按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
When I retired to my apartment I was followed by my niece。
〃How happy are you； dear aunt；〃 said she； 'to preserve such friends in your present troubles。〃
〃I owe them；〃 replied I； 〃to my simplicity and candor。〃
〃Will you not retire to Germany？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 answered I。
〃Yet it would be better to allow the first burst of displeasure on the part of the dauphiness to pass over。〃
〃Who gave you this counsel； my dear niece？ I am quite sure it does not originate in yourself。〃
〃I had promised not to tell；〃 answered she； 〃but if you insist upon it； I must confess； that I was persuaded by the prince de Conde and M。 de Soubise to urge you to follow it。〃
〃Do they then wish for my absence？〃 inquired I； angrily。
〃Only for your own sake； dearest aunt。〃
〃I thank them； but my resolution is formed to commit myself entirely to Providence in this melancholy affair。〃
The day passed on； and with feverish impatience I waited the arrival of the next courier： he came； at length； and confirmed my worst fears； the king was entirely given over by his physicians； and his dissolution was hourly expected。 The letter containing this mournful tidings concluded thus：
〃I have just seen comte Jean； he is here incognito。 We had entirely forgotten that passports would be necessary； however； I have now furnished him with four for England； Germany； Italy； and Switzerland。 The count is far from partaking of your sense of security； and is wisely anxious （as I think） of shielding himself from the first burst of royal vengeance。 The duchess has informed me of your refusal of an asylum at Deux Ponts； and； while I admire your courage； permit me to add； that you should rather have listened to the dictates of prudence than magnanimity under present circumstances。〃
The following morning； at an early hour； comte Jean entered my chamber； saying；
〃I understand the king is dead； have you heard anything of it？〃
〃Were the report correct；〃 answered I； 〃I should have known it ere the intelligence reached Paris。〃
〃Well； living or dead； I am advised to keep out of the way； and this night will see me on my journey from Paris。 Will you accompany me？〃
〃No； I replied I； 〃I have refused travelling with a much more creditable companion than yourself。〃
〃There you are wrong then； for； depend upon it； a cloister will be your fate； at any rate my business here is at an end。 The new monarch is young； and attached to his wife； and my daughter…in…law is too great a simpleton to be turned to any account at court。〃
My brother…in…law then requested I would furnish him with money。 I gave him what I had； and placed in his hands diamonds to the value of 30；000 francs。 He was very anxious to obtain all my jewels； under pretence of conveying them safely out of the kingdom； but this I was too wise to agree to； he would have staked them at t he first gaming…table he met with。 We separated without much emotion on either side。 He next took leave of Chon and his daughter…in…law。 the former wept bitterly； for she was a most excellent and amiable girlbut the latter； who knew but too much of the villainy of her father…in…law； could scarcely repress her joy at his departure。 Comte Jean perceived it； and； according to his brutal custom； indulged in a coarse jest at her expense； for one of his maxims was to hold all women in sovereign contempt but such as could be useful to him。 For my own part； his absence gave me something like pleasure； his presence was wearisome to me； it was like the dregs of the cup which had intoxicated my senses。
During the day several false reports arrived of the death of the king； but at length； about half past four o'clock in the afternoon； I received the following letter：
〃MADAM；…You have lost your best friend and I an excellent master： at three clock this day his majesty breathed his last。 I can scarcely describe to you the horrors of his death…bed。 The princesses Adelaide and Sophie braved the frightful contagion to the last and never quitted him till the last spark had flown。 Alas！ with the exception of themselves； every attendant openly expressed their weariness and disgust。
〃For several days the physicians have forbidden the windows to be opened； and those condemned to inhale the pestilential vapor of the room vainly sought to counteract them by every powerful fumigation。 Alas； madam； what is a king when he can no longer grasp the sceptre？ How great a leveller is death！ The prelates abandoned the sick chamber； and left a simple cure of the chapel to take their place； the lords in waiting and other officers shrunk from the duties of their office； and with their eyes fixed on a time…piece eagerly awaited the hour which should free them from it。 The princesses； who perceived this impatience； durst make no complaint； while the king； occasionally recovering his senses； uttered broken sentences； expressive of the religious terror which had seized his mind。 At length； at a few minutes past three o'clock； Lemonnier； in his capacity of first physician； said； after laying his hand upon the heart of the patient； and placing a glass before his lips； 'The king is dead。' At these words all present strove with indecent haste to quit the chamber； not a single sigh； not one regret was heard。 The princesses were carried insensible to their apartments。
〃The extinction of a which had been placed in a certain window； announced the accession of the dauphin ere the duc d'Aumont had informed him of the decease of his august grandsire。〃
This letter wrung from me some bitter tears； as well for the king； who had so lavishly bestowed his affections upon me； as for myself。 What would now be my fate？ Alas！ I knew not； all my brilliant prospects were buried in the coffin of my late protector。
The duc d'Aiguillon arrived at Ruel about midnight； he； as well as the other ministers who had been about the late monarch during his last illness； being prohibited by etiquette from following the present monarch to Choisy； whither the whole of the royal family had retired for a few days。 He told us that the duc d'Aumont； having commanded La Martiniere to proceed with the embalming of the royal corpse； that physician replied； 〃Certainly； my lord； it shall be done if you command it； but； in that case； the duties of your office compel you to receive his majesty's bowels in a golden dish； and I protest； that such is the state of the body； that of all who may assist at the operation； not one will survive eight days。 It is for your grace to determine what shall be done。〃
M。 d'Aumont thought no more of embalming his late master； but gave orders for the body being immediately placed in a leaden coffin； from which here still issued frightful effluvia。
Up to the moment of my quitting Ruel madame de Mirepoix gave me no token of recollection： I heard that herself and the prince de Beauvau were reconciled； and for her sake I rejoiced at it。 No person came near us the whole of the day with the exception of M。 de Cosse； and I sat in hourly expectation of some order from court。 At length we descried a travelling carriage with six horses； proceeding at a rapid pace up the avenue。 〃I know that livery；〃 exclaimed I； 〃 'tis