealed secret； and the divan in Cairo had merely been informed
that Bonaparte was planning to undertake a short journey in the
Delta。
On the 22d of August； 1799； an hour after midnight； two French
frigates left the harbor of Alexandria。 On board of one of them was
Bonaparte； the emperor of the future；on the other was Louis
Charles； the king of the past。 Nameless and unknown； the descendant
of the monarchs of France； with his sixteen years； returned to
France to France； that seemed no longer to remember its past； its
kings； and to have no thoughts； no love； no admiration for aught
excepting that new； brilliant constellation which had arisen over
France…Bonaparte。
He had returned from Egypt to regain Italy； but he found other work
awaiting him in Paris。 This he brought to completion with the energy
and boldness wh