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。