"What does that mean, his heir?" asked the child.
"It means," answered the king, "that to you belong now the titles and honors of your brother."
"Nothing but that?" asked the prince, timidly. "I do not want his titles and honors."
"You are the heir to the throne; you have now the title of Dauphin of France."
The little one timidly grasped the hand of his mother, and lifted his great blue eyes supplicatingly to her.
"Mamma queen," he whispered, "do you not think the title of Duke de Normandy sounds just as well, or will you love me more, if I am called Dauphin of France?"
"No, my son," answered the queen, "I shall not love you better, and
I should be very happy if you were now the Duke de Normandy."
"Then, mamma," cried the boy, eagerly, "I am not at all glad to receive this new title. But I should like to know whether I have received any thing else from my dear sick brother."
"Any thing else?" asked the king in amazement; "what would you desire, my child?"
The little prince cast down his eyes. "I should not like to tell, papa. But if it is true that the dauphin has left us and is not coming back again, and yet has not taken away every thing which belongs to him, there is something which I should very much like to have, and which would please me more than that I am now the dauphin."