for the dauphin. I inquired into his
rights. The agent showed me papers like my own. I asked who presented
them. He knew no more of the man than he did of me. I demanded to face
the man. No such person could be found. I demanded to see the idiot. He
was shut in a room and fed by a hired keeper. I sat down and thought
much. Clearly it was not the agent's affair. He followed instructions.
Good! I would follow instructions also. Months would have been required
to ask and receive explanations from the court of Monsieur. He had
assumed the title of Louis XVIII, for the good of the royalist cause, as
if there were no prince. I thought I saw what was expected of me."

"And what did you see, you unspeakable scoundrel?"

"I saw that there was a dauphin too many, hopelessly idiotic. But if he
was the one to be guarded, I would guard him."

"Who was that idiot?"

"Some unknown pauper. No doubt of that."

"And what did you do with me?"

"A chief of the Iroquois Indians can tell you that."

"This is a clumsy story, Bellenger. Try again."

"Sire--"

"If you knew so little of the country, how did you find an Iroquois
chief?"

"I met him in the woods when he was hunting. I offered to give you to
him, pretending you had the annuity from Europe. Sire, I do not know why
trickery was practiced on me, or who practiced it: why such pains were
taken to mix the clues which led to the dauphin. But afterwards the same
agent had orders to give you two-thirds and me only one-third of the
yearly sum. I thought the court was in straits;--when both Russia and
Spain supported it! I was nothing but a court painter. But when you went
to France, I blocked your way with all the ingenuity I could bring."

"I would like to ask you, Bellenger, what a man is called who attempts
the life of his king?"

"Sire, the tricks of royalists pitted us against each other."

"That's enough, Bellenger. I don't believe a word you say, excepting
that part of your story agreeing with Madame de Ferrier's. Put your hand
under my pillow and find my wallet. Now help yourself, and never let me
see you again."

He helped himself to everything except a few shillings, weeping because
his necessities were so great. But I told him I was used to being
robbed, and he had done me all the harm he could; so his turn to pluck
me naturally followed.

Then I softened, as I always do towards the claimant of the other part,
and added that we were on the same footing; I had b