"
"That is very honorable and flattering," remarked the physician.
"Yes, but very burdensome and disagreeable," answered Simon. "We are
prisoners while holding these honorable and flattering posts. We can
no more leave the Temple than Capet can, for, since his father died,
and the crazy legitimists began to call him King Louis XVII., the
chief magistrate and the Convention have been very anxious. They are
afraid of secret conspiracies, and consider it possible that the
little prisoner may be taken away from here by intrigue. We have to
watch him day and night, therefore, and are never allowed to leave
the Temple, lest we should meet with other people, and lest the
legitimists should make the attempt to get into our good graces.
Would you believe, citizen doctor, that they did not even allow me
to go to the grand festival which the city of Paris gave in honor of
the taking of Toulan! While all the people were shouting, and having
a good time, Jeanne Marie and I had to stay here in this good-for-
nothing Temple, and see and hear nothing of the fine doings. And
this drives the gall into my blood, and it will make us both sick,
and it is past endurance!"
"I believe that you are right, citizen," said the physician,
thoughtfully. "Yes, the whole trouble of your wife comes from the
fact that she is here in the Temple, and if she must be shut up here
always she will continue to suffer.
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