elf in the arms of the marechale.

"What will become of me?" exclaimed I, weeping, "if the king should take
this fatal malady, he will never survive it."

"Let us hope for the best," answered madame de Mirepoix; "it would be
encouraging grief to believe a misfortune, which we have at present no
reason to suspect."

Comte Jean now rejoined us, accompanied by Bordeu and the duc de
Richelieu; their countenances were gloomy and dejected. The miserable
victim of ambition had the symptoms of the most malignant 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
d