ithout
the advice of the physicians. She knew that these were the very people
who were always putting it into the Dauphin's head that, she was more
fond of his little brother, and she saw that it was intended to prevent
her having any influence with her own sick child; and bitterly she wept
over all this in her own apartment.

One day, some Indian ambassadors were to visit the king in great
splendour, and it was known that there would be a crowd of people in the
courts and galleries to see them. The queen desired that the Dauphin
might not be encouraged to think of seeing this sight, as it would be
bad for him, and she could not have him exposed, deformed and sickly, to
the gaze of a crowd of people. Notwithstanding her desire, the
Dauphin's tutor helped him to write a letter to his mother, begging that
he might see the ambassadors pass. She was obliged to refuse him. When
she reproached the tutor with having caused her and her boy this pain,
he replied that the Dauphin wished to write, and he could not vex a sick
child--the very thing which he compelled the mother to do, after having
fixed the subject in the boy's mind, and raised his hopes.

There was another sister, younger than the Duke of Normandy--quite a
baby. The Duke of Normandy used to see this little baby every day, and
kiss her, and hear her crow, and see her stretch out her little hand
towards the lighted wax candles, which made the palace almost as light
as day. One morning, baby was not to be seen: everybody looked grave:
his mother's eyes were red, and her face very sad. Baby was dead; and,
young as he was, Louis did not forget Sophie immediately. He saw and
heard things occasionally which put him in mind of baby for long
afterwards.

There was one more person belonging to the family, whom the children and
everybody dearly loved. This was their aunt Elizabeth, the king's
sister, a young lady of such sweet temper--so religious, so humble, so
gentle--that she was a blessing wherever she went. She disliked the
show and formality of a life at court, and earnestly desired to become a
nun. The king and queen loved her so dearly that they could not bear
the idea of her leaving them. They devised every indulgence they could
think of to vary the dulness of the court. The king declared her of age
two years before the usual time, and gave her a pretty country-house,
with gardens, where she might spend her time as she pleased; and he
encouraged her