from England Chopin was no longer able to teach at
all. [FOOTNOTE: "When languor [son mal de langueur] took hold of him,"
relates Henri Blaze de Bury in "Etudes et Souvenirs," "Chopin gave his
lessons, stretched on a sofa, having within reach a piano of which he
made use for demonstration."] This is what Franchomme told me, and he,
in the last years especially, was intimately acquainted with Chopin,
and knew all about his financial affairs, of which we shall hear more
presently.

As we saw from the letter quoted at the end of the last chapter, Chopin
took up his quarters in the Square d'Orleans, No. 9. He, however, did
not find there the recovery of his health, of which he spoke in the
concluding sentences. Indeed, Chopin knew perfectly by that time that
the game was lost. Hope showed herself to him now and then, but very
dimly and doubtfully. Nothing proves the gravity of his illness and his
utter prostration so much as the following letters in which he informs
his Titus, the dearest friend of his youth, that he cannot go and meet
him in Belgium.

Chopin to Titus Woyciechowski; Paris, August 20, 1849:--

Square d'Orleans, Rue St. Lazare, No 9.

My dearest friend,--Nothing but my being so ill as I really am
could prevent me from leaving Paris and hastening to meet you
at Ostend; but I hope that God will permit you to come to me.
The doctors do not permit me to travel. I drink Pyrenean
waters in my own room. But your presence would do me more good
than any kind of medicine.--Yours unto death,

FREDERICK.

Paris, September 12, 1849.

My dear Titus,--I had too little time to see about the permit
for your coming here; [FOOTNOTE: As a Russian subject,
Woyciechowski required a special permission from the Rusian
authorities to visit Paris, which was not readily granted to
Poles.] I cannot go after it myself, for the half of my time I
lie in bed. But I have asked one of my friends, who has very
great influence, to undertake this for me; I shall not hear
anything certain, about it till Saturday. I should have liked
to go by rail to the frontier, as far as Valenciennes, to see
you again; but the doctors do not permit me to leave Paris,
because a few days ago I could not get as far as Ville
d'Avraye, near Versailles, where I have a goddaughter. For the
same reason they do not send me this winter to a warmer
climate. It is, then, illness that retains me; were I only
tole