Devoured with curiosity, he hastened to obtain a leave of absence from his Emperor, who pinched his ear in giving it, inquired on what errand he was bound, and laughed when Jean blushed and stammered that he was not at liberty to explain.
Having made all speed to Havre, he had no difficulty in finding the ship "La Belle Gabrielle" which was preparing to set sail that evening, on its voyage to America. On inquiring for a Monsieur Durant, he was referred to cabin number twelve, which he reached and on whose door he knocked.
A tall, slim, gentle-faced young man of perhaps twenty years opened the door. Jean looked keenly at him for a moment, then gave a little gasp. For he realised in that instant that he stood before the former child of the Tower, Louis XVII of France! The young man drew him inside, closed the door, and the two stood for a long moment, hand clasped in hand, unable to utter a word. It was Louis Charles who at last broke the silence:
"You are much changed, and yet you seem the same Jean of the Temple! Tell me about yourself!"
"Indeed," replied Jean, "you are much changed also, but you are beginning to resemble greatly the late king, your father!"
"So I think myself," laughed the young man, "and so think others, which has begun to prove rather troublesome. For that reason I am going to America, never to return. But I could not leave without seeing you once more!"
"Surely, surely," cried Jean aghast, "you will come back sometime!"
"No, never!" said Louis firmly. "Nothing would induce me to reign over France, even were the opportunity to present itself. And to reside here in a private capacity will scarcely be feasible much longer. I have lived a quiet life for the past ten years with kindly people in a far corner of France. I was placed with them by Barras, under the name of Charles Durant, by which name I have been known ever since. They thought me an orphan of some good Parisian family, sent there to be away from the violent scenes of the Revolution. I was tenderly nursed back to health, and carefully educated. Many times lately has De Batz come secretly to me, and urged me to proclaim my identity and put myself at the head of the royalist cause, but I have steadily refused.