sort of small-pox; this was a finishing stroke to my previous
alarms.  However, comte Jean whispered in my ear, "Bordeu will
arrange that the king shall remain here."

This assurance restored me to something like composure; but
these hopes were speedily dissipated by the arrival of La Martiniere.

"What is the matter?"  inquired he, "is the king very ill?"

"That remains for you to decide"; replied the duc de Richelieu;
"but however it may be, madame du Barry entreats of you not to
think of removing the king to Versailles."

"And why so?"  asked La Martiniere, with his accustomed abruptness.
"His majesty would be much better there than here."

"He can nowhere be better than at Trianon, monsieur," said I.

"That, madam," answered La Martiniere, "is the only point upon
which you must excuse my consulting you, unless, indeed, you
are armed with a physician's diploma."

"Monsieur la Martiniere," cried the duc de Richelieu, "you might
employ more gentle language when speaking to a lady."

"Was I sent for hither," inquired the angry physician, "to go
through a course of politeness?"

For my own part I felt the utmost dread, I scarcely knew of what.
Bordeu, seeing my consternation, hastened to interfere, by saying,


"At any rate, monsieur la Martiniere, you will not alarm the
king needlessly."

 "Nor lull him into a false security," answered the determined
La Martiniere.  "But what is his malady have you seen him,
doctor Bordeu?"

"Not yet."

"Then why do we linger here?  Your servant, ladies and gentlemen."

The medical men then departed, accompanied the duc de Richelieu.



CHAPTER XL


La Martiniere causes the king to be removed to Versailles--The
young prophet appears again to madame du Barry--Prediction
respecting cardinal de Richelieu--The joiner's daughter requests
to see madame du Barry--Madame de Mirepoix and the 50,000
francs--A < soiree > in the salon of madame du Barry

We continued for some minutes silently gazing on the retreating
figures of La Martiniere and his companions.

"Come," said the marechale, "let us return to the house"; saying
which, she supported herself by the arm of comte Jean, whilst I
mechanically followed her example, and sadly and sorrowfully we
bent our steps beneath the splendid colonnade which formed the
entrance to the mansion.

When I reached my chamber, I found mademoiselle du Barry there,
still ignorant of the alarming news I had just learned.  She
earnestly pressed me to return to bed, but this I refused; for
my burning anxiety to learn every particular relative to the
king would have prevented my sleeping.  How different was the
style of our present conversation to that of the preceding evening;
no sound of gaiety was heard; hushed alike were the witty
repartee, and the approving laugh which followed it.  Now, we
spoke but by fits and starts, with eye and ear on the watch to
catch the slightest sound, whilst the most trifling noise, or the
opening of a door, made us start with trepidation and alarm.
The time appeared to drag on to an interminable length.

At last the duc de Richelieu made his appearance.

"Well, my friends," said he, "the king is to be removed to
Versailles, spite of your wishes, madam, spite of his own royal
inclination, and against mine, likewise.  La Martiniere has
thundered forth his edict, and poor Bordeu opposed him in vain.
His majesty, who expresses a wish to remain here, stated his
pleasure to La Martiniere.

'"Sire,' answered the obstinate physician, 'it cannot be.  You
are too ill to be permitted to take your choice in the matter,
and to the chateau at Versailles you must be removed.'

"'Your words imply my being dangerously indisposed,' said the
king, inquiringly.

"'Your majesty is sufficiently ill to justify every precaution,
and to require our best cares.  You must return to the chateau;
Trianon is not healthy; you will be much better at Versailles.'

"'Upon my word, doctor,' replied the king, 'your words are far
from consoling; there must be danger, then, in my present sickness?'

"'There would be considerable danger were you to remain here,
whilst it is very probable you may avoid any chance of it by
following my directions with regard to an immediate removal
to Versailles.'

"'I feel but little disposed for the journey,' said his majesty.

"'Still, your majesty must be removed, there is an absolute
necessity for it, and I take all the responsibility upon myself.'

"'What do you think of this determination, Bordeu?'

"'I think, sire, that you may be permitted to please yourself.'

"'You hear that, La Martiniere?'

"'Yes, sire, and your majesty heard my opinion likewise.' Then
turning towards Bordeu, 'Sir,' exclaimed he, 'I call upon you in
my capacity of head physician to the king, to state your opinion
in writing, and to abide by the consequences of it; you who are
not one of his majesty's physicians.'

"At this direct appeal, your doctor, driven to extremities,
adopted either the wise or cowardly resolution of maintaining a
strict silence.  The king, who was awaiting his reply with much
impatience, perceiving his reluctance to speak, turned towards
the duc de Duras, who was in attendance upon him, and said, 'Let
them take me when and where my head physician advises.'"

At this recital I shed fresh tears.  The duke afterwards told us
that when La Martiniere had quitted his majesty, he went to
ascertain the condition of the wretched girl who had introduced
all this uneasiness among us, and after having attentively
examined her, he exclaimed, "She is past all hope, God only
knows what the consequences may be."  This gloomy prognostic
added still more to my distress, and whilst those around me strove
to communicate fresh hopes and confidence to my tortured mind,
I remained in a state too depressed and dejected to admit one,
even one ray of consolation.

The king was removed from Trianon, followed by all the persons
belonging to his suite.  The marechale insisted upon deferring
her departure till I quitted the place.  We set out a few minutes
after his majesty, and my coachman had orders to observe the
same slow pace at which the royal carriage travelled.  Scarcely
had we reached Versailles, when mechanically directing my eyes
towards the iron gate leading to the garden, a sudden paleness
overspread my countenance, and a cry of terror escaped me, for,
leaning against the gate in question, I perceived that singular
being, who, after having foretold my elevation, had engaged to
present himself before me, when a sudden reverse was about to
overtake me.  This unexpected fulfilment of his promise threw me
into the most cruel agitation, and I could not refrain from
explaining the cause of my alarm to those who were with me.  No
sooner had I made myself understood than Comte Jean stopped the
carriage, and jumped out with the intention of questioning this
mysterious visitor.  We waited with extreme impatience the return
of my brother- in-law, but he came back alone, nor had he been
able to discover the least trace of the object of his search.  In
vain had he employed the two footmen from behind the carriage
to examine the different avenues by which he might have retired.
Nothing could be heard of him, and I remained, more than ever,
convinced that the entire fulfilment of the prophecy was at hand,
and that the fatal hour would shortly strike, which would witness
my fall from all my pomp and greatness.  We continued our route
slowly and silently; the marechale accompanied me to the door of
my apartment, where I bade her adieu, spite of her wish to remain
with me; but even her society was now fatiguing to me, and I
longed to be alone with merely my own family.

My two sisters-in-law, the wife of comte d'Hargicourt and that
of my nephew, were speedily assembled to talk over with me the
events of the last twelve hours.  I threw myself upon my bed in
a state of mental and bodily fatigue, impossible to describe.  I
strove in vain to collect my ideas, and arm myself for what I
well saw was approaching, and the exact appearance of the singular
predicter of my destiny prepared me for the rapid accomplishing
of all that had been promised.

Louis XV, during this fatal illness, was placed under the care
of Bordeu and Lemonnier.  No particularly alarming symptoms
appeared during that day, and we remained in a state of suspense
more difficult to bear than even the most dreadful certainty.  As
soon as the king felt himself sufficiently recovered from the
fatigues of his removal he requested to see me.  After bestowing
on me the most gratifying marks of the sincerest attachment,
he said,

"I am well punished, my dear countess, for my inconstancy towards
you, but forgive me.  I pray and believe that, however my fancy
may wander, my heart is all your own."

"Is that quite true?"  said I, smiling.  "Have you not some
reservations?  Does not a noble female in the 
come in for a share as well as the baroness de New----k?"

 The king pressed my hand, and replied,


"You must not believe all those idle tales; I met the baroness
by chance, and, for a time, I thought her pretty.  As for the
other, if she renders you in any way uneasy, let her be married
at once, and sent where we need never see her again."

'This is, indeed, the language of sincerity," cried I, and from
this moment I shall have the fullest confidence in you."

The conversation was carried on for a long while in this strain.
The physicians had made so light of the complaint, that the king
believed his illness to be merely of a temporary nature, and his
gaiety and good spirits returned almost to their natural height.
He inquired after madame de Mirepoix, and whether my sisters-
in-law were uneasy respecting his state of health.  You may
imagine that my reply was worded with all the caution necessary
to keep him in profound ignorance as to his real condition.  When
I returned to my apartment I found Bordeu there, who appeared
quite at a loss what to say respecting the king's malady, the
symptoms still remained too uncertain to warrant any person in

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