I would oblige him by accompanying him to
his hotel, and taking up my quarters at the Astor House. I begged to
be excused, as I wished to go to the house of my father-in-law. He
replied he had some matters of great importance to speak to me about;
and as he could not stay long at Green Bay, but would take his
departure the next day, or the day after, he wished I would comply
with his request. As there was some excitement consequent on the
prince's arrival, and a great number of persons were at the Astor
House wishing to see him, I thought I would take advantage of the
confusion to go to my father-in-law's, and promised to return in the
evening when he would be more private. I did so, and on my return
found the prince alone, with the exception of one attendant, whom he
dismissed. He opened the conversation by saying he had a communication
to make to me of a very serious nature as concerned himself, and of
the last importance to me; that it was one in which no others were
interested, and therefore, before proceeding farther, he wished to
obtain some pledge of secrecy, some promise that I would not reveal to
any one what he was going to say. I demurred to any such conditions
being imposed previous to my being acquainted with the nature of the
subject, as there might be something in it, after all, prejudicial and
injurious to others; and it was at length, after some altercation,
agreed that I should pledge my honour not to reveal what the prince
was going to say, provided there was nothing in it prejudicial to any
one, and I signed a promise to this effect on a sheet of paper. It was
vague and general, for I would not tie myself down to absolute
secrecy, but left the matter conditional. When this was done the
prince spoke to this effect--

"'You have been accustomed, sir, to consider yourself a native of this
country, but you are not. You are of foreign descent; you were born in
Europe, sir; and however incredible it may at first sight seem to you,
you are the son of a king. There ought to be much consolation to you
to know this fact. You have suffered a great deal, and have been
brought very low; but you have not suffered more or been more degraded
than my father, who was long in exile and in poverty in this country;
but there is this difference between him and you, that he was all
along aware of his high birth, whereas you have been spared the
knowledge of your origin.'

"When the prince said this I was much overcome,