Napoleon's career had
begun and ended; the allies had seated the Bourbons on the throne in
the person of Louis XVIII., brother to Louis XVI., and uncle to his
latest predecessor; Charles X. had succeeded, and was driven from the
throne by the revolution of 1830, which seated Louis-Philippe on it
in his stead. All these events had taken place when the story of the
so-called Duke of Normandy commences.
On an unusually hot evening for the season--an early day in the May
of 1832--a man covered with dust, and who appeared to be borne down
with fatigue, entered Paris through the Barrier d'Italie. Still, he
traversed the Boulevard de l'Hopital with a firm step, being a fine
well-made man, apparently about forty-eight years old. On arriving at
the bridge of Austerlitz, he crossed to the toll-bar at the further
extremity, and was accosted by the keeper, an invalid soldier, who
demanded the toll. Upon this he made a sign that he did not
understand French; but, on the other pulling out a sous piece, to
intimate the nature of his demand, the stranger shook his head,
heaved a deep sigh, and, after some hesitation, drew forth a fine
handkerchief, which he threw towards the toll-keeper, and hastened
away in the direction of the Boulevard Bourbon, to Pere la Chaise.
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