the deaf and dumb boy,
at least until a mute could be found to take his place. Mr. Meves,
therefore, actuated by these ideas, proceeded to France, and, as those
who now bear his name assert, succeeded in procuring an interview with
Marie-Antoinette in her dungeon in the Conciergerie, where he made the
illustrious sufferer a vow of secrecy respecting her son, which he
kept to the latest hour of his existence. And, lest there should be
any doubt about this interview, it is added that many loyalists, both
before and after, penetrated into the gloom of her prison-cell, and
all but one contrived to evade being detected.

At the interview it was agreed that he should introduce the lad, whom
he had brought, into the Temple, and should place him under the care
of Simon, the shoemaker, till a good opportunity occurred to extricate
Louis XVII. The arrangement was no sooner made than it was carried
out. Madame Simon, who was a party to the plot, found the "good
opportunity." The dauphin was removed in the convenient basket of a
laundress--perhaps the same basket which had held Nauendorff, and the
unfortunate bastard of Mr. Meves was left in his stead. On reaching
the hotel at which Mr. Meves was staying the rescued prince was
respectably attired, and, having been placed in a carriage by his new
guardian, was escorted by the Marquis of Bonneval as far as the coast
of Normandy. It is not said whether, during the long ride, Mr. Meves
felt a twinge of remorse for his heartless conduct towards the
harmless and delicate child whom he had left in the clutches of Simon;
but, at all events, he is represented as reaching England in safety
with his new charge. The liberated king took up his abode in
Bloomsbury Square, and was adopted as the son of Mr. Meves, who had
better reasons for abiding by the laws of adoption than those of
parentage. At this time he was only eight years and seven months old.

But Mrs. Meves was not so thoroughly satisfied with the result of her
husband's mission as that astute individual was himself disposed to
be; and having learnt that the boy who had passed as her son was a
prisoner in the Temple Tower, hurried off to her friend Mrs. Carpenter
to tell her doleful tale, and to concoct measures for his release. A
renewed search was instituted for a deaf and dumb boy, and one was
found--"the son of a poor woman"--and in the month of January, 1794,
Mrs. Meves procured passports, and proceeded with this boy and a Germa