to a
house whose members were celebrated as _bons vivants_!" The dauphin
was insulted, the ladies were vexed, and the cure was so intensely
amused that he burst into an explosive fit of laughter. The dinner
came to an untimely conclusion, and the branded of the Pope retired
wrathfully.

But Fouche heard of these occurrences! The great minister of police
was little likely to allow an adventurer to wander about the provinces
without a passport, declaring himself the son of Louis XVI. By his
instructions the pretender was arrested, but even when in the hands of
the police lost none of his audacity. He assumed the airs of royalty,
and assured his disconsolate friends that the time would speedily come
when his wrongs would be righted, his enemies discomfited, and his
adherents rewarded as they deserved. The martyr was even more greatly
feted in jail than he had been when at liberty. The prison regulations
were relaxed to the utmost in his favour by dubious officials, who
feared to incur the vengeance of the coming king; banquets were held
in the apartments of the illustrious captive; valuable presents were
laid at his feet; and a petty court was established within the walls
of the prison.

But again the dread Fouche interposed; and although Bonaparte, then
consul, would not allow the sham dauphin to be treated as a political
offender, the chief of police had him put upon trial as a common
impostor. Madame Seignes was at the same time indicted as an
accomplice, she having been the first who publicly acknowledged her
conviction that Hervagault was the dauphin of the Temple. The trial
came on before the Tribunal of Justice on the 17th of February, 1802.
After a patient hearing Hervagault was sentenced to four years'
imprisonment, while his deluded admirer was acquitted.

There was some hope in the bosoms of Hervagault's partizans that the
influence of his supposed sister, the Duchess d'Angouleme, would be
sufficient to free him from the meshes of the law, and she was
communicated with, but utterly repudiated the impostor. Meantime
appeals were lodged against the sentence on both sides--by the
prosecuting counsel, because of the acquittal of Madame Seignes, and
by the friends of the prisoner against his conviction. A new trial was
therefore appointed to take place at Rheims.

In the interval a new and powerful friend arose for the captive in
Charles Lafond de Savines, the ex-bishop of Viviers. This ecclesiastic
had been on