第95章

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