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