butitwaseasytoperceivethattothefearofdeathwasaddeda
dreadofhiswell-beinginanotherworld。
MadameAdelaidethen
readtheletterwithalowvoice，whiletheattendantsretired
toarespectfuldistance。
Alleyesweredirectedtothe
countenanceoftheking，inordertoreadtherethenatureofits
contents；butalreadyhadtheravagesofhisfataldiseaserobbed
hisfeaturesofeveryexpression，savethatofpainandsuffering。
Theprincessesnowtooktheirstationsbesidetheirparent，and
establishedthemselvesasnurses，anofficewhich，Icanwith
truthaffirm，theycontinuedtofilluntothelastwithallthe
devotionofthepurestfilialpiety。
OnthissamedayLouisXVcausedmetobesentfor。
Iranto
hisbedsidetremblingwithalarm。
Thevariouspersonsengagedin
hisapartmentretiredwhentheysawme，andwewereleftalone。
“Mybelovedfriend，“saidtheking，’Ihavethesmall-pox；Iam
stillveryill。“
“Nay，sire，“interruptedI，“youmustnotfancythingsworsethan
theyare；youwilldowell，dependuponit，andweshallyetpass
manyhappydaystogether。“
“Doyouindeedthinkso？“
returnedLouisXV。
“Mayheavengrant
yourprophecybeacorrectone。
ButseethestateinwhichInow
am；givemeyourhand。“
Hetookmyhandandmademefeelthepustuleswithwhichhis
burningcheekswerecovered。
Iknownotwhateffectthistouch
ofmyhandmighthaveproduced，butthekinginhisturnpatted
myface，pushedbackthecurlswhichhungnegligentlyovermy
brow；then，incliningmetowardshim，drewmyheaduponhis
pillow。
IsubmittedtothiswhimwithallthecourageIcould
assume；Ievenwentsofarastobeuponthepointofbestowing
agentlekissuponhisforehead。
But，stoppingme，witha
mournfulair，hesaid，“No，mylovelycountess；Iamnolonger
myself，buthereisaminiaturewhichhasnotundergonethesame
changeasitsunfortunatemaster。“
Itooktheminiature，whichIplacedwithrespectfultenderness
inmybosom，norhaveIeverpartedwithitsince。
Thisscenelastedforsomeminutes，afterwhichIwasretiring，
butthekingcalledmeback，seizedmyhand，whichhetenderly
kissed，andthenwhisperedanaffectionate“Adieu。“
Thesewere
thelastwordsIeverheardfromhislips。
Uponre-enteringmyapartmentsIfoundmadamedeMirepoixawaiting
me，towhomIrelatedallthathadtakenplace，expressing，atthe
sametime，myearnesthopeofbeingagainsummoned，erelong，to
thepresenceofmyfriendandbenefactor。
“Donotdeceiveyourself，mydear，“saidshe；“dependuponit
youhavehadyourlastinterview；youshouldhaveemployedit
moreprofitably。
Hisportrait！
why，ifImistakenot，youhave
already。
Whydidyounotcarryaboutwithyousomedeed
ofsettlementreadyforsignature？
hewouldhavedeniedyou
nothingatsuchamoment，whenyoumayrestassuredheknew
himselftobetakinghislastfarewell。“
“Isitpossible？“
exclaimedI。
“Andcanyoureallysupposethe
kingbelievedhespoketomeforthelasttime？“
“Ihavenottheslightestdoubtofit；Ihaveknownhimformany
aday。
HeremembersthesceneofMetz，andlooksuponyouas
formingthesecondeditionofthepoorduchessedeChateauroux，
who，bytheby，wasnotequaltoyouinanyrespect。“
Iburstintoafitoftears，butnotofregretforhavingallowed
mylateinterviewwiththekingtopassinsounprofitablea
manner。
However，themarechale，misconceivingthecauseofthis
burstofgrief，exclaimed，“Come，come；itistoolatenow，and
allyoursorrowcannotrecallthelasthalf-hour。
But，
mademoiselleduBarry，“continuedshe，“Iadviseyoutocommence
yourpackingupatonce，thatwhenthegrandmovecomesyoumay
notinyourhurry，leaveanythingbehindyou。“
Theseremarksincreasedmyaffliction，butthemarechalehadno
intentionofwoundingmyfeelings，andworldly-mindedasshewas，
consideredallthatcouldbesavedoutofthewreckastheonly
subjectworthyattention。
Meanwhile，comteJean，withagloomy
anddespondingair，continuedsilentlywithfoldedarmstopace
theroom，tillallatonce，asifsuddenlystruckbythearguments
ofmadamedeMirepoix，heexclaimed，
“Themarechaleisright“；andabruptlyquittedtheapartment，as
iftocommencehisownpreparations。
EremadamedeMirepoixhadleftmeandsheremainedtillalate
hour，theducsd’AiguillonanddeCossearrived，who，although
lessexperiencedintheirknowledgeoftheking’scharacter，were
yetfullyofheropinionrespectingmylastvisittohim。
Scarcelyhadthesevisitorswithdrawn，thanIwasapprizedthat
thechancellorofFrancedesiredtoseeme。
Hewasadmitted，
andthefirstglanceofthecountenanceofM。deMaupeouconvinced
methatourdayofpowerwasrapidlyclosing。
“Yourservant，cousin，“saidhe，seatinghimselfwithoutthe
smallestceremony；“atwhatpageofourhistoryhavewearrived？“
“Bytheunusualfreedomandeffronteryofyourmanner，“answered
I，“Ishouldsurmisethatwehavereachedtheword。“
“Oh，“repliedthechancellor，“Icraveyourpardonforhaving
omittedmybestbow；but，mygoodcousin，mypresentvisitisa
friendlyone，toadviseyoutoburnyourpaperswithaslittle
delayaspossible。“
“Thankyouforyourconsideratecounsel，“saidI，coolly，“butI
havenopaperstodestroy。
Ihaveneithermixedwithanystate
intrigue，norreceivedapensionfromtheEnglishgovernment。
Nothingwillbefoundinmydrawersbutsomeunanswered
billets-doux。“
“ThenasIcandonothingforyou，mygoodcousin，obligemeby
givingthispapertotheducd’Aiguillon。“
“Whatisit？“
inquiredI，withmuchcuriosity。
“Haveyouforgottenourmutualengagementtosupporteachother，
andnottoquittheministryuntiltheotherretiredalso？
Ihave
latelybeencompelledfromperceivinghowdeeplythedukewas
manoeuveringagainstmetosendhimacopyofthisagreement。
UnderothercircumstancesImighthaveavailedmyselfofthis
writing，butnowitmattersnot；theblowwhichdismissesme
proceedsfromotherhandsthanhis，andIamwillingtoleave
himtheconsolationofremaininginpowerafewdaysaftermyself。
Givehim，then，thisuselessdocument；andnow，farewell，my
prettycousin，letustakealastembrace。“
Uponwhichthechancellor，presuminguntilthelastuponour
imaginaryrelationship，kissedmycheek，andhavingputintomy
handsthepaperinquestion，retiredwithaprofoundbow。
Thisironicalleavetakingleftmestupefiedwithastonishment，
andwellIpresagedmycomingdisgracefromtheabsurdmummery
thechancellorhadthoughtfittoplayoff。
ComteJean，whohadseenM。deMaupeouquitthehouse，entered
myapartmenttoinquirethereasonofhisvisit。
Silentand
dejected，Iallowedmybrother-in-lawtotakeupthepaper，
whichhereadwithoutanyceremony。
“Whatisthemeaningofthis
scrawl？“
criedcomteJean，withoneofhisusualoaths；“uponmy
wordourcousinisafinefellow，“continuedhe，crushingthe
paperbetweenhisfingers。
“I’llengagethathestillhopesto
keephisplace；however，onethingconsolesme，andthatis，that
bothheandhisparliamentwillsoonbesenttotherightabout。“
OurconversationwasinterruptedbytheentranceofChamilly，who
cametoacquaintmethatthekingwassleeping，anddidnotwish
tobeagaindisturbedthatnight。
Rememberingmyusual
omnipotenceinthechateau，Iwasabout，likeatrueidiot，to
provetoChamillythattheking’sinterdictdidnotextendtome，
whenIwasstoppedinmypurposebytheappearanceoftheduc
d’Aiguillon；andasitwasnownearlyeleveno’clockatnight，I
couldscarcelydoubthisbeingthebearerofsome
extraordinarymessage。
Theducd’Aiguillonbringsanorderfortheimmediatedeparture
ofmadameduBarry——Theking’sremarksrecapitulated——Thecountess
holdsaprivycouncil——LettertomadamedeMirepoixandtheducs
deCosseandd’Aiguillon——Nightofdeparture——Ruel——Visitfrom
madamedeForcalquier
IsaidIdidnotexpecttheducd’Aiguillon；andthegriefwhich
wasspreadoverhisfeatures，andthelargetearswhichstoodin
hiseyes，persuadedmebuttooplainlythatallhopewasatanend。
“Isthekingdead？“
criedI，inastifledvoice。
“No，madam，“repliedhe，“LouisXVstilllives，norisitbyany
meanscertainthatthemisfortuneyouapprehendisinstoreforus。“
“Hesendsmefromhim，then，“exclaimedI，withaconvulsivecry，
“andmyenemieshavetriumphed。“
“Hismajestyisbutofhumannature，madam，“repliedtheduke；
“hefeelshimselfdangerouslyill，dreadsthefuture，andbelieves
thatheoweshispeopleasortofreparationforpasterrors。“
“How，mylordduke，“interruptedI，“thisgravelanguageinyour
lips——butnomatter。
Informmeonlyatwhosedesireyoustate
thesemelancholyfacts；speak，Iampreparedforyourmission，
beitwhatitmay。“
“Youshallheareverything，madam，“repliedtheduke，leadingme
toanarm-chair。
Iseatedmyself；mysisters-in-law，myniece，
andcomteJeanstoodaroundme，eagerlywaitingtheduke’s
communication。
“Afewhoursafteryouhadbeenremovedfromhis
chamber，thekinginquiredoftheprincessAdelaidewhetherit
weregenerallyknownatParisthathehadthesmall-pox。