e of the earliest advocates of the revolution; but, on
discovering its utter godlessness, had withdrawn from it in disgust,
and had retired into private life. In his seclusion the news reached
him that the dauphin was still alive, and was resolved to re-establish
a monarchy similar to that in England, and in which the church,
although formally connected with the state, would be allowed freedom
of thought and freedom of action within its own borders. His zeal was
excited, and he resolved to aid the unfortunate prince in so laudable
an undertaking. He was little disposed to question the identity of the
pretender, for the surgeons who had performed the autopsy at the
Temple Tower had told him that, although they had indeed opened the
body of a child, they had not recognised it, and could not undertake
to say that it was that of the dauphin. To his mind, therefore, there
appeared nothing extraordinary in the story of Hervagault, and he
resolved to aid him to the best of his ability.

Recognising the deficiencies of the presumed heir to the throne of
France, he determined to educate him as befitted his lofty rank, and
declared himself willing, if he could not obtain the liberty of the
prince, to share his captivity, and to teach him, in a dungeon, his
duty towards God and man. He also entered into a lengthy
correspondence with illustrious royalists to secure their co-operation
in his plans, and even projected a matrimonial alliance for his
illustrious protege. Nor did he offer only one lady to the choice of
his future king. There were three young sisters of considerable beauty
at the time resident in the province of Dauphine, and he left
Hervagault liberty to select one of the three. He assured his prince
that they were the daughters of a marquis, who was the natural son of
Louis XV., and as the grand-daughters of a king of France were in
every respect worthy of sitting by his side on his future throne. But
the prisoner's deep affection for the Princess Benedictine for a time
threatened to spoil this part of the plan, until, sacrificing his own
feelings, he consented to yield to considerations of state, and placed
himself unreservedly in the hands of his reverend adviser, who at once
set out for Dauphine, and made formal proposals on behalf of
Hervagault on the 25th of August, 1802, the anniversary of the
festival of St. Louis.

But justice would not wait for Hymen; and while the fortunate young
ladies were still undecided