"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 calling
it the small-pox.

"And should it prove that horrible complaint?" inquired I.

"There would, in that case, be considerable danger," replied Bordeu, not
without extreme embarrassment..

"Perhaps even to the extinction of all hope?" asked I.

"God alone can tell," returned Bordeu.

"I understand," interrupted I, quickly, "and, spite of the mystery with
which you would fain conceal the extent of his majesty's danger, I know,
and venture to assert, that you consider him already as dead."

"Have a care, madam," exclaimed Bordeu, "how you admit such an idea,
and still more of proclaiming it. I pledge you my word that I do
not consider the king is in danger; I have seen many cures equally
extraordinary with his."

I shook my head in token of disbelief. I had uttered what I firmly
supposed the truth, and the sight of my evil genius in the person of the
prophet who had awaited my return to Versailles, turned the encouraging
words of Bordeu into a cold, heavy chill, which struck to my heart.
Bordeu quitted me to resume his attendance upon the king. After him came
the duc d'Aiguillon, whose features bore the visible marks of care and
disquiet. He met me with the utmost tenderness and concern, asked of
me the very smallest details of the disastrous events of the morning. I
concealed nothing from him, and he listened to my recital with the most
lively interest; and the account of the apparition of the wonderful
being who seemed destined to follow me throughout my career was not the
least interesting part of our conversation.

"There are," said the duke, "many very extraordinary things in this
life, reason questions them, philosophy laughs at them, and yet it
is