vainhadheemployedthetwofootmenfrombehindthecarriage
　　toexaminethedifferentavenuesbywhichhemighthaveretired。
　　Nothingcouldbeheardofhim，andIremained，morethanever，
　　convincedthattheentirefulfilmentoftheprophecywasathand，
　　andthatthefatalhourwouldshortlystrike，whichwouldwitness
　　myfallfromallmypompandgreatness。
　　Wecontinuedourroute
　　slowlyandsilently；themarechaleaccompaniedmetothedoorof
　　myapartment，whereIbadeheradieu，spiteofherwishtoremain
　　withme；butevenhersocietywasnowfatiguingtome，andI
　　longedtobealonewithmerelymyownfamily。
　　Mytwosisters-in-law，thewifeofcomted’Hargicourtandthat
　　ofmynephew，werespeedilyassembledtotalkoverwithmethe
　　eventsofthelasttwelvehours。
　　Ithrewmyselfuponmybedin
　　astateofmentalandbodilyfatigue，impossibletodescribe。
　　I
　　stroveinvaintocollectmyideas，andarmmyselfforwhatI
　　wellsawwasapproaching，andtheexactappearanceofthesingular
　　predicterofmydestinypreparedmefortherapidaccomplishing
　　ofallthathadbeenpromised。
　　LouisXV，duringthisfatalillness，wasplacedunderthecare
　　ofBordeuandLemonnier。
　　Noparticularlyalarmingsymptoms
　　appearedduringthatday，andweremainedinastateofsuspense
　　moredifficulttobearthaneventhemostdreadfulcertainty。
　　As
　　soonasthekingfelthimselfsufficientlyrecoveredfromthe
　　fatiguesofhisremovalherequestedtoseeme。
　　Afterbestowing
　　onmethemostgratifyingmarksofthesincerestattachment，
　　hesaid，
　　“Iamwellpunished，mydearcountess，formyinconstancytowards
　　you，butforgiveme。
　　Iprayandbelievethat，howevermyfancy
　　maywander，myheartisallyourown。“
　　“Isthatquitetrue？“
　　saidI，smiling。
　　“Haveyounotsome
　　reservations？
　　Doesnotanoblefemaleinthe
　　comeinforashareaswellasthebaronessdeNew——k？“
　　Thekingpressedmyhand，andreplied，
　　“Youmustnotbelieveallthoseidletales；Imetthebaroness
　　bychance，and，foratime，Ithoughtherpretty。
　　Asforthe
　　other，ifsherendersyouinanywayuneasy，letherbemarried
　　atonce，andsentwhereweneedneverseeheragain。“
　　’Thisis，indeed，thelanguageofsincerity，“criedI，andfrom
　　thismomentIshallhavethefullestconfidenceinyou。“
　　Theconversationwascarriedonforalongwhileinthisstrain。
　　Thephysicianshadmadesolightofthecomplaint，thattheking
　　believedhisillnesstobemerelyofatemporarynature，andhis
　　gaietyandgoodspiritsreturnedalmosttotheirnaturalheight。
　　HeinquiredaftermadamedeMirepoix，andwhethermysisters-
　　in-lawwereuneasyrespectinghisstateofhealth。
　　Youmay
　　imaginethatmyreplywaswordedwithallthecautionnecessary
　　tokeephiminprofoundignoranceastohisrealcondition。
　　When
　　IreturnedtomyapartmentIfoundBordeuthere，whoappeared
　　quiteatalosswhattosayrespectingtheking’smalady，the
　　symptomsstillremainedtoouncertaintowarrantanypersonin
　　callingitthesmall-pox。
　　“Andshoulditprovethathorriblecomplaint？“
　　inquiredI。
　　“Therewould，inthatcase，beconsiderabledanger，“replied
　　Bordeu，notwithoutextremeembarrassment……
　　“Perhapseventotheextinctionofallhope？“
　　askedI。
　　“Godalonecantell，“returnedBordeu。
　　“Iunderstand，“interruptedI，quickly，“and，spiteofthemystery
　　withwhichyouwouldfainconcealtheextentofhismajesty’s
　　danger，Iknow，andventuretoassert，thatyouconsiderhim
　　alreadyasdead。“
　　“Haveacare，madam，“exclaimedBordeu，“howyouadmitsuchan
　　idea，andstillmoreofproclaimingit。
　　Ipledgeyoumywordthat
　　Idonotconsiderthekingisindanger；Ihaveseenmanycures
　　equallyextraordinarywithhis。“
　　Ishookmyheadintokenofdisbelief。
　　IhadutteredwhatIfirmly
　　supposedthetruth，andthesightofmyevilgeniusintheperson
　　oftheprophetwhohadawaitedmyreturntoVersailles，turned
　　theencouragingwordsofBordeuintoacold，heavychill，which
　　strucktomyheart。
　　Bordeuquittedmetoresumehisattendance
　　upontheking。
　　Afterhimcametheducd’Aiguillon，whosefeatures
　　borethevisiblemarksofcareanddisquiet。
　　Hemetmewiththe
　　utmosttendernessandconcern，askedofmetheverysmallest
　　detailsofthedisastrouseventsofthemorning。
　　Iconcealed
　　nothingfromhim，andhelistenedtomyrecitalwiththemost
　　livelyinterest；andtheaccountoftheapparitionofthewonderful
　　beingwhoseemeddestinedtofollowmethroughoutmycareerwas
　　nottheleastinterestingpartofourconversation。
　　“Thereare，“saidtheduke，“manyveryextraordinarythingsin
　　thislife，reasonquestionsthem，philosophylaughsatthem，and
　　yetitisimpossibletodenythattherearevarioushiddencauses，
　　orsuddeninspirations，whichhavethegreatesteffectuponour
　　destiny。
　　Asaproof，Iwillrelatetoyouthefollowingcircumstance。
　　Youareaware，“continuedtheduke，“thatthecardinalde
　　Richelieu，theauthorofourgoodfortune，spiteofthesuperiority
　　ofhismind，believedinjudicialastrology。
　　Whenhisown
　　immediatelinebecameextinctbytheunexpecteddeathofhis
　　familyandrelatives，hewishedtoascertainwhatwouldbethe
　　fateofthosechildrenbelongingtohissister，whomhehad
　　adoptedasthesuccessorsofhisname，arms，andfortune。
　　The
　　planetswereconsulted，andtheanswerreceivedwas，thattwo
　　centuriesfromthedayonwhichProvidencehadsohighlyelevated
　　himself，thefamily，uponwhomrestedallhishopesofperpetuating
　　hisname，shouldfailentirelyinitsmaledescent。
　　Youseethat
　　theducdeFronsachasonlyonechild，aninfantnotmanydays
　　old。
　　Ialsohavebutone，andthesetwofeeblebranchesseem
　　butlittlecalculatedtofalsifytheprediction。
　　Judge，mydear
　　countess，howgreatmustbemypaternalanxiety！“
　　Thisrelationonthepartoftheducd’Aiguillonwasbutill
　　calculatedtorestoremydroopingspirits，andalthoughIhad
　　noreasonforconcludingthattheastrologerhadspoken
　　propheticallytothegrandcardinal，Iwasnotthelessinclined
　　tobelieve，withincreasedconfidence，thepredictionsuttered
　　respectingmyselfbymyinexplicablevisitorofthemorning。
　　My
　　everkindfriend，theduchessed’Aiguillon，wasnotlongereshe
　　toomadeherappearance，withtheview，andinthehopeof
　　consolingme。
　　Icouldnotresistherearnestendeavourstorouse
　　mefrommygrief，andagratefulsenseofhergoodnessobliged
　　metodeckmyfeatureswithatleastthesemblanceofcheerfulness。
　　Everyhourfreshaccountsoftheking’shealthwerebroughtme，
　　ofamostencouragingnature；bythesebulletinsonemightnaturally
　　supposehimrapidlyrecovering，andweallbegantosmileatour
　　follyinhavingbeensosoonalarmed；infact，myspiritsrosein
　　proportionasthoseaboutmeappearedfulloffreshconfidence，
　　andthemysteriousvisitofmyevilgeniusgraduallyfadedfrom
　　myrecollection。
　　Inthismannerthedaypassedaway。
　　Ivisitedthekingfrom
　　timetotime，andhe，althoughevidentlymuchoppressedand
　　indisposed，conversedwithmewithoutanypainfuleffort。
　　His
　　affectionformeseemedtogainfreshstrengthashisbodily
　　vigourdeclined，andtheferventattachmentheexpressedfor
　　me，atatimewhenselfmightreasonablyhavebeenexpectedto
　　holdpossessionofhismind，filledmewithregretatnotbeingable
　　morefullytoreturnsomuchtenderness。
　　IntheeveningI
　　wishedtobealone，themarechaledeMirepoixhadsenttorequest
　　aprivateinterview，andIawaitedherarrivalinmychamber，
　　whilstanimmenseconcourseofvisitorsfilledmysalons。
　　The
　　king’sdangerwasnotyetsufficientlydecidedforthecourtiers
　　toabandonme，andthechancescontinuedtoostronglyinmy
　　favourtowarrantanyoneoftheminwithdrawingfrommetheir
　　usualattentions。
　　ComteJean，however，presentedhimselfbefore
　　me，spiteoftheordersIhadgiventoexcludeeverypersonbut
　　themarechale。
　　“Mydearsister，“criedhe，asheentered，“Chamillyhasjusttold
　　methathehasreceivedtheroyalcommandtohaveJuliemarried
　　offwithoutdelay；nowthisisapieceofdelicacytowardsyourself
　　onthepartofthekingforwhichyouowehimmanythanks。
　　But
　　Ihaveanothercommunicationtomakeyou，ofalesspleasingnature。
　　TheunfortunategirlwhohasbeenleftatTrianon，hascalled
　　incessantlyforyouthewholeofthisday；sheassertsthatshe
　　hasmattersofimportancetocommunicatetoyou。“
　　WhateversurpriseIexperiencedatthisintelligence，itwas
　　impossibleitcouldbeotherwisethantrue，forwasitlikely
　　that，atatimelikethepresent，comteJeanwouldattemptto
　　imposesuchataleuponme。
　　“Whatwouldyouhavemedo？“
　　askedIofmybrother-in-law。
　　“Harkye，sister，“repliedhe，“wearebothofusinavery
　　criticalsituationjustnow，andshouldsparenoendeavourto
　　extricateourselvesfromit。
　　Verypossiblythisgirlmaybein
　　possessionoffactsmoreimportantthanyouatpresentconceive
　　possible；theearnestnesswithwhichsheperseveresinherdesire
　　ofseeingyou，andherrepeatedprayerstothosearoundherto
　　begyourattendance，provesthatitissomethingmorethanthe
　　merewhimofasickperson，andinyourplace，Ishouldnot
　　hesitatetocomplywithherwishes。“
　　“Andhowcouldwedoso？
　　“saidI。