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up in bed； kneeled down upon the miserable； dirty mattress； folded
his hands and began to repeat in a loud voice the prayer which his
mother had taught him。
The noise awakened Simon； who roused his wife； to let her listen to
the 〃superstitious little monkey；〃 whom he would cure forever of his
folly。
He sprang out of bed； took a pitcher of cold water； that was
standing on the table； and poured it upon the head of the kneeling
boy。 Louis Charles awoke with a shriek； and crouched down in alarm。
But the whole bed was wet； only the pillow had been spared。 The boy
rose carefully； took the pillow； carried it into a corner of the
room； and sat down upon it。 But his teeth chattered with the cold in
spite of himself。 This awakened Simon a second time； just as he was
dropping asleep。 With a wild curse he jumped out of bed and dressed
himself。
〃That is right！〃 cried Jeanne Marie； 〃bring the brat to his senses。
Make little Capet know that he is to behave respectfully。〃
And Simon did make the poor boy understand it； sitting on the
pillow； shivering in his wet shirt。 He seized him by his shoulders；
shook him angrily from one side to another； and shouted： 〃I will
teach you to say your Pater Noster； and get up in the night like a
Trappist！〃
The boy remaining silent； Simon's rage； which knew no bounds when he
thought he was defied or met with stubbornness； entirely took
possession of him。 He caught up his boot； whose sole was secured
with large iron nails； and was on the point of hurling it at the
head of the unoffending boy； when the latter seized his arm with
convulsive energy。
〃What have I done to you； master； that you should kill me？〃 cried
the little Louis。
〃Kill you； you wolf…brat！〃 roared Simon。 〃As if I wanted to； or ever
had wanted to！ Oh； the miserable viper！ So you do not know that if I
only took fairly hold of your neck； you never would scream again！〃
And with his powerful arm he seized the boy and hurled him upon the
water…soaked bed。 Louis lay down without a word； without a
complaint； and remained there shivering and with chattering teeth
until morning。 ＇Footnote： Beauchesne； 〃Louis XVII。；〃 vol。 ii。； p。
185。＇
From this period there was a change in the boy。 Until this time his
moist eyes had fixed themselves with a supplicating look upon his
tormentors when they threatened him； but after this they were cast
down。 Until now he had always sought to fulfil his master's commands
with great alacrity； afterward he was indifferent； and made no
effort to do so； for he had learned that it was all to no purpose；
and that he must accept a fate of slavery and affliction。 The face
of the child； once so rosy and smiling； now took on a sad；
melancholy expression； his cheeks were pale and sunken。 The
attractive features of his face were disfigured； his limbs grew to a
length disproportionate to his age； his back bent into a bow； as if
he felt the burden of the humiliations which were thrown upon him。
When the child had learned that every thing that he said was
twisted； turned into ridicule； and made the cause of chastisement；
he was entirely silent； and only with the greatest pains could a
word be drawn from him。
This silence exasperated Simon； and made him furiously command the
boy to sing； laugh； and be merry。 At other times he would order
Louis to be silent and motionless for hours； and to have nothing to
do with the bird…cage； which was on the table； and which was the
only thing left that the little fellow could enjoy。
This cage held a number of birds； and a piece of mechanism； an
automaton in the form of a bird； which ate like a living creature；
drank； hopped from one bar to another； opened his bill； and sang the
air which was so popular before the revolution； 〃Oh； Richard！ oh； my
king！〃
This article had been found among the royal apparel； and a
compassion ate official guard had told Simon about it； and induced
him to apply to the authorities in charge of the Temple and ask for
it for the little Capet。
Simon； who； as well as his wife； could no more leave the building
than their prisoner could； took this solitary； confined life very
seriously； and longed for some way to mitigate the tedium。 He
therefore availed himself gladly of the official's proposition； and
asked for the automaton； which was granted by the authorities。 The
boy was delighted with the toy at first； and a pleased smile flitted
over his face。 But he soon became tired of playing with the thing
and paid no attention to it。
〃Does not your bird please you any longer？〃 asked Miller； the
official； as he came one day to inspect the Temple。 〃Do you have no
more sport with your canary？〃
The boy shook his head； and as Simon was in the next room and so
could not strike him； he ventured to speak。
〃It is no bird；〃 he answered softly and quickly。 〃But I should like
to have a bird。〃
The good inspector nodded to the boy； and then went out to have a
long talk with Simon； and so to avert any suspicion of being too
familiar with； or too fond of； the prince。 But after leaving the
Temple he went to his friends and acquaintances； and told them； with
tears in his eyes； about the little prisoner in the Temple； the
〃dauphin；〃 as the royalists used always to call him beneath their
breath； and how he wanted a living bird。 Every one was glad to have
an opportunity of gratifying the wish of the dauphin； and on the
next day Miller brought the prince a cage； in which were fourteen
real canaries。
〃Ah！ those are real birds；〃 cried the child； as he took them one
after the other and kissed them。 The playing of the birds； which all
lived in one great cage； together with the automaton； was now the
only pleasure of the boy。 He began to tame them； and among the
little feathered flock he found one to which he was especially
drawn； because he was more quiet than the others； allowed itself to
be easily caught； sat still on the finger of the prince； and；
turning his little black eyes to the boy； warbled a little； sweet
melody。 At such moments the countenance of the boy beamed as it had
done in the days of his happiness； his cheeks flushed with color；
and out of his large blue eyes； which rested with inexpressible
tenderness upon the bird； there issued the rays of intelligence and
sensibility。 He had now something to love； something to which all
his gentle sympathies could flow out； which hitherto had all been
suppressed beneath the harsh treatment of his keepers。
He was no longer alone； he was no longer joyless！ His little friend
was there in the great cage among the twittering companions who were
indifferent to the little prince。 In order to know him at first
sight； and always to be able to recognize him； Louis took the rose…
colored ribbon from the neck of the automaton； and tied it around
the neck of his darling。 The bird sang merrily at this； and seemed
to be as well pleased with the decoration as if it had been an order
which King Louis of France was hanging around the neck of a favorite
courtier。
It was a fortunate thing for the boy that Simon himself was fond of
birds； else the objections of his wife would soon have robbed the
little fellow of his last remaining comfort。 It was for the keeper a
little source of amusement； an interruption in the dreadful monotony
of his life。 The birds were allowed to stay therefore； and their
singing and twittering animated a little the dark； silent rooms； and
reminded him of the spring； the fresh air； the green trees！
But very soon this source of comfort and cheer was to be banished
from the dismal place！ On the 19th of December； 1793； the inspectors
of the Temple made their rounds。 Just at the moment when they
entered the room of the little Louis Capet； the automaton began to
sing with his loud； penetrating voice； 〃Oh！ Richard； oh my king！〃
The officials came to a halt upon the threshold； as though petrified
at this unheard…of license； and fixed their cold； angry looks now
upon the bird…； now upon the boy； who was sitting upon his rush…
chair before the cage； looking at the birds with beaming eyes。
A second time the automaton began the unfortunate air； and the
exasperated inspectors strode up to the cage。 〃What does this mean？〃
asked one of them。 〃How does any one dare to keep up； in the
glorious republic； such worthless reminders of the cursed monarchy。〃
〃Only see；〃 cried another〃see the order that one of the birds is
wearing。 It is plain that the old passion of royalty still lurks
here； for even here ribbons are given away as signs of distinction。
The republic forbids such things； and we will not suffer such
infamy。〃
The inspector put his hand into the cage； seized the little canary…
bird with the red ribbon； and squeezed him so closely that the poor
little creature gave one faint chirp and died。 The man drew him out；
and hurled him against the wall of the room。
The little boy said not a word； he uttered not a complaint； he gazed
with widely…opened eyes at his dead favorite； and two great tears
slowly trickled down his pale cheeks。
The next day the inspectors gave a report of this occurrence；
couched in terms of worthy indignation； and all hearts were stirred
with righteous anger at the