Sosaying，thekingbadeusafriendlyfarewell，andretired
　　withtheducsdeDurasanddeNoailles。
　　Weremainedafterhis
　　majesty，andretiringintothegreatsaloon，threwourselves
　　withoutanyceremonyuponthedifferentcouchesandottomans。
　　“Formyownpart，“saidtheprincedeSoubise，“Ishallnotthink
　　ofseparatingfromsoagreeableapartytilldaylightwarns
　　mehence。“
　　“Thefirstbeamsofmornwillsoonshinethroughthesewindows，“
　　repliedM。d’Aiguillon。
　　“WecanalreadyperceivethebrightestraysofAurorareflected
　　inthesparklingeyesaroundus，“exclaimedM。deCosse。
　　“Atrucewithyourgallantry，gentlemen，“repliedmadamede
　　Mirepoix，“atmyageIcanonlybelievemyselfcapableofreflecting
　　thelastraysofthesettingsun。“
　　“Hush！“
　　interruptedmadamedeForcalquier，“youforgetweare
　　atVersailles，whereageisneverthoughtof，butwhere，likeour
　　gracioussovereign，allareyoung。“
　　“Come，ladies，“saidmadamedeFlaracourt，“letusretire；Ifor
　　one，pleadguiltyofbeinginneedofrepose。“
　　“No，no！“
　　repliedtheducdeRichelieu，“letusemploythe
　　remaininghoursinpleasingandsocialconverse，“andwitha
　　tremulousvoicehebeganthatcharmingtrioin“SelinaandAzor，“
　　“。“
　　Wejoinedchoruswithhim，andthe
　　echoesofthepalaceofLouisXVresoundedwiththemirthful
　　strain。
　　Thisburstofnoisymirthdidnotlastlong，andwe
　　relapsedintoincreasedtaciturnity，spiteofourendeavoursto
　　keepupageneralconversation。
　　Wewereallfatigued，though
　　nonebutmadamedeFlaracourtwouldconfessthefact。
　　Tired
　　naturecalledloudlyforrepose，andwewereeachcompelledto
　　seekitinthedifferentapartmentsassignedus。
　　Theducd’Aiguillon
　　alonewascompelled，bythedutiesofhisoffice，toreturn
　　toVersailles。
　　UponenteringmychamberIfoundmybrother-in-lawthere，in
　　themostviolentfitofillhumour，thatthekingwhowasinfact
　　ignorantofhisbeingatTrianonhadnotinvitedhimtosupper。
　　AsIhavebeforetoldyou，comteJeanwasnofavouritewithhis
　　majesty，andasIhaddisplayednowishforhiscompany，Louis
　　XVhadgladlyprofitedbymyindifferencetoomithimuponthe
　　presentoccasion。
　　Iendeavouredtojustifytheking，without
　　succeeding，however，inappeasingcomteJean，whoveryunceremoniously
　　consignedusalltothecareandcompanyofacertainold
　　gentleman，whoseterritoryissupposedtoliebeneath“the
　　roundglobewhichweinhabit。“
　　“Ihavetothankyou，“repliedI，“foraveryflatteringmodeof
　　saying’goodnight。’“
　　“Perhaps，“answeredcomteJeanroughly，“youwouldprefer——“
　　“Nothingfromyourlipsifyouplease，mypolitebrother，“cried
　　I，interruptinghim，“nothingyouwillsayinyourpresenthumour
　　canbeatalltomytaste。“
　　Choninterferedbetweenus，andeffectedareconciliation，which
　　Iwasthemorewillingtolistento，thatImightenjoythatsleep
　　mywearyeye-lidscravedfor。
　　Scarcelywasmyheadonmypillow，
　　thanIfellintoaprofoundsleep:couldIbuthaveanticipated
　　towhatIshouldawake！
　　Itwaseleveno’clockonthefollowing
　　morningwhenanimmensenoiseofsomepersonenteringmychamber，
　　arousedmefromthesweetslumbersIwasstillburiedin。
　　Vexed
　　atthedisturbance，Iinquired，inapeevishtone，“Whoisthere？“
　　“TisI，mysister，“repliedChon，“M。deChamillyishere，
　　anxioustospeakwithyouuponamatterofgreatimportance。“
　　Chamilly，whowasclosebehindmademoiselleduBarry，begged
　　tobeadmitted。
　　“Whatisthematter，Chamilly？
　　“criedI，“andwhatdoyouwant？
　　IsmademoiselleJulietosetoffintothecountryimmediately？“
　　“Alas！
　　madam，“repliedChamilly，“hismajestyisextremelyill。“
　　Thesewordscompletelyrousedme，andraisingmyselfonmyarm，
　　Ieagerlyrepeated，“Ill！
　　ofwhatdoeshecomplain？“
　　“Ofgeneralanduniversalpainandsuffering，“repliedChamilly。
　　“Andthefemalewhowasherelastnight，howisshe？“
　　“Nearlyasbad，madam；shearosethismorningcomplainingof
　　illnessandlanguor，whichincreasedsorapidly，thatshewas
　　compelledtobecarriedtooneofthenearestbeds，whereshe
　　nowis。“
　　Allthistormentedmetothegreatestdegree，andIdismissed
　　Chamillyforthepurposeofrising，althoughIhadnodistinct
　　ideaofwhatitwouldbemostdesirabletosayordo。
　　My
　　sister-in-law，withmoreself-possession，suggestedthepropriety
　　ofsummoningBordeu，myphysician；aproposalwhichIatonce
　　concurredin，moreespeciallywhensheinformedme，thatLa
　　Martinierewasalreadysentfor，andhourlyexpected。
　　“1trust，“saidI，“thatBouvartknowsnothingofthis，forI
　　neitherapproveofhimasamanoradoctor。“
　　Thefactwas，Ishouldhavetrembledformyownpower，hadboth
　　BouvartandLaMartinieregotthekingintotheirhands。
　　WithLa
　　MartiniereIknewverywellIwasnofavourite；yetitwasimpossible
　　topreventhisattendance；thekingwouldneverhavefancieda
　　prescriptioninwhichhedidnotconcur。
　　MeanwhileIproceededwithmytoiletteasrapidlyaspossible，
　　thatImight，byvisitingtheking，satisfymyselfofthenatureof
　　hismalady。
　　EreIhadfinisheddressing，mybrother-in-law，
　　whohadlikewisebeenarousedbythementionofhismajesty’s
　　illness，enteredmychamberwithagloomylook；healreadysaw
　　thegreatnessofthedangerwhichthreatenedus，hehadentirely
　　forgottenourquarreloftheprecedingevening，buthistemper
　　wasbynomeansimprovedbythepresentstateofthings。
　　We
　　hadnoneedofexplainingourselvesbywords，andhecontinued
　　walkingupanddowntheroomwith，hisarmsfoldedandhiseyes
　　fixedonthefloor，tillwewerejoinedbythe
　　marechalede
　　MirepoixandthecomtessedeForcalquier。
　　MadamedeFlaracourt
　　hadtakenherdepartureatanearlyhour，eitherignorantof
　　whathadoccurredorwiththeintentionofbeingpreparedfor
　　whatevermighthappen。
　　Asyet，itwasbutlittleinthepowerofanypersontopredict
　　thecomingblow。
　　“Thekingisill，“saideachofusaswemet。
　　“Thekingisill，“wasthemorningsalutationoftheducsde
　　Richelieu，deNoailles，deDuras，anddeCosse。
　　Theprincede
　　SoubisehadfollowedtheexampleofmadamedeFlaracourt，and
　　hadquittedTrianon；itseemedasthoughthehourfordefection
　　werealreadyarrived。
　　Asummonsnowarrivedfromhismajesty
　　whowishedtoseeme。
　　Ilostnotamomentinrepairingtohis
　　apartment，whereIfoundhiminbed，apparentlyinmuchpainand
　　uneasiness。
　　Hereceivedmetenderly，tookmyhandsinhis，and
　　kissedthem；thenexclaimed，
　　“IfeelmoreindisposedthanIcandescribe，aweightseems
　　pressingonmychest，anduniversallanguorappearstochainmy
　　facultiesbothofbodyandmind。
　　Ishouldliketosee
　　LaMartiniere。“
　　“AndwouldyounotlikewisewishtohavetheadviceofBordeu？“
　　“’Yes，“saidhe，“letbothcome，theyarebothclevermen，and
　　Ihavefullconfidenceintheirskill。
　　Butdoyouimaginethat
　　mypresentillnesswillbeofaseriousnature？“
　　“Bynomeans，sire，“returnedI，“merelytemporary，Itrust
　　andbelieve。“
　　“PerhapsItookmorewinethanagreedwithmelastevening；but
　　whereisthemarechale？“
　　“InmychamberwithmadamedeForcalquier。“
　　“AndtheprincedeSoubise？“
　　“Hehastakenflight，“repliedI，laughing。
　　“Isupposeso，“returnedLouisXV，“hecouldnotbearalong
　　absencefromParis；companyhemusthave。“
　　“Inthatrespectheresemblesyou，sire，foryougenerallyconsider
　　companyasanecessarygood。“
　　Hesmiled，andthenclosinghiseyesremainedforsomeminutes
　　silentandmotionless，afterawhilehesaid，
　　“Myheadisveryheavy，sofarewell，mysweetfriend，Iwill
　　endeavourtogetsomesleep。“
　　“Sleep，sire！“
　　saidI，“andmayitproveashealthfuland
　　refreshingasIprayitmay。“
　　Sosaying，Iglidedoutoftheroomandreturnedtomyfriends，
　　IfoundmadamedeMirepoixandtheducdeCossewaitingforme
　　intheanteroom。
　　“Howistheking？“
　　inquiredtheybothinabreath。
　　“BetterthanIexpected，“Ireplied，“butheisdesirous
　　ofsleeping。“
　　“Somuchtheworse，“observedtheducdeCosse；“Ishouldhave
　　thoughtbetterofhiscasehadhebeenmorewakeful。“
　　“Areyouawareofthemostimperativestepforyoutotake？“
　　inquiredthemarechaledeMirepoix。
　　“No，“saidI，“whatisit？“
　　“TokeephismajestyatTrianon，“repliedshe；“itwillbefar
　　betterforyouthatthepresentillnessshouldtakeitscourse
　　atTrianonratherthanatVersailles。“
　　“Isecondthatadvice，“criedtheducdeRichelieu，whojust
　　thenenteredtheroom；“yes，yes，asmadamedeMirepoixwisely
　　observes，thisistheplaceforthekingtobeillin。“
　　“But，“exclaimedI，“mustwenotbeguidedbythe
　　physicians’advice？“
　　“DoyoumakesureofBordeu，“saidtheduke，“andIwillspeak
　　toLaMartiniere。“
　　M。deCossetookmeaside，andassuredmethatImightrelyupon
　　himinlifeordeath。