Thenearerweapproachedtheendofourjourney，themorefully
　　didourmindsbecomeimpressedwithnewandpainfuldisquietudes。
　　Atlength，wereachedtheplaceofourdestination。
　　Mybrother-in-lawdesiredhemightbeannouncedbutsaidnothing
　　ofwhoIwas。
　　Wewereexpected，foraSwissbelongingtothe
　　palaceconductedustoachamberatoneendofthechateau，
　　where，stretchedonabedofloathsomedisease，wasthecreature
　　who，butafewhoursbefore，hadbeendeemedworthytheembraces
　　ofapowerfulmonarch。
　　Besideherwereanelderlyfemale，her
　　mother，andanagedpriest，whohadbeenlikewisesummonedbythe
　　unfortunategirl，andherbrother，ayoungmanofabouttwenty-four
　　yearsofage，withaneyeoffire，andaframeofHerculeanpower。
　　Hewassittingwithhisbackturnedtowardsthedoor；themother，
　　halfrecliningonthebed，heldinherhandahandkerchiefsteeped
　　inhertears，whiletheecclesiasticreadprayerstothemfroma
　　bookwhichheheld。
　　Anurse，whomwehadnotbeforeperceived，
　　answeredthecalloftheSwiss，andinquiredofhimwhathewanted。
　　“Iwantnothing，myself，“answeredhe，“buthereiscomteJean
　　duBarrywithaladyfromVersailles；theysaytheycomeatthe
　　requestofmademoiselleAnne。“
　　Wewerenowonthethresholdofthedoor，andthenurse，crossing
　　thechamber，spoketothemother，whohastilyrose，whilethe
　　priestdiscontinuedhisprayers。
　　Themotherlookedatus，then
　　whisperedsomewordstoherdaughter。
　　Thepatientstirredinher
　　bed，andthenursereturningtous，saidtocomteJeanthathe
　　mightapproachthebedoftheinvalid。
　　HeadvancedandIfollowedhim，althoughthenoisomeeffluvia
　　withwhichtheairwasloadedproducedasicknessIscarcelycould
　　surmount。
　　Thegloomoftheplacewasstillfurtherincreasedby
　　thedimlightoftwowaxcandlesplacedinanookoftheroom。
　　Thepriest，havingrecognisedmybrother-in-law，andsuspecting
　　doubtlesswhoIwas，waspreparingtowithdraw，butthesickgirl
　　madesignsforhimtoremain。
　　Heobeyed，butremovingtoa
　　distance，hetookhisplacebesidetheyoungman，who，understanding
　　onlythatstrangershadarrived，rosefromhisseatanddisplayed
　　histallgiganticheighttothefullestadvantage。
　　CHAPTERXLI
　　Interviewwiththejoiner’sdaughter——Consultationofthephysicians
　　respectingtheking——Thesmall-poxdeclaresitself——thecomtede
　　Muy——Theprincesses——ExtremesensibilityofmadamedeMirepoix——The
　　kingiskeptinignoranceofhisrealcondition——Thearchbishopof
　　ParisvisitsVersailles
　　Thegloomyandmysteriousairscatteredoverthegroupwhich
　　presenteditselftooureyesfilleduswithdespondingthoughts。
　　Thereappearedthroughoutthepartyakindofconcentratedgrief
　　andsilentdespairwhichstruckuswithterror。
　　Weremained
　　motionlessinthesamespotwithoutanypersonsquittingtheir
　　fixedattitudetoofferusaseat。
　　Aftersomeminutesofadeep
　　silence，whichIdurstnotinterruptanymorethancomteJean，
　　whoseaccustomedhardihoodseemedeffectuallychecked，the
　　sufferinggirlraisedherselfinherbed，andinahollow
　　voiceexclaimed，
　　“ComtesseduBarry，whatbringsyouhere？“
　　Thesoundofherhoarseandgratingvoicemademestart，spiteofmyself。
　　“Mypoorchild，“answeredI，tenderly，“Icometoseeyouat
　　yourrequest。“
　　“Yes，yes，“repliedshe，burstingintoafrightfulfitoflaughter，
　　“Iwishedtoseeyoutothankyouformydishonour，andforthe
　　perditionintowhichyouhaveinvolvedme。“
　　“Mydaughter，“saidthepriest，approachingher，“isthiswhat
　　youpromisedme？“
　　“AndwhatdidIpromisetoGodwhenIvowedtoholdmyselfchaste
　　andspotless？
　　PerjuredwretchthatIam，Ihavesoldmyhonour
　　forpaltrygold；wheedledbythedeceitfulflatteryofthatman
　　whostandsbeforeme，Ijoinedhisinfamouscompanioninthe
　　pathofguiltandshame。
　　Butthejustvengeanceofheavenhas
　　overtakenme，andIamrightlypunished。“
　　Whetherthislanguagewastheresultofapreviouslystudied
　　lessonIknownot，butitwasill-calculatedtoraisemy
　　failingspirits。
　　“Mychild，mybelovedchild！“
　　exclaimedtheweepingmother，
　　“fearnot，Godismercifulandwillacceptyoursincereabhorrence
　　ofyourfault。
　　Ihavethisdayofferedinyournameafinewax
　　tapertoyourpatroness，St。Anne，whowill，nodoubt，intercede
　　foryou。“
　　“No，no！“
　　repliedtheunhappygirl，“thereisnolongeranyhope
　　forme；andthetormentsInowsufferarebutthepreludesto
　　thosewhichIamdoomedtoendureeverlastingly。“
　　Thissingularscenealmostconvulsedmewithagitation。
　　Iseized
　　thearmofmybrother-in-lawwiththeintentionofescapingfrom
　　somiserableaspot；theinvalidperceivedmydesignand
　　vehementlyexclaimed，
　　“Stay，comtesseduBarry；Ihavenotyetfinishedwithyou，I
　　havenotyetannouncedthefullrevengeIshalltakeforyour
　　shareinmypresenthopelesscondition；yourinfamousexaltation
　　drawstoaclose，thesamepoisonwhichisdestroyingme，
　　circulatesintheveinsofhimyouhavetoolonggoverned；but
　　yourreignisatanend。
　　Hewillsoonquithisearthlycrown，
　　andmyhandstrikestheblowwhichsendshimhence。
　　Butstill，
　　dyingavictimtoacruelandloathsomecomplaint，Igotomy
　　gravetriumphingovermyhaughtyrival，forIshalldiethelast
　　possessoroftheking’saffections。
　　Heavens！
　　whatagoniesare
　　these？“
　　criedshe；then，afterashortsilence，shecontinued，
　　extendingtomeherarmshideouswiththeleprousblotchesof
　　herdisgustingmalady，“yes，youhavebeenmydestruction；your
　　accursedexampleledmetosellmyselfforthewagesofinfamy，
　　andtothevillainousartificesofthemanwhobroughtyouhere
　　Ioweallmysufferings。
　　Iamdyingmoreyoung，morebeautiful，
　　morebelovedthanyou；Iamhurriedtoanuntimelyend。
　　Godof
　　heaven！
　　dieIdidIsaydie？
　　Icannot，willnot——Mother，save
　　yourchild！——Brother，helpme，saveme！“
　　“Mydaughter，mydarlingchild！“
　　criedthedespairingmother，
　　wringingherhandsandweepingbitterly。
　　“MydearestsisterAnne，whatcanIdoforyou？“
　　inquiredthe
　　youngman，whosesternfeaturesweremeltedintomere
　　womanishtenderness。
　　“Daughter，“interruptedthepriest，“Godisgood；hecanand
　　willforgiveyouifyouheartilyturntohim，withasinceredesire
　　toatoneforyourfault。“
　　Allthistookplaceinlesstimethanithastakeninthe
　　recital。
　　Mybrother-in-lawseemedcompletelydeprivedofhis
　　usualself-possessionbythisburstoffrightfulraving；his
　　feetappearedrootedtothefloorofthechamber；hiscolour
　　changedfromwhitetored，andacoldperspirationcoveredhis
　　brows。
　　Formyownpart，Iwasmovedbeyonddescription；but
　　myfacultiesseemedspell-bound，andwhenIstrovetospeak，my
　　tonguecleavedtomymouth。
　　ThedeliriumofpoorAnnecontinuedforsometimetofindutterance，
　　eitherbyconvulsivegesticulation，half-utteredexpressions，and，
　　occasionally，loudandvehementimprecations。
　　Atlength，quite
　　exhaustedwithherviolence，whichrequiredalltheeffortsof
　　herbrothertosubduebypositiveforce，shesunkintoastate
　　ofinsensibility。
　　Thepriest，onhisknees，imploredinaloud
　　voicethemercyofProvidenceforthekingandallhissubjects。
　　Hadanypersonconceivedthedesignofworkingonmyfearsso
　　farastoinducemetoabandonalifeatcourt，theycouldnot
　　havesucceededmoreentirelythanbyexhibitingtomethescene
　　Ihavebeendescribing。
　　Hadnotmanycontendingideasenabled
　　metobearupunderallIsawandheard，mysensesmusthave
　　forsakenme；undercommoncircumstances，theaspectofthebrother
　　alonewouldhaveterrifiedmeexceedingly；andevennow，Icannot
　　recollectwithoutashudder，thelooksofdarkandsinister
　　meaninghealternatelydirectedatmeandatcomteJean。
　　Atthis
　　moment，thedoctorwhohadthechargeoftheunhappygirlarrived。
　　Thewarmthandeagernessofmannerwithwhichheaddressedme
　　directlyheperceivedmypresence，mighthaveprovedtoallaround
　　thatIwasnotthehatefulcreatureIhadbeendescribed。
　　This
　　well-timedinterruptionrestoredmetotheuseofmyfaculties，
　　andrepulsingthewell-meantattentionsofmymedicalfriend，I
　　exclaimed，“Donotheedme，Iconjureyou，Iamonlytemporarily
　　indisposed。
　　Buthastentothatpoorgirlwhosedangererousstate
　　requiresallyourcare。“
　　Mybrother-in-law，recoveringhimselfbyastrongeffort，profited
　　bythepresentopportunitytoremovemeintoanotherapartment，
　　thepureairofwhichcontributedtocoolmyfeveredbrain；but
　　mytremblinglimbsrefusedtosupportme，anditwasnecessary
　　toapplystrongrestorativesereIwassufficientlyrecoveredto
　　quitthefatalspot。
　　AtTrianon，aswellasatVersailles，Iwas
　　consideredabsolutemistress；thoseoftheroyalhousehold，who
　　wereawareofmybeingattheformer，earnestlysolicitedmeto
　　retiretothechamberIhadoccupiedontheprecedingnight，but
　　tothisarrangementthecomteandmyselfwereequallyopposed。
　　Asedanchairwasthereforeprocured，inwhichIwasrapidly
　　transportedbacktoVersailles。
　　YoumayeasilyconceiveinwhatastateIarrivedthere。
　　Mygood