oneachunmeaningguestasmilingwelcome，forindeed，myheart
　　wastoolightandIfelttoohappytobeenabledtofrowneven
　　uponthosewho，whenthestormappearednear，hadbasely
　　desertedme。
　　Itwasamusingenoughtoseewithwhatzealanyperson，whomI
　　hadpreviouslyrecommendedwasassistedbythevariousministers
　　inthepursuitoftheirobject；thefoundhimself
　　allatonceatleisuretopayhisrespectstome。
　　Heconfirmed
　　allthekindmessagessentmebythekingthroughtheducd’Aiguillon。
　　MadamedeMirepoix，whohadvisitedmetheprecedingevening，
　　reservedhernextcallforthefollowingday，butafewhours
　　effectedacruelchangeinmyfortune。
　　Athirdletterfromtheduke——Thekingreceivesextremeunction——
　　LetterfrommadameVictoiretothedauphin——M。deMachault——
　　ApromenadewiththeducdeCosse——Kindattentionfromthe
　　princedesDeuxPonts——Afourthletterfromtheducd’Aiguillon——
　　ComteJeanbidsmefarewell——M。d’Aiguillon’sfifthletter，
　　containinganaccountofthedeathofLouisXV——Theducdela
　　Vrilliere——The——Lettertothequeen——Departure
　　fortheabbeyof
　　Theaccountreceivedintheeveningfromtheduc
　　d’AiguillonI
　　shallnottranscribe，asitwasmerelyarepetitionofthegood
　　tidingsofthemorning。
　　Thedayfollowingstillbroughta
　　continuationoffavorableaccounts，butthenextletterwasin
　　thesewords:——
　　“MADAM，ANDMOSTHONOREDFRIEND，——Armyourself
　　withcourage；thekingisextremelyill，andIought
　　nottoconcealfromyouthatseriousapprehensions
　　areentertainedforhislife；hehaspassedawretched
　　night，Hisdaughters，whoneverquittedhisbedside，
　　whisperedtohimthatthearchbishopofParisand
　　hisgrandalmonerwereintheanteroomifhedesired
　　toseethem。
　　Thekingdidnotseemtoheartheir
　　words，butaboutthreeo’clockinthemorninghe
　　calledtheducdeDuras，whomhebadeinquire
　　whetherM。Mandouxwereinthechateau；and，if
　　so，toapprizehimhewishedtospeakwithhim。
　　“Atthesewordstheprincessesandallwhoheard
　　themburstintoafitofweeping，whichwasonly
　　interruptedbythearrivaloftheconfessor，who，
　　approachingthebedsideofthepenitent，helda
　　conferencewithhimofnearlyaquarterofanhour:
　　thisbeingconcluded，theking，inalowandfirm
　　voice，inquiredforhisalmoner。
　　Thelattersoon
　　presentedhimself，anxioustodischargetheduties
　　ofhissacredoffice。
　　Hismajestykeptcontinually
　　repeatingtohisafflictedchildren，’Mydaughters，
　　whyshouldwhatIamnowabouttodoagitateor
　　alarmyou？
　　Youarewellaware，thathavingthe
　　small-pox，theetiquetteestablishedinmyfamily
　　compelsmetoreceivethelastsolemnritesofthe
　　church，andIbutacquitmyselfofanobligation
　　insubmittingtoit。’
　　“Thetoneinwhichthekingspokeconvincedhis
　　attendantsthatheratherstrovetore-assure
　　himselfthanhischildren，bythepersuasionthat
　　thereceivingextremeunctionwasnotsomuch
　　theconsequenceofhisowndangerousstateasa
　　mereactofobediencetoanestablishedcustom。
　　Itwasthendecidedthatthesacredceremonyshould
　　takeplaceatseveno’clockinthemorning；and
　　herearosesomelittleembarrassment；the
　　ecclesiasticsinsistinguponthenecessityofthe
　　king’smakingsomestrikingandopenatonement
　　forwhattheywerepleasedtotermthescandalof
　　hisprivatelife。
　　“Theking’schambernowpresentedapictureat
　　oncesolemnandgloomy。
　　Groupedtogetheronone
　　sidethebedmightbeseenthedifferentnoblemen
　　inattendanceuponhismajesty；alittleremoved
　　stoodtheclergy，concealedfromtheinvalidby
　　theclosely-drawncurtains；inthemidstofthese
　　contendingpartiesweretheprincessesgoingfrom
　　onetotheother，vainlyseekingbymildandgentle
　　mediationtoproduceasatisfactoryarrangement。
　　Itwasatlengthunderstood，that，onaccountof
　　theextremeweaknessoftheinvalid，thegrand
　　almonershouldpronounceinhisnameakindof
　　honorableapologyforpastoffences。
　　“Youcanscarcelyimagine，madam，theuniversal
　　consternationspreadthroughoutthechateauby
　　theinformationthatthekingwasabouttoreceive
　　thelastritesofhischurch。
　　Theterrorandalarm
　　becameoverpoweringforawhile，butsubsiding
　　intoamorereligiousfeelingcrowdsofpersons
　　followedwithsolemnreverencetheholyprocession
　　asitpassedalong，bearingtheholysacramentto
　　theexpiringmonarch。
　　Atthemomentwhenitwas
　　administeredthegrandalmoner，turningtowards
　　allpresent，pronouncedthefollowingwordsin
　　theking’sname:——
　　“’Gentlemen，theweaknessofhismajestypreventing
　　himfromexpressinghimself，hehascommandedme
　　toinformyou，thatalthoughheisresponsibleto
　　Godaloneforhisconduct，heyetregretshaving
　　causedanyscandaltohispeoplebytheirregularities
　　ofhislife，thathesincerelyrepentsofhissins，
　　and，shouldProvidencerestorehimtohealth，he
　　purposeslivinghenceforwardinallthevirtueand
　　moralityofhisyouth，inthedefenceand
　　maintenanceofreligion，inpreservingatrue
　　faith，andinwatchingoverthebestinterests
　　ofhispeople。’
　　“Yours，madam，etc。，etc。“
　　Ilearnedalso，throughanotherchannel，thataccordingto
　　customfortyhours’prayerhadbeenenjoinedineverychurchin
　　Francetoimplorethemercyofheavenfortheking。
　　Iheardtoo
　　thattheshrineofSaintGenevievehadbeendisplayedforthe
　　venerationoftruebelievers。
　　Ipassedamiserablenight，dreamingofgraves，winding-sheets，
　　andfuneral-torches，fromwhichIonlyawoketoreceivethe
　　morning’sdespatches。
　　Alas！thenewsbutconfirmedthedistressing
　　stateoftheking。
　　TheverysolitudeinwhichIwasleftatRuel
　　mightalonehaveservedtoconvincemeofmymisfortune；for，
　　withtheexceptionoftheducdeCosse，nopersoncamenearus。
　　M。deCosseinvitedmetowalkwithhiminthegarden；Iaccepted
　　thearmofthisnoblefriend，andwedirectedourstepstowards
　　thewood。
　　Whenweweretheresecurefrominterruption，theduke
　　inquiredwhatweremyplansforthefuture？
　　“HowcanItellyou，“answeredI；“whatishenceforwardtobe
　　myfateisbetterknowntoourfuturequeenthantomyself。“
　　“ThatispreciselywhatIdread，“repliedM。deCosse。
　　“Unfortunately
　　youhavedeeplyoffendedthequeenelect，whohasirritatedher
　　husband’smindagainstyou；andthentheChoiseulfactionwill，
　　inallprobability，comeintopower。“
　　“Iseeallthis，“returnedI，“andampreparedforwhatever
　　mayhappen。“
　　“Iadmireyourcalmnessinamomentlikethepresent，“criedthe
　　duke；“buthaveacare。
　　Perhapsthebestthingwouldbetoremove
　　youbeyondthereachofthefirstshockofcourtdispleasure。
　　In
　　yourplaceIwouldrequestpassportsfromtheducd’Aiguillonand
　　travelintoEngland。“
　　“Oh，speaknotofsuchathing，Iconjureyou，“interruptedI；
　　“Ihaveahorrorofsuchjourneys，andwouldmuchrathertrust
　　tothegenerosityofthedauphiness。
　　Sheisabouttobecomea
　　greatqueen，whileIshallbeacreaturesohumiliatedand
　　abased，thattheverydifferencebetweenoursituationswillbea
　　sufficientvengeanceinhereyes。“
　　Wereturnedtothehouse，andhadscarcelyentered，whenM。de
　　Palchelbel，plenipotentiarytotheprincedesDeuxPonts，
　　wasannounced。
　　“M。dePalchelbel，“criedI，extendingmyhand，“whatgoodwind
　　bringsyouhere？“
　　“Ihavebeenhonouredbythecommandsoftheprince，mymaster，
　　madam，“repliedhe，“tobringyoutheassurancesofhisunalterable
　　friendship；andtosayfurther，thatwheneveryoufeeldissatisfied
　　withyourresidenceinFrance，youwillfindatDeuxPontsan
　　asylum，whichthemostearnestendeavorsoftheprince，my
　　graciouspatron，willstrivetorenderagreeabletoyou。“
　　Iwasmuchaffectedbythismarkofgenerousregardonthepart
　　ofprinceCharlesAuguste；and，turningquicklytowardstheduke，
　　Iexclaimed，
　　“Whatthinkyouofallthis？
　　Willyouhenceforwardbelievethose
　　self-dubbedphilosophers，whoassertthatfriendshipisunknown
　　toroyalty？
　　Youhavehereaproofofthecontrary。
　　Formyown
　　part，M。dePalchelbel，“continuedI，turningtowardstheminister，
　　“Iammuchgratifiedbyyourmessage，andentreatofyoutothank
　　hisroyalhighnessmostsincerelyforme。
　　Iwillwritetohim
　　myselfonthesubject，butbegofyoutorepeatthat，kindasare
　　hisoffers，Icannotacceptofthem；butshallcertainlyremainin
　　Franceuntilthenewsovereigncommandsorpermitsmetoquitit。“
　　IafterwardsrepeatedtotheministerofDeuxPontswhatIhad
　　previouslystatedinthegardentoM。de
　　Cosse，andhadthe
　　satisfactionofhearingmadamd’Aiguillonapproveofmysentiments。
　　WhenIretiredtomyapartmentIwasfollowedbymyniece。
　　“Howhappyareyou，dearaunt，“saidshe，’topreservesuch
　　friendsinyourpresenttroubles。“
　　“Iowethem，“repliedI，“tomysimplicityandcandor。“
　　“WillyounotretiretoGermany？“
　　“Certainlynot，“answeredI。
　　“Yetitwouldbebettertoallowthefirstburstofdispleasure
　　onthepartofthedauphinesstopassover。“
　　“Whogaveyouthiscounsel，mydearniece？
　　Iamquitesureit
　　doesnotoriginateinyourself。“
　　“Ihadpromisednottotell，“answeredshe；“butifyouinsist
　　uponit，Imustconfess，thatIwaspersuadedbytheprincede
　　CondeandM。deSoubisetourgeyoutofollowit。“
　　“Dotheythenwishformyabsence？“