theaidofthegrandalmoner，Ihadtriumphedoverthewishesof
thearchbishopofParis，andthoseoftheconfessor。
Theprinces
andprincessesawaitedtheevent；allwascalmcomposure；when，
allatonce，thebarriersIhadbeensocarefullyerectingwere
crushedbeneathmyfeet，atonesuddenandunexpectedblow。
Thekingwasbynomeanseasyinhisownmindwithregardtohis
illness。
Themanymessagesthatwerecontinuallywhisperedaround
him，theremediesadministered，and，aboveall，theabsenceofhis
grandsons，allconvincedhimthatsomethingofaveryunusualand
alarmingnaturewasprogressing。
Hisownfeelingsmight，
likewise，wellassurehimthathewasattackedbyanillnessofno
ordinarynature。
Torturedbeyondfurtherbearingbythesuggestions
ofhisfancy，LouisXVatlengthresolvedtoascertainthetruth，
and，withthisintent，closelyquestionedBordeuandLemonnier，
whodidtheirbesttodeceivehim。
Still，dissatisfiedwiththeir
evasivereplies，hewatchedanopportunity，whentheywereboth
absent，todesireLaMartinierewouldatonceexplainthetrue
maladywithwhichhewasthensuffering。
LaMartinierepuzzled
andconfused，couldonlyexclaim，
“Ientreatofyou，sire，nottofatigueyourselfwithconversation；
rememberhowstronglyyouhavebeenforbiddenallexertion。“
“Iamnochild，LaMartiniere，“criedLouisXV，hischeeksglowing
withincreasedfire；“andIinsistuponbeingmadeacquaintedwith
theprecisenatureofmypresentillness。
Youhavealwaysserved
meloyallyandfaithfully，andfromyouIexpecttoreceivethat
candidstatementeveryoneaboutmeseemsbentuponconcealing。“
“Endeavourtogetsomesleep，sire，“rejoinedLaMartiniere，“and
donotexhaustyourselfbyspeakingatpresent。“
“LaMartiniere，youirritatemebeyondallendurance。
Ifyou
loveme，speakout，Iconjureyou，andtellme，frankly，thename
ofmycomplaint。“
“Doyouinsistuponit，sire？“
“Ido，myfriend，Ido。“
“Then，sire，youhavethesmall-pox；butbenotalarmed，itisa
diseaseasfrequentlycuredasmanyothers。“
“Thesmall-pox！“
exclaimedtheking，inavoiceofhorror；“have
Iindeedthatfataldisease？
anddoyoutalkofcuringit？“
“Doubtless，sire；manydieofitaswellasotherdisorders，but
wearesanguineinourhopesandexpectationsofsaving
yourmajesty。“
Thekingmadenoreply，but，turnedheavilyinhisbedandthrew
thecoverletoverhisface。
Asilenceensued，whichlasteduntil
thereturnofthephysicians，when，findingtheymadenoallusion
tohiscondition，thekingaddressedtheminacooland
offendedtone。
“Why，“saidhe，“haveyouconcealedfrommethefactofmyhaving
thesmall-pox？“
Thisabruptinquirypetrifiedthemwith
astonishment，andunabletoframeaproperreply，theystood
speechlesswithalarmandapprehension。
“Yes，“resumedtheking，
“butforLaMartiniere，Ishouldhavediedinignoranceofmy
danger。
IknownowthestateinwhichIam，andbeforelongI
shallbegatheredtomyforefathers。“
Allaroundhimstrovetocombatthisidea，andexertedtheirutmost
endeavourstopersuadetheroyalpatientthathisdisorderhad
assumedthemostfavourableshape，andthatnotashadowof
dangerwasperceptible，butinvain；fortheblowhadfallen，and
thehaplessking，struckwithafatalpresentimentofcomingill，
turnedadeafeartoalltheycouldadvance。
Bordeu，deeplyconcernedforwhathadtranspired，hastenedto
announcetotheducdeRichelieutheturnwhichhadtakenplace
inthefaceofaffairs。
Nothingcouldexceedtheragewithwhich
thenewswasreceived。
Thedukehurriedtotheking’sbedside。
“Isit，indeed，true，sire，“inquiredhe，“thatyourmajestydoubts
ofyourperfectrestorationtohealth？
MayIpresumetoinquire
whetheranycircumstancehasoccurredtodiminishyourconfidence
inyourmedicalattendants？“
“DucdeRichelieu，“repliedtheking，lookingasthoughhewould
searchintohisverysoul，“Ihavethesmall-pox。
“
“Well，“returnedtheduke，“and，asIunderstand，ofamost
favourablesort；perhaps，itmighthavebeenbetterthatLa
Martinierehadsaidnothingaboutit。
However，itisamalady
asreadilysubduedbyartasanyother；youmustnotallowyourself
tofeelanyuneasinessrespectingit，sciencehasnowsomuch
improvedinthetreatmentofthismalady。“
“Idoubtnotitsabilitytocureothers，butme！
Indeed，ducde
Richelieu，Iwouldmuchratherfacemyoldparliamentthanthis
inveteratedisease。“
“Yourmajesty’sbeingabletojestisagoodsign。“
Atthismoment，ignorantofallthathadtakenplace，Ientered
theroom；for，inthegeneralconfusion，nopersonhadinformed
meofit。
ThemomentLouisXVperceivedme，heexclaimedina
hollowtone，
“Dearestcountess，Ihavethesmall-pox。“
Atthesewordsacryofterrorescapedme。
“Surely，sire，“exclaimedI，“thisissomewanderingofyour
imagination，andyourmedicalattendantsareverywrongtopermit
youtoindulgeitforaminute。“
“Peace！“
returnedLouisXV；“youknownotwhatyousay。
I
havethesmall-pox，Irepeat；and，thankstoLa
Martiniere，I
nowknowmyrealstate。“
Inowperceivedwhosehandhaddealttheblow，andseeingat
oncealltheconsequencesofthedisclosure，exclaimedinmy
anger，turningtowardsLaMartiniere，
“Youhaveachievedanoblework，indeed，sir；youcouldnot
restrainyourselfwithintheboundsofprudence，andyouseethe
statetowhichyouhavereducedhismajesty。“
LaMartiniereknewnotwhattoreply；thekingundertookhisdefence。
“Blamehimnot，“saidhe；“butforhimIshouldhavequittedthis
worldlikeaheathen，withoutmakingmypeacewithanoffendedGod。“
AtthesewordsIfaintedinthearmsofdoctorBordeu，who，with
theaidofmyattendants，carriedmetomychamber，and，atlength，
succeededinrestoringme。
Myfamilycrowdedaroundme，and
soughttoaffordmethatconsolationtheywereinequalneed
ofthemselves。
SpiteoftheordersIhadgiventoadmitnoperson，theduc
d’Aiguillonwouldinsistuponseeingme。
Heexertedhisbest
endeavourstopersuademetoarmmyselfwithcourage，and，like
atrueandattachedfriend，appearedtolosesightofhisown
approachingfallfrompowerinhisardentdesiretoserveme。
Inthismournfuloccupationanhourpassedaway，andleftmy
dejectedcompanionssighingoverthepresent，and，anticipating
evenworseprospectsthanthosenowbeforethem。
Terroroftheking——Acomplication——Filialpietyofthe
princesses——
LastinterviewbetweenmadameduBarryandLouisXV——Conversation
withthemarechaledeMirepoix——ThechancellorMaupeou——Thefragment——
ComteJean
Perhapsnopersoneverentertainedsogreatadreadofdeathas
LouisXV，consequentlynoonerequiredtobemorecarefully
preparedforthealarmingintelligencesoabruptlycommunicated
byLa
Martiniere，andwhich，inamanner，appearedtosignthe
king’sdeath-warrant。
Toeverypersonwhoapproachedhimthedespairingmonarchcould
utteronlythefatalphrase，“Ihavethesmall-pox，“which，in
hislips，wastantamounttohisdeclaringhimselfadeadman。
Alas！
hadhismaladybeenconfinedtothesmall-pox，hemight
stillhavebeensparedtoourprayers；but，unhappily，a
complicationofevils，whichhadlongbeenlurkinginhisveins，
burstforthwithaviolencewhich，unitedtohiscruelcomplaint，
badedefiancetosurgicalormedicalskill。
Yet，spiteoftheterrorwithwhichtheaugustsufferer
contemplatedhisapproachingend，hedidnotlosesightofthe
interestsofthenationasvestedinthepersonofthedauphin，
whomhepositivelyprohibited，aswellashisothergrandsons，
fromenteringhischamberorevenvisitingthepartofthechateau
heoccupied。
Afterthisheseemedtodivesthimselfofall
furthercareforsublunarythings；nopaperswerebroughtforhis
inspection，nordidheevermoresignanyofficialdocument。
ThenextrequestmadebyLouisXVwasforhisdaughters，who
presentedthemselvesbathedintears，andvainlystrivingto
repressthatgriefwhichburstforth
inspiteofalltheir
endeavours。
Thekingrepliedtotheirsobs，bysaying，“My
children，Ihavethesmall-pox；butweepnot。
Thesegentlemen
[pointingtowardsthephysicians]assuremetheycancureme。“
But，whileutteringthischeerfulsentence，hiseyecaughtthe
sternandironcountenanceofLaMartiniere，whoselookofcool
disbeliefseemedtodenythepossibilityofsuchanevent。
Withaviewtodivertherfatherfromthegloomwhichallat
oncecameoverhisfeatures，theprincessAdelaideinformedhim
thatshehadaletteraddressedtohimbyhersister，madameLouise。
“Letmehearit，“criedtheking；“itis，nodoubt，someheavenly
missionwithwhichsheischarged。
Butwhoknows？“
Hestopped，