princessrepliedintheaffirmative，adding:
　　“’ThearchbishopofPariswasheretwiceduringyesterdayto
　　inquireafteryou。’
　　“’YetIbelongmoreproperlytothedioceseofChartres，’returned
　　theking，’andsurelyM。deFleurywouldnotinteresthimselfless
　　aboutmethanM。deBeaumont。’
　　“’Theyarebothtrulyanxiousaboutyou，mydearestfather，and
　　ifyouwouldonlyseethem——’
　　“’No，no，’answeredLouisXV；’theymustnotbetakenfromthe
　　dutiesoftheirrespectivedioceses；besides，incaseofneed，I
　　havemygrandalmoner。’
　　“MadameAdelaidedidnotventuretourgethematterfurtherjust
　　then，and，afterashortintervalofsilence，amessagewas
　　broughtfromyou，inquiringwhetheryoucouldseetheking，to
　　whichhehimselfreplied，thathefeltinclinedtosleep，and
　　wouldrathernotseeanypersonthatnight。
　　Iwasinthechamber，
　　andheveryshortlycalledmetohim，andsaid:
　　“’Ducd’Aiguillon，Ihavethesmall-pox；andyouareawarethat
　　thereisasortofetiquetteinmyfamilywhichenjoinsmy
　　immediatelydischargingmydutiesasaChristian。’
　　“’Yes，sire，ifthemaladyworeaseriousaspect；butinyourcase——’
　　“’MayGodgrant，’repliedhe，’thatmydisorderbenotdangerous；
　　however，itmaybecomeso，ifitisasyetharmless，andIwould
　　faindieasabelieverratherthananinfidel。
　　Ihavebeenagreat
　　sinner，doubtless；butIhaveeverobservedLentwithamost
　　scrupulousexactitude。
　　Ihavecausedmorethanahundredthousand
　　massestobesaidforthereposeofunhappysouls；Ihave
　　respectedtheclergy，andpunishedtheauthorsofallimpious
　　works，sothatIflattermyselfIhavenotbeenaverybadChristian。’
　　“Ilistenedtohisdiscoursewithaheavyheart，yetIstill
　　strovetoreassurethekingrespectinghishealth，ofwhich，I
　　assuredhim，therewasnottheslightestdoubt。
　　“’Thereisonesacrifice，’saidtheking，inalowandhurried
　　tone，’thatmydaughterLouise，hersisters，andtheclergy，will
　　notbelonginexactingfrommeinthenameofetiquette。
　　I
　　recollectthesceneofMetz，anditwouldbehighlydisagreeable
　　tometohaveitrepeatedatVersailles；letus，therefore，take
　　ourprecautionsintimetopreventit。
　　Telltheduchesse
　　d’Aiguillonthatshewillobligemebytakingthecomtessedu
　　BarrytopasstwoorthreedayswithheratRuel。’
　　“’How，sire！’exclaimedI，’sendyourdearestfriendfromyouat
　　atimewhenyoumostrequirehercares？’
　　“’Idonotsendheraway，’answeredtheking，withmournful
　　tenderness，’Ibutyieldtopresentnecessity；lethersubmitas
　　shevaluesmyhappiness，andsaytoher，thatIhopeandbelieve
　　herabsencewillbeveryshort。’“
　　Thedukehereceasedhisrecital，whichfullyconfirmedallmy
　　previousanticipations。
　　Myfemalerelativessobbedaloud，while
　　comteJean，compressinghislips，endeavouredtoassumethat
　　firmnesshedidnotreallypossess。
　　ByaviolenteffortIforced
　　myselftoassumeasortofresignation。
　　“AmIrequiredtodepartimmediately？“
　　inquiredI。
　　“No，“saidtheduke；“toleavethechateauinthemiddleofthe
　　nightwouldbetoassumetheairofaflight，wehadbetter
　　awaitthecomingday；itwill，besides，affordtimetoapprize
　　theduchess。
　　“
　　Whiletheducd’Aiguillonwasthusgonetoarrangeformydeparture，
　　Irequestedtobeleftalone。
　　Myheartwasoppressed，andIfelt
　　theneedofventingmygriefuponsomefriendlybosom。
　　Aftera
　　fewmoments，spentincollectingmythoughts，Iaddressedtwo
　　letters，onetothe
　　marechaledeMirepoix，andtheothertothe
　　ducdeCosse；totheformerIwroteonaccountofmyretirement
　　toRuel，bewailedthesadturnmyprospectshadassumed，expressed
　　mydeepconcernforthesevereillnessofmyexcellentfriendand
　　benefactor，beggingofhertodefendmycharacterfromallunjust
　　attacks，andtoallowmetobeblamedfornofaultsbutsuchas
　　Ihadreallybeenguiltyof。
　　Iconcludedwiththesewords，“I
　　setoutatseveno’clockto-morrowmorning；theduchesse
　　d’AiguillonwillconductmetoRuel，whereIshallremainuntil
　　Iamorderedelsewhere。“
　　TothedukeImerelysentashortaccountofmypresentprospects，
　　hourofdeparture，etc。
　　And，myfeelingssomewhatrelievedbythe
　　penningoftheseepistles，Ithrewmyselfuponacouchtoawait
　　themorning。
　　Uponawaking，Ireceivedthefollowingnotefrom
　　theduchessed’Aiguillon:——
　　“MADAMELACOMTESSE，——Iowehismajestymany
　　thanksforthepleasing，yetmournful，taskhehas
　　allottedme。
　　Yourkindnesstomyfamily，
　　independentlyofmyprivateregardforyou，gives
　　youthesurestclaimofmybestservicesduring
　　thisafflictingperiod。
　　Letmebeseechofyounot
　　todespair，butcheerfullyanticipatebrighterdays。
　　“Iwillcallforyouatseveno’clock，andifyou
　　approveofit，wewillusemycarriage。
　　Ruelis
　　entirelyatyourdisposalandthatofyourfamily。“
　　Thisnotewastrulycharacteristicofitsamiablewriter，whoat
　　courtpassedforacold-hearted，frigidbeing，whilst，inreality，
　　thewarmfeelingsofherexcellentheartwerereservedforher
　　chosenfriends。
　　Ihaveneveradmiredthosegeneralloverswhoprofesstolove
　　everyone，nordoIfeelquitesureitisaverystrong
　　recommendationtosayapersonisbelovedbyallwhoknowher。
　　Read，now，astrikingcontrasttotheshortbutsympathizing
　　billetofmadamed’Aiguillon，inthefollowingheartlessletterf
　　fromthemarechaledeMirepoix，whichwasputintomyhandsasI
　　wasascendingthecarriage。
　　“MYLOVELYCOUNTESS，——Iamallastonishment！
　　Can
　　itbepossiblethatyouaretoquitVersailles？
　　Youarerightinsayingyouhavebeenthefriend
　　ofeveryone，andthosewhocouldspeakillofyou
　　aretobepitiedfornothavinghadbetter
　　opportunitiesofunderstandingyourrealcharacter。
　　Butfearnot，thedauphinessisvirtuepersonified，
　　andthedauphinequallyperfect。
　　Everything
　　promisesapeacefulandindulgentreign，should
　　wehavethemisfortunetolosehispresentmajesty。
　　Stilltherewillalwaysbeagreatvoidleftat
　　Versailles；asfarasIamconcerned，Ihavepassed
　　somuchofmytimewithyou，thatIcannotimagine
　　whatIshalldowithmyevenings；itwillcostme
　　muchofmyagetoalterhabitsandcustomsnowso
　　longfixedandsettled，butsuchislife；nothing
　　certain，nothingstable。
　　Weshouldimitatecats
　　inourattachments，andratheridentifyourselves
　　withthehousethanthepossessorofit。
　　Itrust
　　youhavesecuredanampleprovisionforthefuture；
　　neglectnotthepresent，to-morrowmaycomein
　　vainforyou。
　　“Besureyouletmeknowthespottowhichyou
　　permanentlyretire，andIwillendeavourtoseeyou
　　asfrequentlyasmyengagementswilladmitof。
　　Adieu，。“
　　Spiteofthebitternessofmyfeelings，thisletterdrewasmile
　　tomylips；theallusiontocatswhichhadescapedthemarechale
　　exactlyappliedtoherowncharacter，ofwhichIhadbeenwarned
　　beforeIbecameacquaintedwithher；butherprotestationsof
　　warmandunutterableattachmenthadgainedmyconfidence，andI
　　allowedmyselftobeguidedimplicitlybyher。
　　Theduchessed’AiguillonwaswaitingformewhileIperusedthe
　　aboveletter；atlength，withasigh，Ipreparedtoquitthat
　　palaceofdelightswhereIhadreignedabsolutemistress。
　　Icast
　　amournfullookaroundme，onthosesplendidwalks，fountains
　　andstatues，worthythegardensofArmida，butwheretherereigned，
　　atthisearlyhour，asortofgloomysilence；whilst，inthat
　　chamberwherelovehadwellnighdeifiedmeandrecognisedmeas
　　queenofFrance，layextendedthemonarchsolatelymyprotector
　　andfriend。
　　ItwastheWednesdayofthefifthofMaythatItookmyseatin
　　thecarriageoftheduchessed’Aiguillonaccompaniedbymy
　　sister-in-lawandthevicomtesseAdolphe，whowouldnotforsake
　　me。
　　Bischiremainedwithmadamed’Hargicourt，whoseduties
　　detainedherwiththecomtessed’Artois。
　　Herhusbandalso
　　remainedatVersailles，whilecomteJeanandhissonproceeded
　　toParis。
　　Iwillnotattempttodescribetheemotionswithwhich
　　Iquittedmymagnificentsuiteofapartments，andtraversedthe
　　hallsandstaircasesalreadycrowdedbypersonsanxiouslyawaiting
　　thefirstintimationoftheking’sdecease。
　　Iwaswrappedinmy
　　pelisse，andeffectuallyeludedobservation。
　　Ithasbeensaidthat
　　IleftVersaillesatfouro’clockinthemorning，butthatwasa
　　mereinventiononthepartofmyservantstobafflethecuriosity
　　ofthosewhomighthaveannoyedmebytheirpresence。
　　Wepursuedourwayinmournfulreflection，whilstmadamed’Aiguillon，
　　withherwontedgoodness，soughtbyeverymeanstodistractme
　　fromthedejectioninwhichIwasburied。
　　Herhusband，who