Henriettewasgreatlyalarmed，andimmediatelysummonedBordeu，
　　who，notventuringtobleedme，contentedhimselfwithadministering
　　somecordialswhichrevivedmeinsomedegree。
　　Buttheeventsof
　　thelastfewhoursseemedindeliblyfixedinmymind；andIheard，
　　almostwithindifference，thebulletinissuedrespectingthe
　　stateoftheking’shealthduringthefatalnightwhichhadjust
　　passed。
　　Oneobjectaloneengrossedmythoughts；-eyesseemed
　　stilltobeholdthemiserablegirlstretchedonherdyingbed，
　　whoseravingsofdespairandthreateningwordsyetrunginmy
　　ears，andproducedafreshchillofhorror，aswithpainful
　　tenacitymyminddweltuponthemtotheutterexclusionofevery
　　otherconsideration。
　　Theunfortunatecreatureexpiredonthe
　　thirdday，avictimtotherapidprogressofthemostvirulent
　　speciesofsmall-pox。
　　ShediedmorecalmlyandresignedthanI
　　hadseenher。
　　Formyownpart，Ifreelypardonedherinjustice
　　towardsmyself，andsincerelyforgivethepriestifheasIhave
　　beentoldexcitedherbitternessagainstme。
　　ThesevereshockIhadexperiencedmighthaveterminatedfatally
　　forme，hadnotmythoughtsbeencompelledtorousethemselves
　　forthecontemplationofthealarmingprospectbeforeme。
　　Itwas
　　morethanfouro’clockinthemorningwhenIreturnedtothe
　　chateau，andatnineIroseagainwithouthavingobtainedtheleast
　　repose。
　　Thekinghadinquiredformeseveraltimes。
　　Iinstantly
　　wenttohim，andmylanguidframe，palecountenanceandheavy
　　eyes，allwhichhetookastheconsequencesofmyconcernforhis
　　indisposition，appearedgreatlytoaffecthim；andhesoughtto
　　comfortmebytheassuranceofhisbeingconsiderablybetter。
　　Thiswasfarfrombeingtrue，buthewasfarfromsuspecting
　　thenatureofthemaladytowhichhisframewasabouttobecome
　　aprey。
　　Thephysicianshadnowpronouncedwithcertaintyonthe
　　subject，norwasitpossibletomakeanymysteryofitwithme，
　　whohadseenAnneonhersick-bed。
　　Incommonwithallwhoknewtherealnatureofthecomplaint，I
　　soughttoconcealitfromtheking，andinthisdeceptionthe
　　physiciansthemselvesconcurred。
　　Inthecourseofthemorninga
　　consultationtookplace；whencalleduponfortheiropinion，each
　　ofthemendeavouredtoevadeadirectanswer，disguisingthename
　　ofhismajesty’sdiseaseundertheappellationofacutaneous
　　eruption，chicken-pox，etc。，etc。，nonedaringtogiveititstrue
　　denomination。
　　BordeuandLemonnierpursuedthiscautiousplan，
　　butLaMartiniere，whohadfirstofallpronouncedhisdecision
　　onthesubject，impatientofsomuchcircumlocutiononthepart
　　ofthosearoundhim，couldnolongerrepresshisindignation。
　　“Howisthis，gentlemen！“
　　exclaimedhe，“isscienceata
　　standstillwithyou？
　　Surely，youcannotbeinanydoubtonthe
　　subjectoftheking’sillness。
　　Hismajestyhasthesmall-pox，
　　withacomplicationofotherdiseasesequallydangerous，andI
　　lookuponhimasadeadman。“
　　“MonsieurdelaMartiniere，“criedtheducdeDuras，who，in
　　qualityofhisofficeoffirstgentlemanofthebed-chamber，was
　　presentatthisconference，“allowmetoremindyouthatyouare
　　expressingyourselfveryimprudently。“
　　“DucdeDuras，“repliedtheabruptLaMartiniere，“mybusinessis
　　nottoflattertheking，buttotellhimthetruthwithregardto
　　hishealth。
　　Noneofthemedicalgentlemenpresentcandenythe
　　truthofwhatIhaveasserted；theyareallofmyopinion，although
　　Ialonehavethecouragetoactwiththatcandourwhichmysense
　　ofhonourdictates。“
　　Theunbrokensilencepreservedbythosewhoheardthisaddress，
　　clearlyprovedthetruthofallLaMartiniereadvanced。
　　Theduc
　　deDuraswasbuttoofullyconvincedofthejusticeofhisopinion。
　　“Thekingisthenpastallhope，“repeatedhe，“andwhatremains
　　tobedone？“
　　“Towatchoverhim，andadministereveryaidandreliefwhichart
　　suggests，“wasthebriefreplyofLaMartiniere。
　　Thedifferentphysicians，whenseparatelyquestioned，hesitated
　　nolongertoexpresstheirconcurrenceintheopinionthathis
　　majesty’scasewasentirelyhopeless，unless，indeed，somecrisis，
　　whichhumanforesightcouldnotanticipate，shouldariseinhisfavour。
　　Thisopinionchangedthemoralfaceofthechateau。
　　Theducde
　　Duras，whohadnotpreviouslysuspectedeventheexistenceof
　　danger，begantofeelhowweightyaburthenreposedonhis
　　shoulders；herecommendedtothemedicalattendantstheutmost
　　cautionand
　　silence，pointingout，atthesametime，alltheill
　　consequenceswhichmightarise，wereanyimprudentorsudden
　　explanationofhisrealmaladymadetotheaugustsufferer。
　　Unable
　　toattendtoeverythinghimself，andnotinclinedtodependupon
　　hisson，whosenaturalpropensityhewasfullyawareof，he
　　recalledtohisrecollectionthatthecomtedeMuy，thesincere
　　andattachedfriendofthedauphin，sontoLouisXV，wasthenin
　　Versailles。
　　Heimmediatelysoughthimoutintheapartmentshe
　　occupiedinthechateau，andcommunicatedtohimtheresultof
　　theconsultationrespectingtheking’sillness。
　　ThecomtedeMuywasoneofthoserarecharactersreservedby
　　Providenceforthehappinessofastate，whenkingsarewise
　　enoughtoemploythem。
　　Hethoughtnotofpersonalinterestor
　　advantage，butdictatedtothedukethepreciselineofconducthe
　　himselfwouldhavepursuedundersimilarcircumstances。
　　“Thefirstthingtobedone，“saidhe，“istorememberthatthe
　　kingisaChristian，andtoconformineveryrespecttothe
　　customsofhispredecessors。
　　Youareaware，mylordduke，that
　　directlyanymemberoftheroyalfamilyisattackedbythesmall-pox，
　　heoughtimmediatelytoreceiveextremeunction；youwill，
　　therefore，makethenecessaryarrangements，andapprizethose
　　whosedutyitbecomestoadministerit。“
　　“Thisis，indeed，anunpleasantcommission，“repliedtheduke；“to
　　administerextremeunctiontohismajesty，istoannouncetohim
　　cruellyandabruptlythathislasthourhasarrived，andtobid
　　himpreparefordeath。“
　　“Thedutyisneverthelessimperative，“answeredthecomtedeMuy，
　　“andyouincurnoslightresponsibilitybyneglectingit。“
　　Theconsequenceofthisconversationwas，thatthedukesentoff
　　twocouriersimmediately，onetomadameLouise，andtheother
　　tothearchbishopofParis。
　　Healsoapprizedtheministersofthe
　　resultoftheconsultationwhichhadtakenplace，whilstthecomte
　　deMuytookuponhimselfthepainfulofficeofacquaintingthe
　　dauphinwiththedangerousstateofhisgrandfather。
　　Thisyoung
　　prince，whosefirstimpulseswerealwaysamiable，immediately
　　burstintotears；thedauphinessendeavouredtoconsolehim。
　　Butfromthatmomentherroyalhighnessappearedtoshowbyher
　　loftyanddignifiedbearing，herconsciousnessofthefresh
　　importanceshehadnecessarilyacquiredintheeyesofthenation。
　　Meanwhile，thedauphinhastenedtothesickroomofhisbeloved
　　relative，anxioustobestowuponhimthecaresandattentionsof
　　ason；butintheanteroomhisprogresswasstoppedbytheduc
　　delaVrilliere，whoinformedhim，thattheinterestsofthe
　　thronewouldnotpermithisroyalhighnesstoendangerhislife
　　byinhalingthecontagiousatmosphereofaroomloadedwiththe
　　venomofthesmall-pox。
　　Headjuredhim，inthenameoftheking
　　andhiscountry，nottorisksuchfearfulchances。
　　Thelordsin
　　attendance，whodidnotpartaketheheroismtheyoungprince，
　　addedtheirentreatiestothoseof，andsucceeded，
　　atlength，inprevailinguponhimtoreturntohisapartments，to
　　thegreatjoyofMarieAntoinette，whocouldnotendurethe
　　prospectofbeingseparatedfromherhusbandatsoimportant
　　ajuncture。
　　Nosoonerhadtheprincesseslearnedthedangeroftheiraugust
　　parent，thanwithoutaninstant’shesitationtheyhurriedtohim。
　　Iwasinhischamberwhentheyarrived；theysalutedmewith
　　greatgentlenessandaffability。
　　Whenthekingsawthem，he
　　inquiredwhathadbroughtthemthitheratsounusualanhour。
　　“Wearecometoseeyou，mydearestfather，“repliedmadame
　　Adelaide；“wehaveheardofyourindisposition，andtriflingas
　　itissaidtobe，wecouldnotrestwithoutsatisfyingouranxious
　　wishtoknowhowyoufoundyourself。“
　　Theothersistersexpressedthemselvesinsimilarterms。
　　“Itisallverywell，mychildren，“saidLouisXV，withapleasing
　　smile，“andyouareallthreeveryexcellentgirls，butIwould
　　ratheryoushouldkeepawayfromthiscloseroom；itcandoyou
　　nogood，andIpromisetoletyouknowifIfindmyselfgetting
　　anyworse。“
　　Afteraslightresistancetheprincessesfeignedanobedienceto
　　hiswill；but，inreality，theymerelyretiredintoanadjoining
　　chamber，concealedfromthesightoftheirparent，wherethey
　　remained，untilthemomentwhentheyundertookthechargeofthe
　　patient。
　　TheirheroicdevotionwastheadmirationofallFrance
　　andEurope。
　　Muchastheirpresenceconstrainedme，Istillkeptmyplacebeside
　　thesick-bedofhismajesty，whowouldnotsuffermetoleavehim
　　foraminute。
　　AtanearlyhourthemarechaledeMirepoixreturned，according
　　toherpromise。
　　ImetherinthecorridorasIwaspassingalong
　　onmywaytotheking’sapartment；herfacewasfullof
　　cheerfulsmiles。