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A. Beauchesne Vie, Martyre et Mort de Louis XVII ("Life, Martyrdom and Death of Louis XVII").

The details are from the very mouths of the citizens Lasne and Gomin, who were the guardians of the hapless Dauphin:

The hour of agony approached and Gomin, one of the guards, seeing that the diseased remained calm, silent and motionless, asked him: "I hope you are not suffering?"

"Yes, I still suffer, but not like before... This music is so beautiful!" There was no echo of music, nor was there any in the room where the dying little martyr was lying. Gomin, surprised, replied: "In which direction do you hear it?"

- "It comes from above."

- "And you have heard it for a long time?"

- "Ever since you got down on your knees. Can't you hear it? Oh! Let's listen, let's listen!"

And the child opened his big eyes enlightened with ecstatic joy and managed to wave with his little bloodless hand. The guard, moved, not wanting to destroy this last sweet illusion, pretended to listen too. After a few minutes of great attention, the child seemed to jump with joy, his gaze became sparkling; he said with a voice that expressed an intense emotion: "Among the voices that sing, I recognize my mother's!"

This last word, immediately out of the poor orphan's lips, seemed to take away all his suffering. His forehead calmed down, his gaze became calm again, and he turned to something invisible; in the meantime, it was clear that he continued to listen with ecstatic attention to the chords of a concert that escaped human ears.

It seemed as if this young soul was beginning to dawn a new existence. Shortly afterwards, the other guard, Lasne, came to relieve Gomin, and the prince looked at him for a long time with a languid and veiled eye. When Lasne saw him agitated, he asked him how he was doing and if he needed anything. He whispered, "Who knows if my sister has heard this heavenly music! It would have done her so much good to hear it!"

Then the gaze of the dying boy moved suddenly towards the window; a cry of joy came out of his lips; addressing the guard, he said: "I have something to tell you. Lasne approached, holding his hand. The prisoner bowed his head on the guard's chest, and the guard began to listen to him, but in vain: everything was over.

God had spared the little martyr the convulsions of agony and the dying child's last thought remained unspoken. Lasne placed his hand on the child's chest: Louis XVII's heart had stopped beating!