"I will not go! I will not leave my
house; I do not want you to betray my dear papa!" [Footnote: The
king's words.--Vide "Memoires du Due de Rovigo," vol. vii., p. 5.]
The empress took no longer any notice of him; M. de Comisy lifted
the crying, struggling boy into his arms. "'Quiou, dear 'Quiou!"
cried the child, "oh, come to my assistance! I will not leave my
house!"
"Sire," said Madame de Montesquieu, weeping, "we must leave: the
emperor has ordered us to do so!"
"It is false!" cried the prince, bursting into a flood of tears, and
still trying to disengage himself. "My papa never ordered any such
thing, for he says that one ought never to flee from the enemy. I
will not go, I will not flee!"
"Come, sire; come!" exclaimed M. de Comisy.
"I will not go!" said the boy, and clung to the door. But Madame de
Montesqnion, vainly trying to comfort the prince by gentle words,
disengaged his tiny hands, and M. de Comisy hurried on. The whole
court, the whole travelling cortege thronged, forward, following the
empress and the King of Rome.
Soon the brilliant apartment was empty; but the deserted rooms
echoed the distant cries of the little King of Rome. All his
struggles were in vain. M. de Comisy was not allowed to have pity on
him; the will of the empress had to be fulfilled.
At length the preparations were completed, and all had taken their
seats.
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