“To-night，“returnedhe，“whenallyourguestshaveretired，and
　　Versaillesisinamannerdeserted，Iwillfetchyou；wehavekeys
　　whichopenthevariousgatesinthepark，andwalkingthrough
　　which，andthegardens，wecanreachTrianonunobserved。
　　No
　　personwillbeawareofourexcursion，andweshallreturnwith
　　thesamecautionwithwhichwewent。
　　Wewill，afterourvisit，
　　causeourclothestobeburnt，takeabath，anduseeverypossible
　　precautiontopurifyourselvesfromallchanceofinfection。
　　When
　　thatisdoneyoumayventureintotheapartmentofhismajesty，
　　evenifthatmaladywhichatpresenthangsoverhimshouldturn
　　outtobethesmall-pox。“
　　Ithoughtbutlittleoftheconsequencesofourscheme，orofthe
　　personaldangerIincurred，andIpromisedmybrother-in-law
　　thatIwouldholdmyselfinreadinesstoaccompanyhim。
　　Wethen
　　conversedtogetheruponthestateoftheking，and，whatyouwill
　　havesomedifficultyincrediting，notonewordescapedeitherof
　　usrelativetoourfutureplansorprospects；stillitwasthe
　　pointtowhichthethoughtsofcomteJeanmustnaturally
　　haveturned。
　　Wewereinterruptedinourbythearrivalofthe
　　marechale，whoseexactitudeIcouldnotbutadmire。
　　ComteJean，
　　havinghastilypaidhiscompliments，leftustogether。
　　“Well，mydearcountess，“saidshe，takingmyhandwithafriendly
　　pressure，“andhowgoesonthedearinvalid？“
　　“Better，Ihope，“repliedI，“andindeed，thisillness，atfirst
　　soalarmingtome，seemsrathercalculatedtoallaymyformer
　　fearsandanxietiesbyaffordingthekingcalmandimpartial
　　reflection；theresultofitisthatmydreadedrivalofthe
　　isdismissed。“
　　“Iamdelightedtohearthis，“repliedmadamedeMirepoix，“but，
　　mydearsoul，letmecautionyouagainsttooimplicitlytrusting
　　thesedeceitfulappearances，to-morrowmaydestroytheseflattering
　　hopes，andthenextday——“
　　“Indeed！“
　　criedI，interruptingher，“thephysiciansanswer
　　forhisrecovery。“
　　“Andsupposetheyshouldchancetobemistaken，“returnedmy
　　cautiousfriend，“whatthen？
　　But，mydearcountess，myregard
　　oryoucompelsmetospeakout，andtowarnyouofreposingin
　　tranquillitywhenyououghttobeacting。
　　Donotdeceiveyourself，
　　leavenothingtochance；andifyouhaveanyfavourtoaskof
　　theking，losenotimeinsodoingwhileyetyouhavetheopportunity。“
　　“Andwhatfavourwouldyouadvisemetoask？“
　　saidI
　　“Youdonotunderstandme，then？“
　　exclaimedthe
　　marechale，“I
　　saythatitisimperativelynecessaryforyoutoacceptwhatever
　　thekingmayfeeldisposedtoofferyouasafutureprovision，
　　andasaffordingyouthemeansofpassingtheremainderofyour
　　daysineaseandtranquillity。
　　Whatwouldbecomeofyouincase
　　oftheworst？
　　Yournumerouscreditorswouldbesiegeyouwitha
　　rapacity，stillfurtherexcitedbythesupporttheywouldreceive
　　fromcourt。
　　YoulookatmewithsurprisebecauseIspeakthe
　　languageoftruth；beareasonablecreatureIimploreofyou
　　onceinyourlife，anddonotthussacrificetheinterestsof
　　yourlifetoaromanticdisregardofself。“
　　Icouldnotfeeloffendedwiththemarechaleforaddressingme
　　thus，butIcouldnothelpfancyingthemomentwasillchosen，
　　andunabletoframeananswertomymind，Iremainedsilent。
　　Mistakenastothecauseofmytaciturnity，shecontinued，
　　“Come，Iamwellpleasedtoseeyouthusreflectinguponwhat
　　Ihavesaid；butlosenotime，striketheironwhileitishot。
　　DoasIhaverecommendedeitherto-nightorearlyto-morrow；
　　possibly，afterthattimeitmaybetoolate。
　　MayIventurealso
　　toremindyouofyourfriends，mydearcountess。
　　Iamingreat
　　troublejustnow，andItrustyouwillnotrefusetoobtainfor
　　me，fromhismajesty，afavourofwhichIstandintheutmost
　　need——50，000francswouldcomeveryseasonably；Ihavelostthat
　　sumatcards，andmustpayit，buthowIknownot。“
　　“Letnotthatdistressyou，“saidI，“forIcanrelieveyouof
　　thatdifficultyuntiltheking’sconvalescenceenableshimto
　　undertakethepleasingofficeofassistingyourwishes。
　　M。de
　　Labordehasorderstohonourallmydraftsuponhim，Iwill
　　thereforedrawforthesumyourequire。“
　　Sosaying，Ihastily
　　scrawleduponalittletumbledpieceofpaperthosemagicwords，
　　whichhadpowertounlockthestrongcoffersofacourtbanker。
　　The
　　marechaleembracedmeseveraltimeswiththeutmostvivacity。
　　“Youaremyguardianangel，“criedshe，“yousavemefromdespair。
　　But，tellme，mygenerousfriend，doyouthinkM。deLabordewill
　　makeanydifficulty？“
　　“Why，“saidI，“shouldyousupposeitpossiblehewilldoso？“
　　“Oh，merelyonaccountofpresentcircumstances。“
　　“Whatcircumstances？“
　　“Theillness——no，Imeantheindispositionofhismajesty。“
　　“Heisanexcellentman，“saidI，“andIdoubtnotbuthewill
　　actnoblyandhonourably。“
　　“Ifwecouldbutprocurehismajesty’ssignature——“
　　“Butthatisquiteimpossibleto-night。“
　　“Iknowitis，and，therefore，IwilltellyouwhatIthinkof
　　doing。
　　Perhaps，ifIweretosetoutforParisimmediately，I
　　mightbeabletopresentthischequebeforeLabordeisacquainted
　　withourmisfortune。
　　Itisnotlate，sofarewell，mydearest
　　countess。
　　Ishallreturnto-morrowbeforeyouareup，butdo
　　notforgetwhatIhavesaidtoyou；andremember，thatunder
　　anycircumstances，thekingshouldsecureyouasafeandample
　　independence。
　　Ifhisdeathfindsyouwellprovidedfor，youwill
　　stillhaveacourt，friends，relatives，partisans，inaword，the
　　meansofgratifyingeveryinclination。
　　Beguidedbyme，and
　　followmyadvice。“
　　Andafterthislessonofpracticalmorality，themarechalequitted
　　metohurrytoParis；andI，weariedandheartsick，flewtomy
　　crowdedsalonsasaremedyagainstthegloomyideasher
　　conversationhadgivenriseto。
　　Onthiseveningmyguestsweremorenumerousandbrilliantthan
　　usual，fornopersonentertainingtheleastsuspicionoftheking’s
　　danger，allviedwitheachotherinevincing，bytheirpresence，
　　thedesiretheyfeltofexpressingtheirregardforme。
　　My
　　friends，acquaintances，peoplewhomIscarcelyknewatall，were
　　collectedtogetherinmydrawing-rooms；thislargeassemblageof
　　joyousandcheerfulfaces，droveawayforamomentallthegloom
　　whichhadbungoverme。
　　Ievenforgotthemorning’svisitor，and
　　ifthehealthofthekingwereatallalludedto，itwasonly
　　。
　　Itseemedagenerallyunderstoodthingnotto
　　believehimseriouslyill；infact，todenyallpossibilityof
　　suchathingbeingthecase。
　　Thusallwentonasusual，scandal，
　　slander，epigrams，，allthelivelynonsense
　　usuallycirculateduponsuchoccasions，wentround，andwere
　　laughedatandadmiredaccordingtothetastesofthosetowhom
　　theywereaddressed。
　　Couldastrangerhaveseenus，socareless，thoughtless，andgay，
　　hewouldhavebeenfarfromsuspectingthatwewereupontheeve
　　ofacatastrophewhichmustchangethewholefaceofaffairsin
　　France。
　　Formyownpart，myspiritsrosetoaheightwiththe
　　giddycrowdaroundme，andinlevityandfolly，Ireallybelieve
　　Iexceededthem。
　　Atalatehourmyroomswereatlengthforsaken，andIretired
　　tomychamberwhere，havingdismissedmyotherattendants，I
　　remainedaloneaswasfrequentlymycustomwithmyfaithful
　　Henriette，whomIcausedtoexchangemyeveningdressforadark
　　robe，whichIcoveredwithalargeSpanishmantleIhadnever
　　beforeworn，andthusequipped，Iwaitedthearrivalofcomte
　　Jean。
　　Henriette，surprisedatthesepreparations，pressedme
　　withsomanyquestions，thatatlastIexplainedmywholepurpose
　　toher。
　　Theattachedcreatureexertedallhereloquencetopoint
　　outthedangersoftheenterprise，whichsheimploredofmeto
　　abandon，butIrefusedtolistentoherremonstrances，andshe
　　ceasedurgingmefurther，onlyprotestingsheshouldawaitmy
　　returnwiththemostlivelyimpatience。
　　Atlength，comteJeanappeared，armedwithasmallsword-stick
　　andpistolsinhispocket，witheveryotherprecautionnecessary
　　forundertakingsoperilousanadventure。
　　Wedescendedinto
　　thegardenwithmanysmilesatthesingularfigureswemade，but
　　nosoonerwereweintheopenair，thanthesightoftheclear
　　heavenssparklingwithstars，thecoolstillnight，thevastwalks
　　linedwithstatues，whichresembledatroopofwhitephantoms，
　　thegentlewavingofthebranches，astheeveningbreezestirred
　　theirleaves，withthatfeelingofaweandsolemnitygenerally
　　attendantuponthemidnighthour，awokeinourmindsideasmore
　　suitabletooursituation。
　　Weceasedspeakingandwalkedslowly
　　downthewalkpastthebasinofthedragon，inorder，bycrossing
　　thepark，toreachthechateaudeTrianon。
　　Fortunefavouredus，forwemetonlyoneguardinthepark，this
　　manhavingrecognisedusaswedrewnear，salutedus，andwas
　　abouttoretire，whenmybrother-in-lawcalledhimbackandesired
　　himtotakeourkey，andopenwithitthenearestgatestothe
　　placewhichwewishedtogoto。
　　Healsocommandedhimtoawait
　　ourreturn。
　　Thesoldierwasaccustomedtothesenocturnal
　　excursionsevenonthepartofthemostscrupulousandcorrect
　　gentlemenandladiesofthecourt。
　　He，therefore，assuredusof
　　hispunctuality，andopenedforusagreatirongate，whichit
　　wouldhavecostmybrother-in-lawmuchtroubletohaveturned
　　uponitshinges。