remainedwiththeking，engagedtowritemeatrueaccountof
　　allthattranspiredduringmyabsence，andIshallveryshortly
　　presentyouwithaspecimenofthefidelitywithwhichhe
　　performedhispromise。
　　TheduchessdidthehonoursofRuel。
　　“Here，“saidshe，“thegreatcardinalRichelieulovedtorepose
　　himselffromthebustleandturmoilofacourt。“
　　“Ithink，“answeredI，“itwouldhavebeenlessafavouritewith
　　hiseminencehaditbeenselectedforhisabodeontheeveof
　　hisdisgrace。“
　　ImmediatelyuponmyarrivalIretiredtobed，forfatiguehadso
　　completelyoverpoweredmethatIfellintoaheavyslumber，from
　　whichIdidnotawaketillthefollowingday；whenIfoundthe
　　duchessed’Aiguillon，mysister-in-law，GenevieveMathon，and
　　Henriette，seatedbymybed:thesightofthemwascheeringand
　　gratifyingproofofmynotbeingasyetabandonedbyalltheworld。
　　Iarose，andwewerejustabouttotakeourplacesattable，when
　　madamedeForcalquierarrived。
　　Imustconfessthatherpresence
　　wasanagreeablesurprisetome；Iwasfarfromreckoningonher
　　constancyinfriendship，andherpresentconductprovedherworthy
　　ofherexcellentfriend，madameBoncault，whosesteadyattachment
　　Ihadsofrequentlyheardextolled。
　　Thesightofherimparted
　　freshcouragetome，andIevenresumedmyusualhighspirits，and
　　inthesuddenturnmyideashadtaken，waschildishenoughto
　　expressmyregretsforthelossofmydownyandluxuriousbedat
　　Versailles，complainingofthewofuldifferencebetweenitand
　　theoneIhadsleptonatRuel。
　　Theduchessed’Aiguillon，whomusthavepitiedthepuerilityof
　　sucharemark，gentlyendeavouredtoreconcilemetoitbyreminding
　　methatboththemarquisedePompadourandthecardinalde
　　Richelieuhadreposeduponthatverycouch。
　　Iendeavouredtoreturnsomesportivereply，butmythoughtshad
　　flownbacktoVersailles，andmymomentaryexhilarationwasat
　　anend。
　　Tearsrosetomyeyesandchokedmyattemptsatconversation；
　　Ithereforebeggedtheduchesswouldexcuseme，andretiredtomy
　　apartmentuntilIcould
　　composemyself；butthekindandattentive
　　friendtowhosehospitalityIwasthenconfidedneedednofurther
　　mentionofmyhardcouch，butcausedthebestbedRuelcontained
　　tobepreparedformebythetimeIagainpressedmypillow。
　　ThissameeveningbroughtM。deCosse，whocouldnolongerrepress
　　hisimpatiencetoassuremeofhisentiredevotion。
　　Heappeared
　　onthisoccasion，ifpossible，moretenderandmorerespectful
　　inhismannerofevincingitthanever。
　　Wesuppedtogetherwithoutformorceremony，thepartyconsisting
　　ofmesdamesd’Aiguillon，deForcalquier，andmyself，mademoiselle
　　duBarry，andthevicomtesseAdolphe，theprincedeSoubiseand
　　theducdeCosse。
　　Butthemealpassedoffinsorrowfulsilence；
　　eachofusseemedtoabstainfromconversationasthoughthe
　　slightestremarkmightcomefraughtwithsomepainfulallusion。
　　OnthefollowingdayIreceivedtheletterfromtheducd’Aiguillon
　　whichyouwillfindinthefollowingchapter。
　　Theducd’Aiguillon’sfirstletter——ThemarechaledeMirepoix——
　　Asecondletterfromtheducd’Aiguillon——Numerousvisitors
　　“Mymuchesteemedfriend，——Ipromisedyouupon
　　yourdeparturetoinformyouofallthat
　　transpired，
　　andalthoughthetaskisamournfulone，Iwilldo
　　mybesttoacquitmyselfwithzealandsincerity，
　　andeacheveningIwillwriteyouanexactdetail
　　ofallthathasoccurredduringtheday。
　　Theking
　　remainsmuchasyoulefthim，andyoumustknow
　　thatalreadyhismedicalattendantsdifferintheir
　　opinionrespectinghim——Lemonnierutterly
　　despairingofhisrecovery，whileBordeuismost
　　sanguinethatheshallbeenabledtorestorehim
　　tohealth。
　　LaMartinierepersistsinhisassertion
　　thattheattentionofthekingshouldbe
　　immediatelydirectedtohisspiritualconcerns。
　　ThearchbishopofParisremainsuntilcalledfor
　　intheante-chamber，andtheprincessesnever
　　leavethebedsideoftheiraugustparent。
　　“Thekingspokewithmeconcerningyouforsome
　　timethismorning，andIcanassureyou，youare
　　thefirstobjectinhisthoughts；hehasbeggedof
　　menevertoforsakeyou，andhasdeignedtorepose
　　inmetheenviablepostofyourfutureprotector。
　　’Ibequeathmybelovedfriendtoyourfidelity，’
　　addedthesufferingprince。
　　Itookadvantageof
　　thisopportunitytoremarkthatIlookeduponyour
　　quittingVersaillesastooprecipitateandpremature
　　astep。
　　’No，no，’repliedtheking，“Ihaveacted
　　forthebest；Ihaveoncebeendeceivedastomy
　　condition，andIwouldwillinglypreventbeing
　　againtakenbysurprise。
　　Tellmybelovedand
　　excellentcountesshowtrulyIloveher’；and
　　hearingtheprincedeSoubisementionhisdesign
　　ofsuppingatRuel，hechargedhimtoembrace
　　youforhim。
　　“Thedauphinstillremainssecludedinhisapartment，
　　butIknowthathekeepsuparegularcorrespondence
　　withmadameVictoire，whoseletters，afterbeing
　　immersedinvinegar，arecarriedtothecomtede
　　Muy，whofumigatesthempreviouslytoallowing
　　themtoreachthehandsofthedauphin。
　　“Iam，etc。，etc。
　　“VERSAILLES，May5，1774，nineo’clock，evening。“
　　UponawakingthefollowingmorningIagainreceivednewsofthe
　　king，whowasstatedtohavepassedagoodnight，andevenLa
　　Martiniereseemedinclinedtohope。
　　Asyet，then，therewereno
　　safegroundsforabandoningme，andabouttwoo’clockinthe
　　afternoonIwasfavouredwithavisitfrommadamedeMirepoix，
　　who，runninguptome，exclaimedwithherusualvivacity，
　　“Oh，mydearcreature，howIlongedtoseeyou！“
　　andthen
　　leadingmeintoanotherchamber，sheadded，
　　“DoyouknowIquitemissedyou？
　　AsIwroteyou，mytimehung
　　heavilyonmyhands。
　　WhatintheworldwillbecomeofmeifIam
　　compelledtoresignthedelightfulhoursgrantedtotheenviedfew
　　whoarepermittedthetothe？
　　Foryousee，mydear，thedauphinesswillbefarfrombestowing
　　thathonouruponme。
　　Iamtoooldtoformoneofhercoterie，
　　andIshallbelaidasideliketherestoftheantiquitiesofthe
　　chateau。
　　Bytheway，“continuedthevolublemarechale，“there
　　isalreadyagreatcabalinthe
　　chateaurespectingtheformation
　　ofanewministry，inwhich，besidesdesiringlucrativepostsfor
　　themselves，allareanxioustointroducetheirprivatefriends；
　　inthemidstofsomanyabsorbinginterestsyouappeartobe
　　alreadyforgotten，which，bytheway，isnobadthingforyou。
　　Yourbestplanistoremainperfectlytranquil。“
　　Thenrapidly
　　passingtohermostprevailingidea，thisexcellentfriendproceeded
　　toinquirewhatthekinghadbestowedonmeasapartingpresent，
　　“for，“saidshe，“hewouldnotcertainlypermityoutoleave
　　Versaillesempty-handed。“
　　“Itisapoint，“repliedI，“thatneitherhismajestynormyself
　　oncethoughtof。“
　　“Thensuchanomissionproveshimavileegotist，andyoua
　　prodigioussimpleton，“answeredshe；“andwereIinyourplace，
　　Iwouldcommissiontheducd’Aiguillontomakeadirectdemand
　　ofafutureprovisionforyou；youreallyshouldseeaboutthis，
　　andsecuretoyourselfanobleestablishmentforyourselfand
　　yourfriends，whooughtnottosufferforyouroverstrained
　　delicacy。
　　LookattheducdeChoiseul，whohaskeptaregular
　　courtatChanteloup，andneverwantedforatrainofcourtiers
　　atit。“
　　Afterthislessonofworldlywisdom，theexcellentmarechalegave
　　meafriendlykiss，returnedtohercarriage，andIsawherno
　　moreduringmystayatRuel。
　　Theeveningbroughtwithitasecondletterfromtheduc
　　d’Aiguillon，itwasasfollows:——
　　“MADAM，——Ihastentoacquaintyouwiththe
　　pleasinginformationofhismajestybeingconsiderably
　　better；hisstrengthappearstohavereturned，
　　andhehimself，intheconsciousnessofimproving
　　health，expressedaloudhisregretforhavingbeen
　　sohastyinadvisingyourremovalfromhim。
　　Hehas
　　continuallyrepeated，’Howweakandselfishofme
　　thustoafflictmydearestcountess！
　　wouldyou
　　notadviseme，myfriend，torequestherimmediate
　　return？’
　　Ofcourse，myreplywasintheaffirmative。
　　Hismajestythenputthesamequestiontotheduc
　　deRichelieu，whoanswered，thatinhisopinionit
　　wasthebestplanhecoulddecideupon。
　　Thebulletin
　　signedbythedifferentphysiciansaccompaniesthis:
　　itleavesmenothingtoaddbuttorecommendyour
　　bearingwithpatiencethistemporaryabsencefrom
　　court，towhichyouwillerelongreturn，more
　　idolized，moresoughtafter，thanever。
　　Theduc
　　delaVrilliereandtheabbeTerraypresentthe
　　assuranceoftheirunboundedrespectanddevotion，
　　etc。，etc。“
　　Theduchess，mysister-in-law，andniecesharedinjoyatsuch
　　gratifyingintelligence，andtheensuingdaybroughtaconcourse
　　ofvisitorstoRuel；indeed，anyonemighthavesupposedthat
　　freshswarmsofflatterersandcourtiershadbeencreatedonly
　　toswellmynumbersofhumbleandobsequiousadorers。
　　Ibestowed