and thrown into a
state of mind which you can easily imagine. In fact, I hardly knew
what to do or say; and my feelings were so much excited that I was
like one in a dream. However, I remember I told him his communication
was so startling and unexpected that he must forgive me for being
incredulous, and that I was really between two."

"'What do you mean,' he said, 'by being between two?'

"I replied that, on the one hand, it scarcely seemed to me he could
believe what he said; and, on the other, I feared he might be under
some mistake as to the person. He assured me, however, he would not
trifle with my feelings on such a subject, and had ample means in his
possession to satisfy me that there was no mistake whatever. I
requested him to proceed with the disclosure partly made, and to
inform me in full of the secret of my birth. He replied that, in doing
so, it was necessary that a certain process should be gone through in
order to guard the interest of all parties concerned. I inquired what
kind of process he meant. Upon this the prince rose and went to his
trunk, which was in the room, and took from it a parchment which he
laid on the table and set before me, that I might read and give him my
determination in regard to it. There were also on the table pen and
ink and wax, and he placed there a governmental seal of France--the
one, if I mistake not, used under the old monarchy. The document which
the prince placed before me was very handsomely written in double
parallel columns of French and English. I continued intently reading
and considering it for a space of four or five hours. During this time
the prince left me undisturbed, remaining for the most part in the
room, but he went out three or four times.

"The purport of the document which I read repeatedly word by word,
comparing the French with the English, was this: It was a solemn
abdication of the crown of France in favour of Louis Philippe by
Charles Louis, the son of Louis XVI., who was styled Louis XVII.,
King of France and Navarre, with all accompanying names and titles of
honour, according to the custom of the old French monarchy, together
with a minute specification in legal phraseology of the conditions and
considerations and provisos upon which the abdication was made. These
conditions were, in brief, that a princely establishment should be
secured to me either in America or in France, at my option, and that
Louis Philippe would pledge himself on his p