Read Online H.J. Gaudreau - Betrayal in the Louvre by H.J. Gaudreau - Free Book Online
Authors: H.J. Gaudreau
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certain we’re not talking about a fish, so please tell me what a Dauphin is?”
“Madame, yes in a strange way we are referring to the fish. You see, every member of the royal family he has his own coat of arms. The oldest male child of the King, he is next in line for the thrown, no? On his coat of arms swim a pair of the dauphins. So, it has always been tradition to refer to him as The Dauphin. You understand now, no?”
Jim looked at Eve. “Hon, I think this is a very big deal. He’s saying this is a very historical document. I’ll bet this is an important thing.” Turning back to LeDuc he said, “Monsieur LeDuc, can you tell us which Dauphin this applies to?”
“Wait, are there more than one?” Eve asked, still confused.
“Ah, oui, of course,” LeDuc said immediately. “You see, madame, it is always so. It is always the oldest living son of the living King. When the King dies, his son, the Dauphin, he becomes the King, no? And his son, he becomes the next Dauphin. If the boy dies, and he has a younger brother then the younger brother becomes the Dauphin, you see?”
Eve nodded. She could see the excitement on LeDuc and her husband’s face. As she looked around she also could see that LeDuc’s initial reaction had not gone unnoticed by the many passers by. A crowd had begun to develop. Already people were leaning over Jim’s shoulder trying to get a better look.
John Taylor, being a bright young man, immediately radioed for additional security. In short order two off duty Detroit police officers were at their sides. LeDuc gently put the document in a lay-flat case. The tube went into a separate case. John Taylor, the guards, Monsieur LeDuc, Jim and Eve then made their way to the show offices and a vault.
After securing their treasures they convened in the office of the Cobo Convention Center manager. Mr. David Shilling, the show director, was using this office as his own during the show week. He had never been associated with the find of an antique of this value and he wanted to know more.
Soft drinks and snacks were brought in and the key players convened around the office couch and sitting chairs. Shilling wanted to hear the whole story. Monsieur LeDuc began with an explanation of the significance of a Royal Patent, and how they were used to document royal blood.
“It is not the word ‘patent’ like your inventor Thomas Edison made. No, the word is…ahhh, ahhhh….” LeDuc searched his excited mind for the correct English translation. “The word she means the ‘open book’ in Latin. It is a proof. It is the document, the royal, or noble provides to their betters to prove they are a royal or noble. You see?”
Shilling leaned forward, “You mean to keep someone from impersonating a knight or a prince?”
“Exact!” cried LeDuc. “There was no television, no glamour magazine, so when a noble went from city to city no one knew him. Proof must be provided, you understand?”
“Got it,” said Jim. “But why would the king, or even the king’s son need one? Everyone knew who the king was I’m sure.”
LeDuc frowned, “I must confess, I do not know.”
Unfazed by this minor setback LeDuc continued with his story. “The Royal Patents were rarely seen and then only by the church. They were never seen by the public,” he said.
Then, as if it were not obvious enough, he stressed that French Royal Patents are extremely rare and extremely valuable. There are two reasons for this. The first is the simple fact that not many have survived.
“There are none, all of the known Royal Patents, they were destroyed by the barbarians during the revolution,” he cried.
LeDuc explained this was an attempt to destroy the entire concept of royalty in France. Only a few of the Patents belonging to the lesser nobles were still in existence. Remarkably, one Royal Patent from the family of King Louis
“Madame, yes in a strange way we are referring to the fish. You see, every member of the royal family he has his own coat of arms. The oldest male child of the King, he is next in line for the thrown, no? On his coat of arms swim a pair of the dauphins. So, it has always been tradition to refer to him as The Dauphin. You understand now, no?”
Jim looked at Eve. “Hon, I think this is a very big deal. He’s saying this is a very historical document. I’ll bet this is an important thing.” Turning back to LeDuc he said, “Monsieur LeDuc, can you tell us which Dauphin this applies to?”
“Wait, are there more than one?” Eve asked, still confused.
“Ah, oui, of course,” LeDuc said immediately. “You see, madame, it is always so. It is always the oldest living son of the living King. When the King dies, his son, the Dauphin, he becomes the King, no? And his son, he becomes the next Dauphin. If the boy dies, and he has a younger brother then the younger brother becomes the Dauphin, you see?”
Eve nodded. She could see the excitement on LeDuc and her husband’s face. As she looked around she also could see that LeDuc’s initial reaction had not gone unnoticed by the many passers by. A crowd had begun to develop. Already people were leaning over Jim’s shoulder trying to get a better look.
John Taylor, being a bright young man, immediately radioed for additional security. In short order two off duty Detroit police officers were at their sides. LeDuc gently put the document in a lay-flat case. The tube went into a separate case. John Taylor, the guards, Monsieur LeDuc, Jim and Eve then made their way to the show offices and a vault.
After securing their treasures they convened in the office of the Cobo Convention Center manager. Mr. David Shilling, the show director, was using this office as his own during the show week. He had never been associated with the find of an antique of this value and he wanted to know more.
Soft drinks and snacks were brought in and the key players convened around the office couch and sitting chairs. Shilling wanted to hear the whole story. Monsieur LeDuc began with an explanation of the significance of a Royal Patent, and how they were used to document royal blood.
“It is not the word ‘patent’ like your inventor Thomas Edison made. No, the word is…ahhh, ahhhh….” LeDuc searched his excited mind for the correct English translation. “The word she means the ‘open book’ in Latin. It is a proof. It is the document, the royal, or noble provides to their betters to prove they are a royal or noble. You see?”
Shilling leaned forward, “You mean to keep someone from impersonating a knight or a prince?”
“Exact!” cried LeDuc. “There was no television, no glamour magazine, so when a noble went from city to city no one knew him. Proof must be provided, you understand?”
“Got it,” said Jim. “But why would the king, or even the king’s son need one? Everyone knew who the king was I’m sure.”
LeDuc frowned, “I must confess, I do not know.”
Unfazed by this minor setback LeDuc continued with his story. “The Royal Patents were rarely seen and then only by the church. They were never seen by the public,” he said.
Then, as if it were not obvious enough, he stressed that French Royal Patents are extremely rare and extremely valuable. There are two reasons for this. The first is the simple fact that not many have survived.
“There are none, all of the known Royal Patents, they were destroyed by the barbarians during the revolution,” he cried.
LeDuc explained this was an attempt to destroy the entire concept of royalty in France. Only a few of the Patents belonging to the lesser nobles were still in existence. Remarkably, one Royal Patent from the family of King Louis
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