Firstproceedingsofthecouncil——Thedauphinreceivestheprelates
withgreatcoolness——SituationofthearchbishopofParis——
Richelieuevadestheprojectforconfessingtheking——Thefriends
ofmadameduBarrycomeforward——TheEnglishphysician——The
abbeTerray——InterviewwiththeprincedeSoubise——Theprince
andthecourtiers——LaMartiniereinformsthekingofFrancethe
truenatureofhiscomplaint——Consequencesofthisdisclosure
Thedifferentmembersofthisdeclared
themselvesinfavourofthisadvice，muchtothegriefandchagrin
oftheprincessAdelaide。
Sheeasilyperceivedbythisproposition
thatthecourtwouldveryshortlychangemasters，andcouldshe
hopetopreservethesameinfluenceduringthereignofhernephew
shehadmanagedtoobtainwhilstherfatherheldthesceptre？
However，shemadenooppositiontotheresolutionoftheprelates，
whoforthwithproceededtothedauphin，whoreceivedthemwith
considerablecoolness。
Asyet，butill-assuredinthenewpart
hehadtoplay，theprinceshowedhimselffearfulandembarrassed。
Thedauphinesswouldwillinglyhaveadvisedhim，butthatprudence
wouldnotpermithertodo，sothatthedauphin，leftwhollyto
himself，knewnotonwhattodetermine。
Thiswaspreciselywhatthegrandalmonerhadhopedandexpected，
andhelaughedinhissleeveattheuselesstroubletakenbythe
archbishop；andwhilstheopenlyaffectedtopromotehisdesires
asmuchaswasinhispower，hesecretlytookmeasurestoprevent
theirsuccess。
M。deBeaumont，whowasofamostopenandupright
nature，wasfarfromsuspectingtheseintrigues；indeed，hissimple
andpiouscharacterbutill-qualifiedhimforthecorruptanddeceitful
atmosphereofacourt，especiallysuchaoneasVersailles。
His
situationnowbecameoneofdifficulty；abandonedbythebishops
andthegrandalmoner，disappointedinhishopesoffindinga
supporterinthedauphin，whatcouldhedoalonewiththe
princesses，who，intheirdreadofcausinganemotion，which
mightbefataltotheirparent，knewnotwhattoresolveupon。
As
alastresource，theysummonedthe
abbeMandaux，theking’s
confessor。
Theprelateexcitedhiszealinallitsfervour，and
thissimpleandobscurepriestdeterminedtoundertakethat
whichmanymoreeminentpersonageshadshrunkfromattempting。
Hethereforesoughtadmittanceintothechamberoftheking，where
hefoundtheducsdeDurasanddeRichelieu，towhomhe
communicatedthemissionuponwhichhewascome。
Atthisdeclaration，theconsequencesofwhichheplainlyforesaw，
theducdeDurashesitatedtoreply，scarcelyknowinghowtoward
offablowtheresponsibilityofwhichmustfalluponhimalone。
TheducdeRichelieu，withgreaterself-command，extricatedhim
fromhisdifficulty。
“Sir，“saidhetotheabbe，“yourzealishighlypraise-worthy，
boththedukeandmyselfareawareofallthatshouldbedone
uponsuchanoccasionasthepresent；andalthoughIfreely
admitthatthesacredactyouspeakofisofanimperativenature，
yetIwouldobserve，thatthekingbeingstillinignoranceofhis
fatalmalady，neitheryourdutiesnorourscanbegin，untilthe
momentwhenthephysiciansshallhavethoughtpropertoreveal
thewholetruthtohismajesty。
Thisisamatterofformand
etiquettetowhichallmustsubmitwhohaveanyfunctionsto
fulfilinthechateau。“
TheducdeDurascouldhavehuggedhiscolleagueforthiswell-
timedreply。
TheabbeMandauxfeltallthejustnessofthe
observation，yetwithallthetenacityofhisprofession，hereplied，
“Thatsinceitrestedwiththephysicianstoapprizethekingof
hisbeingillwiththesmall-pox，theyoughttobesummonedand
consultedastotheparttotake。“
AtthesewordstheducdeDurasslippedawayfromthegroup，
andwenthimselfinsearchofDoctorBordeu，whomhebrought
intoanangleofthechamberoutofsightoftheking’sbed。
The
ducdeDurashavingexplainedtohimwhattheabbehadjustbeen
sayingtothem，aswellasthedesirehehadmanifestedof
preparingthekingtoreceivethelastsacraments，thedoctor
regardedtheabbefixedlyforsomeinstance，andtheninquired
inaseveretone，“Whetherhehadpromisedanypersontomurder
theking？“
Thisabruptandalarmingquestionmadethepriestchangecolour，
whilstheaskedforanexplanationofsuchasingularcharge。
“Isay，sir，“repliedBordeu，“thatwhoeverspeaksatpresentto
hismajestyofsmall-pox，confession，orextremeunction，will
havetoanswerforhislife。“
“Doyou，indeed，believe，“askedtheducdeRichelieu，“thatthe
mentionofthesethingswouldproducesofatalaresult？“
“MostassuredlyIdo；andoutofonehundredsickpersonsit
wouldhavethesameeffectuponsixty，perhapseighty；indeed，
Ihaveknowntheshockproduceinstantaneousdeath。
ThisIam
willingtosignwithmyownbloodifitbenecessary，andmy
professionalbrothertherewillnotdisputeitstruth。“
AtthesewordshemadeasignforLemonniertoadvance，and
afterhavingexplainedtohimthesubjectofconversation，begged
ofhimtospeakhisopinionopenlyandcandidly。
Lemonnierwas
somewhatofacourtier，andoneglanceatthetwonoblemenbefore
whomhestood，wassufficienttoapprizehimwhatopinionwas
expectedfromhim。
He，therefore，fullyandunhesitatingly
confirmedallthatBordeuhadpreviouslyadvanced。
Stronginthesedecisions，theducdeDurasexpressedhisregret
totheconfessoratbeingunabletoaccordhisrequest。
“But，“
addedhe，“Youperceivethethingisimpossible，unlesstohim
whowouldbecomearegicide。“
Thisterribleexpressionrenewedtheformerterroroftheabbe，
who，satisfiedwithhavingshownhiszeal，was，perhaps，not
verysorryforhavingmetwithsuchinsurmountableobstacles。
He
immediatelyreturnedtotheapartmentofmadameSophie，where
thecouncilwasstillassembled，andrelatedtheparticularsof
hisvisit；whilstthepoorarchbishopofParis，thusfoiledin
everyattempt，wascompelledtoleaveVersailles
whollyunsuccessful。
IheardallthesethingsfromtheducdeRichelieu；hetoldme
thatnothingcouldhavebeenmoregratifyingthantheconductof
BordeuandLemonnier，andthatIhadeveryreasonforfeeling
satisfiedwiththeconductofallaroundme。
“Itisinthemoment
ofperil，“saidhe，“thatwearebestabletoknowourtruefriends。“
“Iseeit，“repliedI；“andsinceourdangerisamutualoneought
wenottoforgetouroldsubjectsofdispute？“
“Formyownpart，madam，“returnedhe，“Idonotrememberthat
anyeverexisted；besides，isnotmycauseyourslikewise？
Anew
reignwillplacemecompletelyinthebackground。
Thepresent
kinglooksuponmeasalmostyouthful；while，onthecontrary，
hisgrandsonwillconsidermeasaspecimenofthedaysof
Methuselah。
Thechangeofmasterscanbebuttomydisadvantage；
letus，therefore，standfirmlytogether，thatwemaybethebetter
enabledtoresisttheattacksofourenemies。“
“Doyouconsider，“inquiredI，“thatwemayrelyuponthefirmness
oftheducdeDuras？“
“Assafelyasyoumayonmine，“answeredhe，“solongasheis
notattackedfacetoface；butiftheyonceassailhimwiththe
armsofetiquette，heisalostman，hewillcapitulate。
Itis
unfortunateforhimthatIamnotlikelytobenearhimupon
suchanoccasion。“
ComteJean，whoneverleftme，thentookuptheconversation，
andadvisedM。deRichelieutoleavehimtohimselfaslittleas
possible；itwas，therefore，agreedthatweshouldcausetheduc
deDurastobeconstantlysurroundedbypersonsofourparty，
whoshouldkeepthoseofouradversariesatadistance。
Wehadnotyetlostallhopeofseeinghismajestyrestoredto
health；nature，solanguidandpowerlessinthecaseofpoor
Anne，seemedinclinedtomakeasalutaryeffortonthepartof
theking。
Everyinstantofthisdayandthenext，thatIdidnotspendby
thesick-bedofLouisXV，wereengrossedbymostintimatefriends，
theducsd’Aiguillon，deCosse，etc。，mesdamesdeMirepoix，de
Forcalquier，deValentinois，del’Hopital，deMontmorency，de
Flaracourt，andothers。
Asyet，noneofmypartyhadabandoned
me；thesituationofaffairswasnot，uptothepresent，sufficiently
cleartowarrantanentiredefection。
Thegood
Genevieve
Mathon，whomchancehadconductedtoVersaillesduringthelast
week，cametosharewithHenriette，mysisters-in-law，andmy
niece，thetormentsanduncertaintieswhichdistractedmymind。
Wewerecontinuallyinastateofmortalalarm，dreadingevery
instanttohearthatthekingwasawareofhismalady，andthe
dangerwhichthreatened，andourfearsbuttoowellproclaimed
ourpersuasionthatsuchamomentwouldbethedeath-blowtoour
hopes。
Ithappenedthatinthisexigency，asitmostcommonly
occursinaffairsofgreatimportance，allourapprehensionshad
beendirectedtowardstheecclesiastics，whileweentirely
overlookedtheprobabilitythat
theabruptlaMartinieremight，
inoneinstant，becomethecauseofourruin。
Allthissoentirely
escapedus，thatwetooknottheslightestprecautiontopreventit。
Nosoonerwasthenewsofthekingbeingattackedwithsmall-pox
publiclyknown，thanadoctorSulton，anEnglishphysician，the
pretendedprofessorofaninfalliblecureforthisdisease，presented
himselfatVersailles，andtenderedhisservices。
Thepoorman
wassimpleenoughtomakehisfirstapplicationtothosemedical
attendantsalreadyintrustedwiththemanagementofhismajesty，
butneitherofthemwouldgiveanyattentiontohisprofessionsof
skilltoovercomesofatalamalady。
Onthecontrary，theytreated
himasamerequack，declaredthattheywouldneverconsentto
confidethechargeoftheiraugustpatienttothehandsofa
strangerwhateverhemightbe。
SultonreturnedtoParis，and
obtaininganaudienceoftheducd’Orleans，relatedtohimwhat
hadpassedbetweenhimselfandtheking’sphysicians。
Theprince